Finding Craftsmanship in Florence
My husband’s favorite time to travel back home to see his family in Sicily is in August of each year.
This is when my in-laws and our friends there have time off, so it’s a more relaxed vibe once we’re all together. The downside is that, of course, lots of people are traveling that time of year, and sightseeing in the bigger cities is anything but relaxed.
But once we’ve had our family time in Sicily, we do try to travel somewhere else in Italy, and this year we chose Florence. Getting there proved uniquely difficult due to Mount Etna’s eruptions wreaking havoc on air travel. So after finally accepting that basically any flights out of Sicily were a no-go, we rented a car and headed north. It was beautiful.
Pro Tip #1: Italy’s infrastructure has vastly improved over the last 20 years - don’t be afraid to road trip!
This means there is a much larger selection of vehicles to choose from that can meet your comfort level. The further north you drive, the more civilized the drivers become, so don’t be afraid to get behind the wheel and do an Italian road trip.
One other downside of traveling to Italy in August is that it’s often very hot - like, “surface of the sun” hot. While I enjoyed our trip to Rome last year, the heat was miserable during the mid-day. So this time around I took a different approach and booked a spot 45 minutes outside of Florence in the Tuscan town of Monsummano Terme. The town is known for its thermal spa, Grotta Giusti - a quiet, relaxing place to take in the waters and spa treatments.
We kept our schedule flexible and not overbooked, so when the perfect 80-degree day came around, we went into the city to do some shopping and sightseeing. If I could sum up Florence in one word it would be “craftsmanship.” Whether it’s food, leather products, stationary, fragrances, etc. - it is all made with generations of learning, passion and precision.
Here are some of my favorite spots in Florence:
Originally started by a monastery to help orphans of World War II learn a craft that could support them, this leather institution is exactly that - an institution. As much a museum as a retail space, Scuola del Cuoio is the largest genuine leather laboratory in the city where clients can watch artisans create the leather goods in the midst of centuries old-history and handiwork. To this day, the three-generation deep family owners support underprivileged young people through their foundation by providing scholarships to their leather school where they can hone a life-long skill and support system. From classically styled handbags to leatherbound notebooks that are perfect for documenting your travel musings to the last belt you’ll ever need to buy - there’s something for everyone, in every budget, and each piece is an investment you can feel good about.
Carrying on the bookbinding traditions his great grandfather began in 1908, Riccardo Luci has earned a reputation as a true marbled paint artist, whether that art takes shape on paper, leather goods or textiles. A wide range of beautifully and colorfully marbled products are on display in his studio-shop where you can sign up for a marbling workshop with the artist himself. A great activity for both adults and kids, it’s something to add to your Florence bucket list, and a great way to take home a truly meaningful souvenir for once. Even if you don’t attend a workshop, the odds are good you’ll get to see the marbling process while you shop - as you’ll come to see, the artisans of Florence are not about keeping any of this knowledge or skill to themselves.
With boutiques around the globe, Aqua Flor is a major presence in the fragrance industry. But what sets them apart is the immersive shopping experience they work hard to create. Their Florence “olfactorium,” combines the function of a working sensorial laboratory with the charm of a maximalist, well-designed Tuscan cottage. It’s one of those places where you paw through all the pretty things on the shelf, not sure if each one is inventory or antique decor. And as with nearly all “Firenze” businesses, the process of the work is not just on display, but available for you to experience firsthand, crafting your own, one-of-a-kind fragrance.
Pro Tip #2: Florence is a great place to stock up on small gifts that are great to have on-hand.
If you’re like me, then you also get tired of giving the “same old” wine or candles as hostess gifts. When I travel, especially in a shopping heavy town like Florence, I use it as an excuse to stock up on hostess gifts. The small shops you’ll encounter through your travels in Tuscany or Florence are the perfect places to pick up something a little more unique and interesting. From a hand-crafted calfskin bookmark to an ambient home fragrance diffuser to a marble painted leather keychain - trust me that this will feel better than showing up with a mediocre bottle of cabernet, and for around the same price.
In fact, companies have made it much easier to process the Value Added Tax (VAT) refund at the airport, which means these products may be even more affordable. Don’t underestimate how many little gifts like this you need throughout the year (birthdays, teacher appreciation gifts, “get well soon” gifts) and how quickly your little stockpile will decline - so if you see something you know just about anyone would love to receive - grab one in every color!
We may not have gotten there the way we anticipated, and we may have had to plan our days around avoiding heat stroke, but any day in Italy surrounded by amazing Firenze craftsmanship, is a great day.