2053 New Year in Florence

I would choose Venice over Florence for New Year. If it is cold, damp and overcast then Venice becomes wonderfully atmospheric with swirling mists up every canal and alleyway; if, instead, it is cold, crisp and sunny then you can take your lunch and even an apperativo "al fresco" at one of the joints facing on to the Guidecca Canal. There will be fireworks, costume balls and a whole lot of jollity. Florence will have some celebrations but a great number of people who can afford to live in the centre can also afford to ski and will have gone to Abetone or to the Alps so the atmosphere won't be as good as in the run up to Christmas.

Edinburgh! That where it's happening; over 2 days, not one!
Thats where I'm going!!
Oh, and I know a good Italian restaurant! :)

Been to Edinburgh a couple of years ago for New Year, stopped with good friends, fan-tastic time and it didnt rain, lots of wee drams, tatties and neeps and fireworks. You'll have a ball you lucky devil! No, but, yes but am I boffered? Want to combine a friends birthday (2nd Jan) with the New Year, and she adores Florence, cant be worse than Kilburn really!

[QUOTE=elainecraig]I'm seriously thinking of going to Florence for the New Year, but suddenly thought what is Italy like in the New Year. I know that Rome is very very quiet at Chrsitmas time when most Italians spend it with their families, but I have no idea what New Year is like. Do italians celebrate it? Do all the shops, bars and resturants close? Please let me know if this is a good idea? Or if I should knock it on the head and go elsewhere?[/QUOTE]

As,someone said a lot of Fiorentini will transfer into the countryside,villas,houses,agriturismo or ski places,a number will still be there but it would be worth your while checking which hotels/restarants will actually be open as a number will be closed,be prepared also for some fairly hefty prices easily Euro 60,00 - 200,00.make sure you find out exactly what they're giving/menu/entertainment or whatever...anyway most people will be in piazza after 24.00 pm.(careful not to spend n.year just with a crowd of japanese tourists).Best place in Firenze by far is Enoteca Pinnichiori but if open will be pricy i think you'll find they have a web site..another is "I Latini"
which used to be great...happy new year.....

I've been to Enoteca Pinnichiori. my god the bill made my eyes bleed! We arrived with very little gold jewellry on, and stuck out like a sore thumb, we ordered a single glass of champagne. We sat down at our lotus poshus table, and surveyed the wine books, yes all 3 about a inch thick with about 50 pages in the same type size as the bible bound in sumptuous leather. What stood out, even in the days post lira, was the amount of zeros added after each price. In fear we ordered the second least expensive, didnt want to appear cheapskate, at 50 euros. Well funnily enough after 2 hrs sipping, and trying to drink water the bottle was empty. At which point the waiter started bringing us random suggested glasses of red wine without request: chateau du banana, rothchild dy pricey oh madam you must try the Petrus 1854. I sat in complete fear too proud and too thirsty to tell them to stop. The bill arrived....no extra cost, well we recon' they felt sorry for us and gave us the dregs of everyone elses bottle...still costly but very funny and I havent even told you about the toilets and maitre d' and a rose...later....:eek:

On my birthday in 1993 I proposed to my wife on the ponte vecchio after a meal at Enoteca Pinchiorri and by strange coincedence when I moved to Schio in the Veneto in 1998 (ahead of my wife who was finishing some studies in London) I was kind of adopted by a young couple who had just started a restaurant there. He had previously been sommelier and she pasta and pudding chef at Enoteca Pinchiorri. Small world innit?
BTW , the 7 plate degustazione menu (where all the wines are chosen for you) is what we went for which seemed to be the most economical way of sampling the maximum number of delights. Wouldn't dream of going there now...too expensive.

[QUOTE=derekL]Edinburgh! That where it's happening; over 2 days, not one!
Thats where I'm going!!
Oh, and I know a good Italian restaurant! :)[/QUOTE]

Ooohh which one's that??

Don't have tickets for the big do here as it's so expensive - and you'll only get squashed!! We'll head for the slightly quieter areas of the city methinks ... ;)

Stephanie

[QUOTE=Sebastiano]another is "I Latini"
which used to be great...happy new year.....[/QUOTE]

'Il Latini' was recomended to us by Italian friends and I would certainly recomend it to others. It is a noisy, bustling place full of locals, all sitting at long refectory type tables. When you arrive a litre bottle of the excellent house red is plonked down, if you insist, they will show you a menu, we went with the waiters suggestions, the food was excellent and very reasonable. When we left there was an enormous queue waiting to get in so booking would be essential. At New Year, if open, I would imagine the place will be buzzing and you would have a great time.
The other place recomended to us is 'Il Giardino', much quieter but still full of locals and serving good reasonably priced food. Later on in the evening, we had young children so were eating quite early,there was quite an 'alternative' type crowd, again I would think at New Year you would have to book.
Il Latino - via dei Palchetti 6r
Il Giardino - via della Scala 61r

This is really insightful, its a special place for me as is all of Italy, and its great to know I can have a fun time there. I have never been to Italy over the new year, and its great to have your advice to help us have an ever better tiem..thank chaps xxx :D

Let the party commence!

[quote=Iona]Ooohh which one's that??

Don't have tickets for the big do here as it's so expensive - and you'll only get squashed!! We'll head for the slightly quieter areas of the city methinks ... ;)

Stephanie[/quote]

Italian restaurant in Edinburgh? Has to be 'Bar Roma'! Good food and good fun!

As we did to ring in the new millenium in 2000, we'll be having a local block party type of New years, especially now that several new families have come to live in our town from UK. Its held in the cantina di Maria Teresa, smack in the centro storico and the 4 course dinner, wine a volonta, live music and dancing and to wind up fireworks and champagne around the bonfire in the piazza. Price 16 euros last time we did it. A huge difference from the Florentine and Roman nightclubs & fancy restaurants and a great way to bond with your new friends.

Its booked thanks for all your help, flights direct to Florence. Havent booked the meal yet, but I can see myself on a certain old bridge with a glass of champagne in my hand.:D I think this is the first New Years since Edinburgh thast I'm looking forward to :D

[QUOTE=etruria]As we did to ring in the new millenium in 2000, we'll be having a local block party type of New years, especially now that several new families have come to live in our town from UK. Its held in the cantina di Maria Teresa, smack in the centro storico and the 4 course dinner, wine a volonta, live music and dancing and to wind up fireworks and champagne around the bonfire in the piazza. Price 16 euros last time we did it. A huge difference from the Florentine and Roman nightclubs & fancy restaurants and a great way to bond with your new friends.[/QUOTE]

It sounded blissful!

The sort of entertainment described by Etruria is one of the many things that attracted us to this lovely part of Italy. Though saying that sure all the other regions will have such local parties.

I tell you what NEXT year I might end up in the cantina di Maria Teresa, for special reasons I have to go to Florence this year. It sounds very much like when I went to Amalfi at Easter, the whole of the town's electric lights were switched off and medieval tourches were lit up instead in all of the old Kafkaesque walkways. It was so atmospheric, the prosession, the singing was so very moving. Amalfi is the only place other than the Vatican that has a disciples tomb, St Andrew.

We have been to similar Easter celebrations in Tuscania which were very moving. Would love to spend Easter in Amalfi one year as that sounds wonderful to.
As for New Year 2007 may see you in Vetralla then Elaine?

Yeah why not sounds fantastic, its seems such a different and genuine Italian thing to do.Also next year my italian might be better so I'll get more out of it.

Although there may be a fight with the Puglian gang, I still want to visit other parts of Italy theres still so much to see. I havent been to Montepulciniano, I want to do a proper tour of Slcily (been to cefalu), want to go back to San Girimiano, Turin to watch Juve oh and I want to go by boat to the Cinque Terre ports...so little time so muuch to see. Thats not even starting on Transalvania, Talin and Peru.

[QUOTE=elainecraig]Yeah why not sounds fantastic, its seems such a different and genuine Italian thing to do.Also next year my italian might be better so I'll get more out of it.

Although there may be a fight with the Puglian gang, I still want to visit other parts of Italy theres still so much to see. I havent been to Montepulciniano, I want to do a proper tour of Slcily (been to cefalu), want to go back to San Girimiano, Turin to watch Juve oh and I want to go by boat to the Cinque Terre ports...so little time so muuch to see. Thats not even starting on Transalvania, Talin and Peru.[/QUOTE]

You go for it Elaine :)

I have great memories of the Cinque Terre ... 1973 :eek: Was it that long ago?

A group of us (language teachers) went for a long weekend to Viarreggio. Shared cars stuffed with back-packs and tents. And after a very boozy first night at a bar on the sea-front (hicc), we all agreed it was a great idea to walk the 'cliff trail' from the first port to the fifth the next day.

Perhaps it was the vino. Perhaps it was our lack of Italian, but somehow we failed to understand the distances quoted in the guide book.

I'd imagined a sort of gentle scenic stroll with say - one or two nice places to stop for either a long lunch or a cool drink. The others must have thought the same as consequently no-one bothered with walking shoes ( I was wearing a pair of very 'chic chic' platform sandals if I remember rightly).

So off we went, with only a couple of bottles of vino at hand to see us on our merry way. Remember the era please. Vino was in, bottled water didn't exist:)

Well, the scenery was exquisite. However, after the first couple of hours walking (when the vino had run out) things got a bit more serious. We should, by our calculations have 'hit' somewhere to replenish supplies. No joy :rolleyes:

We were by now very thirsty (thank you vino), and had realized that we either kept going because turning back at this point wasn't an option.

Then one of the guys sat down on a rock at the side of the trail and said, "That's it, I'm not going on anymore". Well how ridiculous was that? You either go on or you stay put. Luckily (for the rest of the group) a snake slithered out from under the rock and scared him shxt less and he carried on. What else could he do?

This was in the days before mobile phones etc.

To cut a long story short, we did arrive eventually at the last port and it's an experience I've never forgotten. Exhausted and de-hidrated as we were.

Susan, that's hilarious!

.

I still want to visit other parts of Italy theres still so much to see. I havent been to Montepulciniano, I want to do a proper tour of Slcily (been to cefalu), want to go back to San Girimiano, Turin to watch Juve oh and I want to go by boat to the Cinque Terre ports...so little time so muuch to see. Thats not even starting on Transalvania, Talin and Peru.[/QUOTE]

Oh yes how right you are! Our plans now we are living here is to tour Italy in much more depth than we have ever done before.....but there always seems to be something stopping us.......One day!
Just thought, we could do a tour of forum members!!

Susan P -

that was brilliant!! So typical though of that time too...

I bet your feet didn't thank you!! Were the platforms lower on arrival?? :D

Stephanie

[QUOTE=Iona]Susan P -

that was brilliant!! So typical though of that time too...

I bet your feet didn't thank you!! Were the platforms lower on arrival?? :D

Stephanie[/QUOTE]

What platforms? By the time we staggered down the cliff path to the fifth port you'd have thought I was wearing a pair of flats ;) And the blisters !

We took the little coastal train back to Viarreggio and guess what? Still managed to party all night. Wherever did we find the stamina? But if we're talking stamina ... I should really tell you about my 18th birthday party held in a cave near Marina di Camerota in Campagnia :o Maybe not, I'll have the moderators after me :D

DavidandLinda. If you ever visit Montepulciano, try to visit Montalcino as well. Great wines from both places!! If you have time, include the Fontaverde Spa with hot swimming pools all year round and all sorts spa treatments and if you wish to stay there is a 5 star hotel attached. I think the hotel and spa was recently voted among the ten best spas in the world. Fontaverde is San Casiano dei Bagni. If you only use the public pools it will cost you only 8 Euros in the afternoon. I would also recommend a drive through Val Dorcia. If you enjoy gardening then visit Vivai Margheriti in Chuisi. Quite an experience!!!

Montepulciano and Montalcino wines yes we know them! Thanks for the ideas of places to visit, think we need a long slow grand tour of Italy sometime, visiting all the forum members en route.
We also have spas both five star and public free access hot spa pools here in Viterbo.

Perhaps we can do a tour of Italy via our favorite wines?

Sue P what a laugh so proud, me and Kate had a vision of you in 70s shorts and cheesecloth top, flicked hair, massive glasses armed with the dregs of Ambre Solar factor 2 and 2 bottles of chianti in the straw binding.

Very excited about new year, very excited about the italian villa, very excited about all our new friends in Puglia and the rest of Italy, good idea to mix and match and visit each other.

You've got me to a 'T'. Cheesecloth top and all. I'll have to hunt out a photo over Christmas and post it in the New Year ;-)

I remember inter-railing some time ago having just spent our last lira on ice-cream (practical as ever), and was totally broke. We wandered about St Marks square admiring the beautiful catherdral, when two absolutely minging chaps, one was half-werewolf in a vest whilst the other had no teeth and looked like Worzel Gummidge, suggested that we joined them for a glass of wine.

Something like "and off arms die chopp my rather" came to mind despite my thirst. THE CHAPS BECAME VERY INSISTENT. My friend demanded a different table, some distance from the gruesome two-some, and that they didnt talk to us, to our amazement they agreed. A large bottle of cheap wine appeared, and haay ho, drinking in St Marks Square at a small cafe in the late summer sun seemed a lovely idea. I must add that the 2 chaps didnt improve in looks despite our ever thickening beer-goggles. Just then 2 badly dressed women teeteering on high heels, squeezed into shirts sooo tight they could barely move in them and enough make-up to repaint the sistine chapel walked past the table. "Did'nt know that Barbera Cartland knew Joan Rivers" I quipped.

Suddenly from the other side of the cafe our old mutant admirers piped up "You girls just look atatha churches, de shights, nota de reale italia d'real venizia, you must stoppa and take in sez peoples, relax, now you are trooly italian". And I'm still bitchy... :p :p :p :eek: