<p>Funny thing is that I returned to Florence in 2005 after having been away from Italy for 27 years. One of the places I wanted to see again most was – yep – Vivoli. DO NOT VISIT FLORENCE DURING FERRAGOSTO (two weeks in August when everyone is on vacation and many businesses are closed)!) – my fatal mistake! You can imagine how I felt after all those years of going without my favorite ice creams (zuppa inglese had to be tops, with zabaglione and gianduia rounding out the top three), all the anticipation that once again I would know “paradiso” in a cup! – only to be confronted with that most dreaded of signs upon nearing its doors – CHIUSO PER FERRAGOSTO – !! Heartbroken and dazed, I stumbled along those horrid cobblestone streets all the way to the Arno. As I was about to throw myself in to the beckoning waters I stopped, looked around and said to myself “Oh no, Fiorentina, you don’t get rid of me that easy – I’ll live through this and I’ll be back – because I will not go to my rest until I taste once more those lovely concoctions that only Vivoli knows!” Then my wife elbowed me to ask “What in the world is wrong with you?!” “I don’t know what it is but I like it. You finally look like you have a purpose in life!” “Oh, I do, said I…I do…”</p>
<p>Ah, gelato in Florence. Where the best is depends on what you want. If you want fruit flavors head to Carebe on via Ricasoli just down the street from the Accademia (where the David is). If you want chocolate then it is hands down Vestri on Borgo degli Abizi. If you want nut flavors or riso (my favorite) then either Vivoli or Gelateria Neri (on via Neri). Neri is actually run by the cousins of the people who run Vivoli so it is very similar, but Neri is often open in the winter months when Vivoli is closed. Also, Carebe is most likely closed in December but they do fabulous granita, however pay attention to what you order, my kids call the man at Carebe “The gelato nazi”. Vestri, which is actually a chocolatier sells the most wonderful hot chocolate in the winter months. H loves the hot chocolate with pepper, I love the hot chocolate with orange. It is like some one melted a chocolate bar for you to drink.</p>
<p>Oh I forgot there is a new place Grom on via dell Oche (near the Duomo so they may stay open through the winter) that does great cream flavors (fluer de latte, creme) and pretty good chocolate.</p>
<p>If you like chestnuts be sure to try some “marron glace”, which are sweetly glazed. </p>
<p>cultural tidbit: In the square of Santa Maria Novella (Dominican Order) there is an obelisk resting on the backs of bronze turtles atop a pedestal (as I recall). One would hardly notice or look at them unless one knew that they were made by Giambologna, who produced the impressive work “Rape of the Sabine Women”, found in the Loggia dei Lanzi, in Piazza della Signoria.</p>
<p>Lololu, I’m glad somebody else recognizes the genius of chocolate gelato at Vestri! They also have the best hazelnut gelato that I’ve ever tried. From the outside, Vestri looks more like a gourmet chocolate store. Like many other purveyors of high-quality gelato, Vestri doesn’t even keep their gelato on display. It’s stored away in stainless steel containers in a freezer beneath the cash registers.</p>
<p>Believe me: between a semester in Florence, and two trips to Italy this year, I have sampled quite a bit of gelato in the past couple years. In fact, with just one night in Florence in March, I made it a point to have gelato at Vestri. It can’t be missed, and it is so close to the Duomo that there’s no excuse to skip it. (And yes, I know I sound a little crazy, but I get that way when it comes to gelato!)</p>
<p>Ouch, you said “gelato” seven times – I am soooo wounded!</p>
<p>Vivoli used to name their hazelnut ice cream “Gianduia”. Don’t know if they still do. It was the best (next to zuppa and zabaglione). Have you tried theirs?</p>
<p>Well, I respectfully disagree with your view of English speakers using the word gelato. But that ground has been covered extensively I see.</p>
<p>I’ve given Vivoli a couple chances, and I KNOW people rave about it, but it wasn’t for me. I found it to be overpriced (just my recollection–I was on a study abroad budget!) and not delicious enough to justify the prices. I suppose, though, if you’re in the Santa Croce area, Vivoli is perfectly acceptable. Just have lunch at Trattoria Anita first!</p>
<p>Thanks for responding. Sounds like you know the ins and outs of Florence quite well. I don’t recall what Vivoli’s cost back in the early 70’s but I think it was just a little more than the others. It had not yet become the international institution that it is – just the local one!</p>
<p>I spent sophomore year in Florence in a small program housed in Palazzo Antinori, at the far end of Via Tournabuoni. What a fantastic setting – the palazzo, the city, the surrounding countryside. Fortunately I could also live at home at the time since my family was there. (Dad was with the American Consulate). I studied art history, European history, Italian, poli sci., etc. It was incredible! What did you study and where, if I may ask?</p>
<p>Oh, and yes, Antinori wines were good then too! The palazzo had (still has) a wine bar on the first floor, right off the entry. It also has a very nice inside courtyard with a stone well and “pietra serena” (the grey detail stone that sets off so well against off-white walls)everywhere, a signature of Florentine architecture. </p>
<p>Gianduia is actually a combination of hazelnut and chocolate, the name comes from a confection created in Turin in the middle of the 19th century. Nutella’s original name was Pasta Gianduja. Straight hazelnut gelato would go by the name nocciola. I would agree with AiHy that Vivoli is not my favorite, but I find that different places excell at different flavors and Vivoli is one of the few places that still makes rice gelato, a very old flavor. I love it. </p>
<p>There are numerous gelataria in Florence and the hard part is that many of the ones most tourists see carry a industrial made product that is not worth the money. A good way to start to weed out the worst offenders is to check the pistachio gelato. If it is bright green keep walking. Good pistachio should be a kind of pale gray green.</p>
<p>Oh and Vestri actually is chocolatier, not a gelataria. If you go in just before Easter people are bringing in gifts to be placed inside giant chocolate eggs that are then decorated with flowers and ribbons. I was in there one day when a man came in with a diamond bracelet to put in an egg!!</p>
<p>Yes, gianduia does combine the two flavors. A few years ago I saw, read or heard that Nutella was first developed during either WWI or II, when chocolate was rationed or hard to get, so someone thought of combimimg it with hazelnut paste.</p>
<p>Leanid, I’d love to send you a PM with more info because my program was really small. I’m uncomfortable posting the details because it would be immediately identifiable. However, it seems you have PMs disabled. Let me know if there’s an alternate method I could use.</p>
<p>Does anyone know what I can expect re: Christmas in Tuscany? I know one town has a tradition of bonfires. Will there be lights, decorations, Christmas trees?</p>
<p>In Florence and most Tuscan cities there will be lights on the streets in the center of the city, and you will see some decorations including trees, but it tends to be more subdued then American cities. No Santa per se (although he is beginning to creep in), but you will see creches and other religious depictions throughout the city. In all, Christmas in Italy is a family holiday and the public displays tend to be less raucous then Americans. But you will know it is Christmas.</p>
<p>Go to the tourist information centers. You can locate them (they have a big I on the sign and are frequently located in or near train stations). They will have schedules for holiday music concerts which are usually in churches. Some require tickets and some are free.</p>
<p>Not at all, just follow along with the crowd when they sit or stand and no one will notice. I would not go to communion, but that is fine too. There will be plenty of other non-catholics, back-sliding catholics, relative catholics there.</p>