Lungarno

collection

collection The Lungarno Collection Magazine

florence special friends Bianca Balti Massimiliano Giornetti Davide Rampello Stephen Jones Giorgio Albertazzi

N.1 S pring - S ummer I ssue 2012

itineraries Florence by Giovanna Gentile Ferragamo Contemporary Rome Maremma by Gaddo della Gherardesca

Boutique Gianfranco Lotti : Firenze, Via della Vigna Nuova 45r - tel.+39 55 211301 www.gianfrancolotti.com

interviews Lorenzo Bini Smaghi Francesca Colombo Giovanni Gentile style Michele Bรถnan Mona Kuhn at Gallery Hotel Art Fashion Museums in Florence A Swan Cruise & Lungarno Collection city tips

hidden

SULLE MIGLIORI TAVOLE DEL MONDO

L’UNICO MODO PER SCOPRIRE I SEGRETI DEI GRANDI CHEF È SEDERSI A TAVOLA CON LORO. VI ACCORGERESTE CHE C’È UNA COSA CHE NON MANCA MAI, ANZI DUE.

Highlights

collection

‘I

comfort made my revolutionary

shoes by providing support to the arch of the foot , allowing it to move as an inverted pendulum ’.

S alvatore F erragamo ’ s secret

Highlights

collection

water L ong

before its foundation

R oman age (59 B.C.), F lorence was nothing more in the

than a ford on the arno river , discovered by the etruscans .

F lorence

was nonetheless of

importance , as it marked the natural boudary between northern and southern italy .

F lorence ’ s

secret

Highlights

collection

pureness

N ever

hide nor disguise ,

but on the contrary , show absolute cleanliness and pureness .

E ach

guest of ours

must feel like the first one entering the room .

T he

secret of hospitality

Highlights

collection

Fashion T he

first fashion show in the

I talian design was held F lorence , where visonaries such as F erragamo , G ucci and E milio P ucci were creating the myth ‘M ade in I taly ’ and F lorence ’ s reputation as the world ’ s capital of elegance .

S tyle ’ s secrets history of in

Highlights

collection

the

SURPRIsE

If

you ’ re anywhere near

P antheon

and it ’ s pouring , take

cover there and watch the rainwater fall and draw a perfect circle , as it partly converts to mist .

R ome ’ s

secret

Highlights

collection

Go hunting!

H otel L ungarno or L ungarno S uites ? G allery H otel A rt or C ontinentale ? H ave fun trying to find out where this detail is ...

O ur

secret detail

17 Editorial Histor y and fer ment

by Leonardo Ferragamo

19

Art & stYle

76-79

48-49

Palazzo Capponi-Vettor i

Lorenzo Bini Smaghi Break r anks!

and Palazzo Cor sini

‘Private’ affairs

50-51

food

Friends

Francesc a Colombo Musical attire

82-85

22-23

52-53

Bianc a B alti Gir l’s eyes

Giovanni gentile Wor kshop, sublime

Beatr ice Segoni, Chef at Bor go San Jacopo

24-25

54-57

86-87

MIchele bÖnan A question of feeling

Typical restaur ants

notes Our Wor ld

Davide Rampello The ar t of communication

26-27 Massimiliano Giornetti My style credo

58-61

Doors of eden

the ‘Buche’ of Florence

by Beatrice Segoni

Museum of emotions Hotel Lungar no’s ar t collection

88-89

62-65

Kareem’s creative exper iments

Native The cur rent exhibition at Galler y Hotel Ar t

by Isabella Brancolini

at the Fusion Bar

66-67

Florence 2012, Events

Itinerary

Portrait of a lady The Continentale’s photogaller y

tips

34-37

68-69

28-29 Stephen Jones Milliner from the Moon

30-31 Giorgio albertazzi My theatre

The Florence I Love Florence

by Giovanna Gentile Ferragamo

38-41

Rooms of beauty Fashion Museums in Florence

Surprise me!

90 The must-sees

92-96 Tips What to do and where

70-71

to go in Florence and Rome

Urbe Nova Contempor ar y Rome

Bien vivre à porter Lungar no Details Store

42-45

72-75

Cross selling

Exclusive perceptions Swan and Lungar no Collection

Lungar no Collection’s univer se

Maremma LIMITED EDITioN Inter view with Gaddo della Gherardesca

98 and what’s new

Hotel Lungarno Florence - A Luxur y Hotel 73 rooms and suites

Gallery Hotel Art Florence - A Design Hotel 74 rooms and suites

Continentale Florence - A Design Hotel 43 rooms and suites

Lungarno Suites Florence - Luxur y Suites 44 suites

Lungarno Details Florence - Design Store

Stylish and utter ly charming with stunning views onto the Ponte Vecchio, Hotel Lungarno features over 400 wor ks of ar t including Cocteau and Picasso.

Italy’s fir st design hotel, Galler y Hotel Ar t is a favor ite amongst the fashion set of Florence .

Just a few steps from Ponte Vecchio.

Over looking the Ponte Vecchio, this vibr ant and dynamic contempor ar y hotel is the place to be and to be seen in Florence .

Spacious and intimate suites, the attention of a char ming hotel, and a wonderful view of the Ponte Vecchio.

The store offer s a stylish selection of home furnishings, and limited edition items some of which can be found throughout our luxur y hotels.

Villa Le Rose Florence - A Luxur y Retreat 6 bedroom villa

Palazzo C apponi Meetings & Events Histor ic Palace

Marina di Sc arlino Yacht Club & Residences Tuscany - Luxur y Apar tments

Portrait Suites Rome - Luxur y Suites 14 suites

Swan Sailing Yacht Mediterranean & Caribbean Seas

Just minutes away from the hear t of Florence, this 16th centur y Villa is a one of a kind historic residence with relaxing garden, delightful pool, frescoed salons and six private suites.

This 15th centur y Palace with sumptuous frescoes and the latest technology, provides a magical stage for meetings, congresses and prestigious events in the hear t of Florence.

On the Tuscan coast, in the hear t of Maremma, this unique destination features contempor ar y and ultr a spacious apar tments over looking the sea.

The finest location in Rome , on Via Condotti, a stone throw away from the Spanish Steps, the Por tr ait Suites reflect the glamour of life of Salvatore Fer r agamo.

Consider some of the finest yachts in the wor ld, Swan Solleone and Swan Vir ago offer an exclusive sea vacation with routes to the Mediter r anean Islands and the Car ibbean.

Booking & Info - Lungarno Collection Bor go S.S.Apostoli, 29- Firenze - Ph. +39 055 27264000 - lungar no@lungar nocollection.com

collection

The Lungarno Collection Magazine N.1 Spring - Summer 2012 editor in chief Matteo Parigi Bini Co-editor in chief Teresa Favi Editorial Director Valeriano Antonioli Managing Editor Cristina Fogliatto, Phillip Haller editor martina bec attini, Sabrina Bozzoni, Lorenzo Cotrozzi, Francesc a Lombardi, ALessandra Luc arelli, mila montagni contributors giorgio albertazzi, bianc a balti, Isabella Brancolini, giovanna gentile ferragamo, massimiliano giornetti, stephen jones, davide rampello, beatrice segoni photographers Lorenzo Cotrozzi (cover), Dario Garofalo, Tommaso La Pera, Miki Nakano, NewPressPhoto art editors Chiara Bini, Alessandro Patrizi translations Tessa Conticelli, karin antonioli, The Florentine advertising director Alex Vittorio Lana advertising Ilaria Marini, Alessandra Nardelli publisher Alex Vittorio Lana & Matteo Parigi Bini www.gruppoeditoriale.com Issue 1 (legal registration pending)

Gruppo Editoriale

Gruppo Editoriale

Editorial

collection

Histor y and fer ment ph. Miki Nakano

Leonardo Ferragamo, founder

‘I’ m

personally very fond of

F lorence

and proud to share the city ’ s liveliness with visitors from all over the world ’ Following his ear ly year s of success

reached wor ldwide fame.

in the United States my father

The extr aordinar y gift of our father

Salvatore came back to Italy in 1927

to r aise and to allow us to live in

in search of a place where he

Florence positively influenced our lives

could produce his extr aordinar y

and remains an ongoing source of

creations dreamed up by his hear t

inspir ation throughout our per sonal and

and mind.

professional life .

Florence won him over at once ,

I’m per sonally ver y fond of Florence

with its incompar able cultur al

and proud to share the city’s

her itage and beauty as well as its

liveliness, palpable in ever y cor ner,

gifted cr aftsmen, who embr aced

with reader s from all over the wor ld.

the values of the city’s wonderful

The goal of this magazine is shar ing

histor y. From that year on, my

stor ies of Florentine per sonalities and

father’s ideas were put into pr actice conveys the pr ide and honor of living in

by Florentine shoemaker s and

this magnificent city.

17

ph. alessandrobencini.com

Firenze, Forte dei Marmi, Milano, Parigi www.angelacaputi.com

Notes

collection

Our wor ld

Valeriano Antonioli, editorial director

‘W e

have created this magazine for all our hotel guests who enjoy traveling ’

For whom is the Lungarno Collection

‘Hidden’ is the first issue’s theme. Is

magazine meant?

there something special hidden inside it?

For all our hotel guests (both current and

We hope to entice reader s with the many

future) who enjoy traveling. We wish to

secrets of Rome, Florence and Tuscany, as well

provide them with all the information

as of the per sonalities who embar ked on this

needed to enjoy a unique experience and

journey of discover y with us.

capture unforgettable memories.

The secret of hospitality?

A 100-page six-monthly magazine. What

The magazine tells it all…read it and find out!

is the underlying theme running through Does it still make sense to talk about all issues?

luxur y?

We will take our reader s on unusual journeys, I would rather talk about the “essence of by telling stories of original insight, including

luxur y”. The highest quality and standards

ideas and tips for a wonderful and memorable - may they be innovative or classic - subtle stay in Italy. Interesting per sonalities of the

and known to few.

wor ld of culture and fashion share their

What is your motto?

wor ld of experience.

Innovation is ver y fragile: it’s easy to kill.

19

LOCMAN

速

ITALY

MONTECRISTO Movimento meccanico automatico S.I.O. (Scuola Italiana di Orologeria) o cronografo al quarzo. Titanio e acciaio. Impermeabile fino a 10 atm.

friends Bianca Balti Davide Rampello Massimiliano Giornetti Stephen Jones Giorgio Albertazzi

hidden 21

Friends

collection

G i r l ’s e yes Bianca Balti

A Continentale fan. Bianca is my name , but also a color, an inherent par t of my nature . I say what I think and I do what I want, always.

I love the wor ld of children, filled with cuddling and kissing, I picture it

C rystal - clear

T hat of B ianca B alti , the face of S alvatore F erragamo ’ s new perfume , S ignorina . E thereal , refined ,

as white as snow.

That is why I consider my daughter Matilde’s bir th the luckiest event

purity .

sophisticated and intimate

of my life . In a sense , she is my living lucky char m. I will never stop thanking my parents for the woman and mother I am now, because they never tr ied to stop me from being myself, they never tr ied to keep me from dreaming. And so, when I close my eyes and I picture my future , I see my house in Milano, which is still under renovation, with its small garden. I hope it will forever be my nest, for my children and myself (I’m planning to have many children), the roof under which I will gather my family and feel safe . One of my dearest childhood memor ies is the wood cr ackling in the fireplace and the pleasant smell of freshly-baked

The Trip

To the Seychelles islands with my brother, when we were ver y young, being family for one another

The Memory The Essence

Fresh and intense jasmine

bread-sticks in my family’s home in Valle d’Aosta. I would like my daughter’s memor ies to be as sweet and precious as mine .

22

A str aw hat. A gift from my father dur ing a weekend spent in Florence . I was a ver y young gir l in a blue polka-dot dress.

The hat made me feel like a pr incess

The Secret

A thin layer of foundation makes me feel perfect all day long

I talian supermodel B ianca B alti ( born on M arch 19, 1984) is the face

S alvatore F erragamo ’ s of

newest perfume

23

( born

on

D avide R ampello A ugust 24, 1947) is a television director and art

and communication expert

24

Friends

collection

The ar t of communication Davide Rampello

A Hotel Lungarno fan. I was born in Sicily, studied in Treviso and attended the Univer sity of Bologna. I moved to Milano in the sixties, the year s of creative fer vor, and television seemed to be the place of invention and ingenuity. I star ted

A fter

my career as director and screenwriter at

a brilliant television career ,

he became one of the world ’ s top art

RAI television. Those were the year s of the

managers .

fir st commercial broadcaster s and moving

di

is his greatest

to Fininvest was a natural progression.

I became ar tistic director of Channel 5,

‘T riennale

‘F lorens ’

in

F lorence ,

M ilano ’ success .

the latest challenge

then Fininvest’s communication manager.

Since the nineties I have been involved with an old passion of mine , ar t, in the organizational field. Since 2003 I have been in charge of the Milano Triennale , a huge per sonal and professional success and a model expor ted abroad. A format I applied in Florence as ar tistic director of the Florens Biennale: a series of for ums and events devoted to ar t and environment that, in 2010, brought 120 thousand people Florence I appreciate its to Florence . Florens is based on the new Renaissance concept that cultural and environmental histor y, but also heritage walks hand in hand with business. its ability to innovate There’s no better place than Florence to put this into practice . A city looking ahead, yet not forgetting its heritage of what urged Renaissance ar tists to wor k, change and improve (the next Florence Biennale

Innovation curiosity

I am intr igued by the Lungar no Hotel’s ar t collection. In the hear t of Florence , a galler y featur ing twentieth-centur y master s of ar t, unknown to most

will be held in November 2012, Ed.).

25

The for mat of ‘Florens’, based on the new concept that cultur al and environmental her itage should walk hand in hand with business

The Secret

My lifelong passion for ar t and theatre (which, in the past few year s, I have been able to turn into a job, so it is not much of a secret anymore)

Friends

collection

M y s t y l e credo Massimiliano Giornetti

A Continentale fan. I have always loved fashion. The pur suit of absolute perfection and of an unconditioned ideal of beauty is the foundation of my style credo.

Fashion is the only for m of ar t we live

M assimiliano G iornetti . C reative director of F erragamo ’ s ready - to - wear collections . B orn in C arrara , F lorentine by heart , he attended the U niversity of F lorence and fashion designer courses at P olimoda I nstitute

our whole life with, constantly in motion and fast-changing! As a designer, I always focus on the man or woman who will be wear ing my creations. I dr aw up a profile , tr ying to deter mine preferences and passions, needs and lifestyles.

Favor ite books and films, vacation destinations and color s. To me , luxur y is whatever improves the quality of someone’s life , whatever gives even one single moment of pleasure and total wellbeing. I believe that wor king in Florence is a luxur y itself. This city is a treasure box.. In addition to the many well-known attr actions mentio-

The Book

ned in all tr avel guides, there are some

The Catcher in the Rye , but I am now reading Le maître des âmes by Irène Nèmirovsky.

less-tour isty spots I per sonally adore: the Fer r agamo Museum and Stibber t Museum, Loretta Caponi’s boutique , the guardian of the ancient ar t of embroider y, and Studio Puck, a moder n wunder kammer where one can find hand-retouched pr ints with unusual subjects.

A stay in Florence will not be complete without...

Having dined at Fabio Picchi’s Cibreo

The places of hospitality

The Lungar no Collection hotels, which make guests feel member s of a family willing to comply with their wishes and meet their pr ior ities

The Secret

I am so interested in under standing what consumer s want that, at times, I disguise myself as a sales assistant at Florence’s Ferragamo boutique

M assimiliano G iornetti , creative director

S alvatore F erragamo M aison since 2010 of

27

S tephen J ones ( born 31 M ay 1957), is a leading B ritish milliner based in L ondon

28

Friends

collection

M i l l i n e r f rom the moon Stephen Jones

A Gallery Hotel Art fan. My dream was to be an astronaut. Instead, I applied at London’s Central Saint Mar tins School. As I had little sewing experience, my teacher suggested I take after school activities. I went to one of the best tailor s of the time: his

D reams

atelier was so elegant, ceremonious and…

and anecdotes of the world ’ s

most popular hat designer .

boring. Then I discovered the ar twor k room:

F lorence

there were four or five young ladies intent

met him in

at the exhibition - encounter with

the creativity of

on designing and creating in such a joyful

We

S alvatore F erragamo

and lively atmosphere that I fell in love with them at fir st sight. After one day only, I realized that that was my wor ld. That is how it all began. Besides, creating things by hand has always been a vital par t of who I am: I developed manual skills as a child by making small toys and boxes mounted on trees. I loved them. I have great faith in young people as they have their own vision, different from mine, and I like it. I’m constantly telling my young students to focus on friends and design with them in mind.

That is how I star ted my career in fashion: my creations were meant for friends, not for celebrities. My muses? I adore Dita Von Teese and I admire Anna Piaggi’s energy. And Kate Middleton: she is fast becoming the style icon of many young gir ls who have been pur suing

Out

Wear ing a cocktail dress for a daytime event and vice ver sa

The Secret The Satisfaction

Being appointed Officer of the Order of the Br itish Empire .

A tr uly touching moment

a sexier ideal so far. That’s it, someone should mint a coin with the Duchess on one side and Kate Moss on the other.

29

Don’t think too much, act. Insight and a sixth sense wor k better than your creative conscience

The Future

A film about my life . It will be released next year

Ph. Tommaso La Pera

G iorgio A lbertazzi ( born in F lorence on A ugust 20, 1923), is one of the greatest I talian theatre actors

30

Friends

c o ll e c t i o n

M y t h e a t re Giorgio Albertazzi

A Lungarno Suites Fan. My passpor t says: actor. Actually, I am also a director, screenwr iter, TV novel adapter and author. I was bor n in 1923 in San Mar tino a Mensola, near Fiesole , an Arcadian place .

At

Swift, D’Annunzio, Soffici, Swinbur ne ,

of

Woolf, Berenson stayed there

the age of

I talian

88,

the

“ great

anarchist ”

theatre tells about himself ,

reveals his plans for the future

too. I was bor n there because my

and shares his secret dreams

gr andfather was Berenson’s master mason and we lived in the Villa I Tatti’s annexe building. My father, bor n in Bologna, wor ked as a r ailway signaling oper ator at the Santa Mar ia Novella tr ain station.

My mother came from the Casentino area. She lived in the countr yside till the age of eighteen. I made my debut on stage in 1949 and I have never stopped perfor ming since .

Near ly a year ago, I opened what I call an “anti” acting school in Rome , and my days are now filled with appointments till…!

I have always been a man of contr adictions, that’s tr ue , but I am also the most helpful man I know.

Anybody, absolutely anybody, can take advantage of my time , whether

Women

A woman is an open window in a room that would be dar k without it

Theatre The Kiss

Kissing is one of the most intimate things in the wor ld. I gave my fir st kiss to a young gir l named Marcella

my wor king time or spare time , and even depr ive me of sleep.

31

One of my life dreams is to stage Fiorenza

by Thomas Mann in Florence within 2012, on the occasion of the 520th anniver sar y of Lorenzo The Magnificent’s death.

Unfor tunately, I am afraid it will never happen…

The Secret

I could reveal the secret of my longevity: eat ver y little and live off passions

i t i n e r a ry Florence Rome Maremma

hidden

ph. Lucia Baldini ph. Massimo Listri and

V iew of P onte S anta T rinita the A rno river

from the window

G iovanna G entile F erragamo ’ s office

of

34

Itinerar y

c o l l e c ti o n

The Florence I love Giovanna Gentile Ferragamo Florence is an open-air ar t galler y, imbued with histor y and culture , the quintessence of cr aftsmanship and tr adition, a hotbed of beauty. That is why my father Salvatore , who was bor n in a small town near Naples, after many year s spent in the United States, settled in Florence when he came back to Italy, having ver y clear ideas about his future and professional life . We six children were all bor n in Florence in our house , Villa Il Palagio, in the hills of I adore this “double” way of life . Dur ing

G iovanna G entile F erragamo vice - president of F erragamo ’ s

the day, I’m in downtown Florence , in a

holding company

Fiesole , where I still live with my family.

pr ivileged condition, I must say, as my office is on the fir st floor of Palazzo

of our house over looks Florence and

wor king directly on the wooden trees

Feroni, with two windows giving onto

my father, an astronomy enthusiast,

with mater ials. He had a basket filled

Via Tor nabuoni on one side and Ponte

would gather us children around him

with all sor ts of things- thread, r ibbons,

Santa Tr inita br idge on the other. From

on summer nights to obser ve the star s,

str ings, r affia, beads,-and I, while waiting

the fir st window I enjoy the view of the

holding us in his spell with stor ies about

for him to take me home , watched

Ar no r iver flowing towards the Cascine

life and the secrets of the heavens.

him for hour s, intent on modeling his

Park and breathtaking sunsets. The

Another indelible memor y I have is

creations, with nails in his mouth and a

other window over looks the oldest and

about his office , on the third floor

hammer in his hand. I was never bored.

austere par t of Florence . In the evening,

of Palazzo Feroni (1). A small room

A place in Florence I am ver y fond of

I r un back to the peace and green of my

over looking the Lungar ni where , in the

is the Bardini Museum, in Via de’Renai,

beloved Fiesole hills and to the war mth

evening, when all the employees had

in the Oltrarno area. It reopened after

of my family home .

left, he finally had time to wor k on his

many year s of restor ation and houses

If I were to represent this city through

creations. The fascinating thing about

a mix of over three thousand wor ks of

the sweetest memor ies of my father, I

him was that he did not design, like

ar t, including paintings, suits of ar mor,

would do soin a hear tbeat. The garden

most creative people do. He created by

musical instr uments, potter y, coins,

35

1

2

3

4

5

medals and antiques, all left by antique dealer Stefano Bardini to the City of Florence . The museum is sur rounded by a beautiful garden and has an excellent restaurant with a view. I see it as the perfect fusion of Florence’s ar tistic and natur al beauties offering a true taste of the city.

As obvious as it may sound, the David

by Michelangelo (3) is a wor k of

6

incompar able beauty and, if I were a tour ist spending a few hour s in Florence , choice of wrought iron objects.

restaur ant with panor amic view of

I would go str aight to the Accademia

I cannot fail to mention Florentine

Florence , I suggest Villa San Michele

Museum, if only to catch a glimpse of it.

cuisine , which is so good and I love so

in Fiesole . Some of my other favor ite

The best view of Florence (6) is offered

much that I wrote a family recipe book.

restaur ants are Cammillo in Borgo San

by the belvedere of the convent of St.

I enjoy dining at Olio e Convivium in

Jacopo and Cantinetta Antinori in Via

Francis in Fiesole, unknown to most,

Via Santo Spirito (4,5), a small typical

Tornabuoni, the perfect lunch spot,

as it is reachable only by walking up a

Tuscan restaur ant with a sophisticated

both located in the par t of Florence I

steep road, but the breathtaking view

twist. It has few tables and a welcoming

love , so authentic and noble , full of new

repays you for the effor t. Wor th a visit

atmosphere . The most picturesque

sur pr ises ever y day. The Fer r agamos feel

is also Fiesole’s Roman amphitheatre

Florentine restaur ant of all is, in my

so lucky and pr ivileged to belong to

and archaeological museum. There are

opinion, Tre Panche, in Via Pacinotti: it

Florence that we have been passionately

sever al lovely shops too, such as Mastro

has only three benches for dining in. The

engaged in the hospitality business

Ciliegia. It sells handmade tableware and

food is excellent and, it goes without

for ten year s to make the stay in our

the owner s are ver y fr iendly. Next door

saying, you have to book a table!

beautiful city as comfor table and special

is Il Fabbro di Fiesole, offer ing a wide

For those in search of an exclusive

as possible .

36

F erruccio , G iovanna and F iamma with their father S alvatore F erragamo in the garden of V illa il P alagio in F iesole ( ph . F erragamo A rchives )

37

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

9

38 7

Itinerar y

collection

U rb e n ov a

Tips, advice and the little secrets to contemporary Rome T ext L orenzo C otrozzi

Roma C aput Mundi, and not only because of its age-old histor y. In the past ten year s, the Eternal City has been enjoying a new ar tistic and architectural Renaissance . Contemporar y ar t galleries

D iscover R ome ’ s new artistic and architectural R enaissance by taking the route that runs beside the T iber river from north to south : R enzo P iano ’ s auditorium , the MAXXI and many other city landmarks and hidden hot spots

have multiplied and wor ld-famous stararchitects have under taken grand public projects.

A one-day tour of the city, by following the Tiber river from nor th to south, cannot but star t from Renzo Piano’s Auditorium (2). The building consists

ultramodern exhibition center. As

centuries, Patrizi ar t studio was “home” to

of three big shell-shaped music rooms:

opposed to the typical overall stiffness

Picasso, Severini, Boccioni, Diaghilev and

large-scale musical instr uments inspired

of traditional museum str uctures, this

Cocteau.

by the body of a lute and a violin. In the

building features undulating volumes,

At a shor t distance - an eight-minute walk

middle , the open-air amphitheater faces

inter secting floor s and huge windows

towards the Lungotevere -, in Augusta,

the Olympic Village and is surrounded by

blurring the line between indoor s and

stands Rome’s most controver sial wor k

a big par k planted with trees.

outdoor s.

of contemporar y architecture: Richard

Less than a ten-minute walk away, by

By going through the Flaminio area and

Meier’s Ara Pacis Museum (7). Opened

taking Via Pietro De Couber t in the

beyond Piazza del Popolo, you will spot

in 2006, the building is a glistening steel,

direction of Lungotevere Flaminio, stands,

via Margutta, since always the throbbing

traver tine and glass case . Owing to the

perfectly symmetric to the auditorium,

hear t of Rome’s ar tistic scene . Here , at

heated debate aroused by the building,

its alter ego devoted to visual ar ts: the

street number 54, is Galleria Moncada,

the wall r unning along the roadway beside

MAXXI (National Museum of 21st-

one of the best-known Italian galleries in

the river will be demolished within 2012

centur y Arts) (6), former barracks

the photography field. In the same place ,

and replaced with a terraced garden.

conver ted by Zaha Hadid into an

between the nineteenth and twentieth

Another ten-minute walk southwards

39

T he

interior of

MAXXI,

the ultramodern exhibition area designed by

Z aha H adid

leads to via Perfetti 17, the street where

slaughterhouse and its experimental

you will find Magazzino d’arte moderna,

approach to ar t counterbalances

one of the city’s most frequented modern

perfectly the 20th-centur y collections

ar t galleries, r un by Mauro Nicoletti,

of the MACRO building by Odile Decq

renowned throughout Italy for his talent-

located in Via Reggio Emilia (Parioli area),

scouting of up-and-coming ar tists.

which, alongside the MAXXI and the

Another interesting area, located fur ther

19th-centur y Palazzo delle Esposizioni,

south along the river, is Trastevere , filled

represents the best of the city’s

with many new ar t spaces. For those in

contemporar y ar t exhibition spaces.

search of the latest developments in the

A second day is needed to visit the rest

contemporar y ar t field, we suggest a

of the city’s must-sees. Fir st of all, the

visit to the Brit-Roman Lorcan O’Neill’s

EUR area (1,9), with its Palazzo della

galler y (3) in via degli Or ti d’Aliber t.

Civiltà del Lavoro, Church of St. Peter

Wor th a stop, on the opposite bank,

and Paul, Sports Hall and Palazzo dei

are also the so-called Ghetto galleries:

Congressi, in addition to the famous

Valentina Bonomo, Ermanno Tedeschi

Nuvola, the near ly-completed new

Galler y, Edieuropa, Pio Monti Arte

Congress Center designed by architect

Contemporanea and Opera Unica. They

Massimiliano Fuksas. Not to be missed

are all devoted to cross-contamination

are also Paolo Portoghesi’s Mosque (8)

between ar t and other expressive

in the Parioli area, the Jubilee Church

languages, above all, fashion.

designed by Richard Meier and, last but

The tour can end with a visit to MACRO

not least, Pastificio Cerere, in the San

(Museum of Contemporar y Art,

Lorenzo neighborhood, a fascinating

Rome) (4,5), in its Testaccio premises.

archaeo-industrial monolith housing ar t

The museum is housed in a former

studios and an excellent diner.

40

Hidden Portrait Suites

The charm of a fashion atelier, of a fifties-style movie set, of Rome’s Dolce Vita: Portrait Suites, a stone’s throw from piazza di Spagna and via Condotti, is all this and more. A special atmosphere created by Michele Bonan, a sophisticated Florentine architect, for the hotel in Rome - part of the Lungarno Collection - inspired by the “portrait” and life of Salvatore Ferragamo. A crescendo of beauty that culminates in the breathtaking roof terrace.

And all around, only the city and the stars.

41

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42 7

Itinerar y

collection

M a r e m m a limited edition Count Gaddo della Gherardesca introduces us to the charm of his land T ext M ila M ontagni

Maremma is a land imbued with histor y, poised between the Etr uscan age and a future yet to be built. A land of soldier s and poets, farmer s and saints. The only land in

A

special guide to the hidden gems of

T he

M aremma .

story of a way of life , love of the land and deep understanding of its rhythms

central Italy that boasts itself with families of gentlemen who for the last twelve centuries lovingly have called it their home , even if not always the way they would have liked to.

“I have been living and wor king in Milano since 1979, I spent par t of my youthful year s in Florence and my boarding school

extending from Gavorrano to the Ver silian

year s at the Morosini Institute in Venice -

Coast, and over Sardinia in the Middle Age

says Gaddo della Gherardesca, the eldest

year s before establishing a strong bond

son of Count Guelfo and Adriana Guillichini, with Florence in the 1400s. the member of a noble family from Arezzo

The memor y of their adventures travel

- but I feel and I know that I belong to

through family generations and live on

Maremma, like my ancestor s, the Dukes of

in the celebrated poems by Alighieri e

Friuli, who arrived here in the 8th centur y

Carducci. “Maremma is a way of life , a

to defend the Lombard lands from Saracen

univer se you can still enjoy a hor seback

attacks” . The Gherardesca family has a

ride along the paths and trails through

histor y that is closely inter twined with that

the woods of Castagneto Carducci and

of the Angiòs, the Medicis, the House of

Bolgheri (1, 5), listening to the doves

Hohenstaufen.

cooing in the morning, boar hunting and

They r uled over the lands of the

living according to nature’s rhythms - says

Aldobrandeschi and Malaspina families,

Count Gaddo in a clear and deep voice

43

T he G ulf

of

B aratti , P opulonia

On

-. You can hear the dogs bar king in the

breaking it up... and through dedication and

distance while going along the paths. Then

hard wor k we are now achieving successful

you go home to find food that carries

results”, says Count Gaddo who spends his

culture , age-old traditions, respect of the

free-time from wor k, as vice-president of

land and of the people who lived there”.

the Pr s agency in Milano, in the castle with

From the rampar ts of the Castle of

family and friends, pur suing the ancient

Castagneto (1), one of the family’s historic

family tradition of hospitality.

residences (3), “on clear days you can see

However, Maremma, especially the

the coastline of Cor sica and realize that

magnificent Northern Maremma, is not

you are living in a wor ld that assigns the

all about lands filled with for tresses and

right value to things and to the reality

castles, but also about the sea. “I have a

they are par t of, ever y day. The traditions

special relationship with the sea, I have

that Maremma brings back to your mind

to admit it - says the aristocrat - it goes

and hear t are the ones that allow for

back to my extraordinar y childhood

innovation and changes... untouched nature

and boyhood year s spent at Villa Emilia

(2) is heritage for all the generations to

(named after Donna Emilia Poschi Meuron

come and being able to go through it by

della Gherardesca, Ed.), the house built

foot or on a hor seback, without bumping

in 1929 by my grandfather by the sea, in

into a monstrous building, means handing

Donoratico, where we would be fishing and

M aremma down memories. Protecting the present is

living in total freedom. Today, I prefer going

previous pages , images of the

varied

landscape from the green countryside

guaranteeing the future for ever ybody”.

of B olgheri and The family home in Castagneto means, to C astagneto C arducci to the southern

M aremma

area

the Gherardescas, exactly this. “The choice

(2,6,7) my brother s and I made was aimed at

where the vegetation is wilder

safeguarding the family heritage and not

44

out to sea by motor-boat, to Baratti or Populonia (above), or to visit the wonderful islands of the Tuscan archipelago, unknown to most and each a precious gem of Maremma in its ver y own way”.

Hidden Marina di Scarlino

In the heart of Maremma in Tuscany, a fifteen-minute drive from Castiglione della Pescaia and a few miles from Elba Island, you will find a wonderful landing place. Overlooking the beautiful sea and the port is the Marina di Scarlino Yacht Club & Residence, a Lungarno Collection gem. A sailing and sea enthusiast paradise, nine pied-dans-l’eau apartments with an all year round atmosphere as enjoyable as a splendid day by the sea. Ideal for a Tuscan vacation, the resort is beautifully tucked in nature and sea. High-end services include the rental of a Gallegari rubber dinghy to discover hidden bays and beaches (4, 9); sailing ship cruises to the islands of Elba, Capraia, Giglio, Corsica and Argentario; the hiring of Swan 90 Solleone yachts, built by the Nautor’s Swan shipyard, to embark on exciting adventures in the Mediterranean.

45

art and style Lorenzo Bini Smaghi Francesca Colombo Giovanni Gentile Michele Bönan Lungarno Hotel’s Art Collection Mona Khun at Gallery Hotel Art A tribute to Made in Italy, the Continentale’s Photogallery Fashion Museums in Florence Lungarno Details Store

hidden

V ernissage in P alazzo S trozzi ’ s courtyard .

O n right : L orenzo B ini S maghi

48

Art

collection

B r e a k r a nks!

The modern face of art in Florence A museum with a contemporary management in a city boasting a strong museum tradition…

Proves the city’s ability to adapt to the fastchanging global reality.

But “contemporary” doesn’t necessarily

object, the work of ar t itself, but also about the

L orenzo B ini S maghi , born in 1956, economist , since 2006 at the head of F ondazione P alazzo S trozzi in F lorence , an innovative model

way you show it and introduce it to the public.

of governance of art and cultural

rhyme with “age-old”...

Today contemporar y is not only about the

There’s a challenge to be met here.

events at

Yes, there is: actualizing in Florence what is commonly done in the most cutting-edge cities in the world. Combining the skills of the private sector and the knowledge of the public sector in a synergic way.

And the result is..

there are so many things to see in Florence

Fruitful. It has impor tant repercussions for the

that once is not enough.

local territor y, it triggers a vir tuous cycle that

What would you show a friend coming to

benefits other Florentine businesses as well.

town?

In a time of general economic crisis in Euro-

Whatever lies beyond the beaten path: the

pe, how do you see Florence?

Pazzi Chapel, the Church of Santa Maria del

2011 has been a good year for our city, against Carmine and why not the city’s many beautiful the current trend. Florence has realized that,

main squares?

in order to be internationally competitive and

Florence 2012: the not-to-be-missed event of

able to exploit its ar tistic and cultural heritage

the year?

more efficiently, it has to focus on its visitors,

This is the year of the 500th anniversar y of

the ser vice users.

the death of Amerigo Vespucci. Palazzo Strozzi

Three good reasons to come to Florence?

has planned a grand exhibition, on view from

I would rather say: three good reasons to come March to July, devoted to American impressioback to Florence. What I’m tr ying to say is that

nists and their relationship with Florence.

49

P alazzo S trozzi

T wo pictures of F lorence ’ s new opera house , inaugurated in D ecember 2011.

O n right : F rancesca C olombo

50

Art

collection

V i b r a n t music scene Code name: Challenge T ext T eresa F avi

A bold management vision that has infused the Maggio Musicale Theatre with amazing energy. The challenge she is faced with is to balance quality with rhythm, flexibility and new ways of management and communication, as required by the contemporar y world, and achieve the perfect blend of tradition and innovation.

F rancesca C olombo ,

a degree in management

engineering and a diploma in piano performance .

I n 2010, at the age of 37, she was appointed S uperintendent of the M aggio M usicale F iorentino T heatre

Do you think Florence is opening up to internationality and contemporaneity?

That is the first feeling I had when the Mayor of Florence, Matteo Renzi, offered me the job. But we are doing our bit too, with our international festival and season.

I believe that a total of for ty-seven tours worldwide last year speaks for itself.

The most exciting moment since your

performance schedule?

arrival in Florence?

First of all, it’s a true Festival, offering

To be honest, there are three moments I

from the ver y beginning (it opens with

will always remember. My first concer t as

Der Rosenkavalier by Strauss conducted

superintendent, on May 21, 2010. When

by Maestro Zubin Mehta) top-quality

I met President Giorgio Napolitano,

events ever y day. Secondly, the eagerly-

who came to Florence to see Aida at

awaited comeback of Maestro Ozawa,

our theatre. And, in December 2011,

whose only Italian performance is held in

the inauguration of Florence’s new

Florence.

opera house, standing next to Stazione

The playlist you listen to while walking

Leopolda, which will soon be home to

through Florence?

the Maggio Musicale Theatre.

My iPod is never without Chopin’s

The 75th Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

Études Op. 25, Johann Sebastian Bach,

Festival will take place May 4th to June

Ludwig van Beethoven, Tom Waits and

10th. Two good reasons to check out the Kur t Weill.

51

ph. Dario GArofalo

D uring F lorens 2010,

the temporary installation of

D avid by M ichelangelo in the church square of S anta M aria del F iore made possible something that L eonardo da V inci , S andro B otticelli and G iuliano da S angallo had only imagined . I n fact , in 1504, P iero S oderini , gonfaloniere of the R epublic of F lorence , decided to have the statue placed close to the town ’ s political headquarters , in P iazza della S ignoria , rather than in the C hurch of S anta M aria del F iore .

O n right : G iovanni G entile a fiberglass and marble dust replica of the

52

Art

collection

Wor k s h o p, sublime Florence and its new cultural season T ext F rancesca L ombardi

How did the idea for the Fondazione Florens begin?

The idea came to us about three years ago and grew out of our desire to use Florence as a place where impor tant ideas related to the economy of cultural assets and environment could be debated. It’s not a question of

G iovanni G entile :

president of the

recognizing our heritage, but is founded on the idea that we need to monitor the economic changes that these precious assets can produce.

F lorens

2010, F oundation , an

organization which was created in order to study the economy of our cultural assets and landscape

You speak about cultural and environmental assets: what does this category include?

One ver y impor tant asset is our countr yside: our woods, hills, and small towns are no less valuable than our monuments. This leads to a problem of conser vation and transformation, since letting them decline would be an

publisher and , since

need to learn how to help people appreciate,

irreversible problem. By the same token, cultural understand and learn about our assets; it takes assets are not only museums, churches and

new methods and economic tools. In so doing,

masterpieces kept in our cities. We believe that

we not only increase tourism but increase the

ever ything that makes our culture unique is an

quality of the tourist experience.

asset. For example, food, wine and fashion fall

If we take a look at the big picture, even

into this categor y as well.

though these have been difficult years

What will be the topic of the 2012 meeting?

on a global scale, Florence has done well

From the Grand Tour to the Global Tour. The

for itself. Why do you think this is so?

Grand Tour was the name for the tour that

Florence stopped being a city of dusty old

elite Europeans used to take in our countr y;

archives and has become an example of how

they were people who spoke a language similar

the past can be reinterpreted; we have learned

to ours who came from nearby places. Today

how to speak the language of culture. I think

ever ything is different: our countr y hosts people

this is the secret of the success that we are

with ver y different languages and cultures. We

experiencing now.

53

F rom

the top ,

clockwise : hotel lungarno , gallery hotel art and the continentale in florence ; portrait suites in rome

54

Style

collection

A question of feeling

It all started with an amazing discovery. At the Hotel Lungarno T ext T eresa F avi

The sincerity and intellectual acuity of Michele Bönan are some of the aspects of his eclectic personality. He loves Florence, and calls it his city – despite his Mitteleuropean origins – because of its close link to the past and its desire to constantly confront its own histor y. In his studio on the Lungarno Guicciardini, and in his work, Bönan always manages to create his unmistakeable imprint, which is dictated by his style. He leads a busy life, and has projects all over the world:

michael bönan , architect of the lungarno

in Miami, London, Saint Tropez and Paris.

collection , loosens up and tells stories

His residences, as well as his hotels, are

and secrets that have never been told before

now considered leading examples to other architects, including the Heidelberg Suites in Heidelberg, Germany, and the sophisticated

Ferragamo...

15 years ago, the director of the hotel called

JK Place in Capri. Not ever yone knows,

We were actually friends before we

me in and begged me to not change it too

however, that the first hotel he designed, and

worked on the project so working with

much: he was thinking of his regular clients

which was his claim to fame, was the Hotel

him confirmed our friendship and led to a

– the hotel had an extremely well-respected

Lungarno in Florence. It launched his future

mutual sense of trust.

background – and they had asked him to

and is also a wonderful stor y of collaboration Is it true that you were the one who discovered the art collection at the Hotel with his good friend, Leonardo Ferragamo.

ask me not to change it too much. And they were right. because the hotel on the Arno

It’s well known that if you don’t like the

Lungarno?

had a soul and I didn’t want to erase it. One

person who’s hiring you to do the work,

I didn’t discover it, but I realized its true

of the strategies I used was to celebrate its

you won’t accept the job…

value. But there’s a stor y behind that, it’s

ar t collection: Picasso, Cocteau, Rosai. There

It’s not because I consider myself

not only an amazing ar t collection.

were paintings by the masters of the 20th

superior, it’s a question of being a

Please tell us...

centur y and wor thy of a museum. I didn’t

professional: you need to love the script

When Leonardo asked me to assist in

touch anything, not even the oldest frame.

if you want to act in the movie.

the remodelling of three hotels that the

I wanted ever ything to remain just the way

This didn’t happen with Leonardo

Ferragamo group had bought in Florence,

it was. But I did do a lot of cataloguing and

55

a detail of the foyer in the hotel lungarno . on the next page : the splendid view of the arno from the hotel lungarno ; one of the dining rooms in the borgo san jacopo restaurant

56

1

2

3

4

5

6

moved things around by ar tist and style, as you would do in a galler y. It’s true that it needs to be renovated now, but even so, if someone asked me where I wanted to live forever in Florence I would say at the Hotel Lungarno because of its incredible location and unique charm.

Did art become a recurrent theme for you from that time onwards in your relationship with Ferragamo and the Lungarno Group?

Not right away, I would say. After some time, into different spaces depending on the

What Signature has Michele Bönan left on

I was asked to renovate the Augustus, which

ar t show. This led to a collaboration with

the hotels of the Lungarno Collection?

was ver y difficult because it called for a

the ar t exper t Isabella Brancolini and we

White, especially for bedrooms. Never hide

rigorously classical reinterpretation.

decided and we decided to focus only on

the dir t, I always say. On the contrar y, the

And is that what actually took place?

international photographic ar t. Then came

host should always show total cleanliness

I presented my plan, ever ything was done in

the Continental, the Borgo San Jacopo

and candor to his guests.

a ver y classic mode, ever ybody loved it, and

restaurant, the Por trait Suites in Rome, and

What is the secret of a good hotel?

Signora Wanda Ferragamo was par ticularly

then the interiors of some of the Swan

Impeccable ser vice. The client has to feel

pleased. But after a sleepless night, I called

yachts, such as the Solleone.

like he or she is the first person to have

Leonardo and said that we had to star t

How would you describe your philosophy?

ever stayed in the room.

from scratch. That’s how the Galler y Hotel

I never, not even for a second, ignore the

What is the biggest compliment that you

Ar t, which is known as the first Italian

great heritage of the Ferragamos. Once

have ever received on your work?

design hotel, was born. I conceived it as

Signora Wanda said to me, “You ought to

Something a friend said a few days ago:

a space that was open to the outdoors

have met my husband. You have no idea how “Michele, you have reached a point where

and which could change like a chameleon

well you two would have gotten along.”

57

you are totally unaware of your awareness”.

1

2

358

4

Art

coll e ctio n

M u s e u m of emotions

A precious twentieth-century collection, unknown to the general public T ext M artina B ecattini

T he H otel L ungarno

Much too often we tend to relegate culture to specific places, the ones our society has assigned to them, museums for instance , unaware

houses a magnificent

collection of twentieth - century artwork by

F lorentine

painters of the past century inspired by

of the fact that, to those who are

R enaissance

art and in the manner

of

lucky enough to live in Italy and,

C ézanne

and

P icasso

in par ticular, in Florence , ar t can appear in the most unexpected places, displaying before their eyes gems of unlooked-for value .

Such is the case of the twentiethcentur y ar t collection of the Hotel Lungar no. A plunge into the r ich

Pablo Picasso dedicated to a fr iend.

of Cézanne , while at the same time

and little known ar t wor ld of the

Close by are sever al wor ks by a

dr awing inspir ation from Masaccio

past centur y, which has greatly

contempor ar y of Picasso, who drew

and fifteenth-centur y Florentine

influenced the contempor ar y ar t

inspir ation from the Spanish ar tist’s

painter s.

movement, though often neglected

Cubist phase and then moved on to

Actually, the style of Cézanne

compared to the wonder s of

a completely different style: Ottone

and Picasso and Italian fifteenth-

Renaissance ar t.

Rosai (3). These wor ks belong to

centur y painting depict the two

A collection of Italian master s,

the ar tist’s matur ity, to his Tuscan

extremes how the ar tists shown

mostly Tuscan, which includes two

populist per iod, when he devoted

in this collection approached

inter national ar tists who have

his attention to humility and to

ar t. Our twentieth -centur y ar t

greatly influenced the histor y of

the representation of ever yday life

tr adition is an ongoing reflection

ar t: the hotel’s lounge welcomes us

scenes.

on the Renaissance per iod, viewed

with two sketches by Jean Cocteau

They are refer able to the so-

as a weighty past that cannot be

(2), a few dream-like strokes

called “retur n to order” per iod of

ignored.

most probably meant for a theatre

Italian ar t, mar ked by the revival of

The show continues on the upper

production, and a lovely por tr ait by

realistic painting and in the manner

floor s and along the cor r idor s

59

O ne

of the works of the

L ungarno H otel

On

next page :

the autograph drawing by

P icasso L ungarno ’ s

M ino M accari ‘P onte

sul

H otel

lounge

V olga ’

leading to the rooms.

Renaissance ar tists and by Piero

Appear ing before our eyes are the

della Fr ancesca.

dar k and gloomy tones of Mar io

On the walls close by, the intimate

Sironi, ideally opposed to the pure ,

and poetic dr awings by an ar tist

untouched happiness, playful sense

best known for his sculptures,

of life and solidity of color in the

Ar turo Mar tini.

wor ks by Luciano Schifano (4).

Gastone Breddo’s neo-Cubist style ,

Alongside the biting gr aphic wor k

and the Cézanne manner applied

by Mino Maccari and reflection

in the creations of Ottone Rosai’s

of the combination of Fauvism

favour ite pupil, Dino Caponi.

and Cubism in the paintings by

The hotel’s elegant stair s lead to

Bruno Cassinari, are the wor ks of

the childish and fr iendly faces by

Fer nando Far ulli, an ar tist who fir st

Antonio Bueno (1), resulting from

bor rowed from the post-Cubist

the ar tist’s insatiable attention to

style and was then attr acted to

details, which mar ks the revival of

neo-realist subjects, in par ticular,

techniques used by great painter s

wor ker s.

of the past. Oddly enough, the

These paintings date back to the

neatness and accur acy he poured

seventies and show female figures

into painting were completely

against colored backgrounds, big

foreign to his nature and clashed

black silhouettes dominating the

with his disorder ly lifestyle .

scene in an uncer tain, alienated,

And if you are lucky enough to see

dream-like and symbolic dimension.

one of the elegant fifth-floor rooms,

Then there’s the young Marino

you will be treated to the view of

P ablo Marini, just back from Par is where

on view

in the

art collection :

the intimate female pencil por tr aits

he lear ned all about the latest

of Enzo Far aoni, another pupil of

ar t trends, influenced by ear ly

Rosai’s.

60

Picteau Lounge Overlooking the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio, this inviting sitting room of the Hotel Lungarno opens its doors to chocolate, champagne and contemporary art lovers. Picteau Lounge is the combination of the names of two great artists of the past century, Picasso and Cocteau, whose works are displayed here. Unforgettable afternoons spent tasting chocolate, excellently paired with a selection of champagne, rum or draft beer. Ideal for leisure or business meetings, with the added value of a unique view of the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio.

61

62

Art

collection

N a t i ve

Mona Kuhn, the latest exhibition at Gallery Hotel Art T ext I sabella B rancolini

T he

For over a decade now, the collaboration between BrancoliniGrimaldi and the

exhibition space of the

G allery H otel A rt

is a window into the contemporary world

Galler y Hotel Ar t has brought some of

as seen through the lens

the finest and cutting-edge contemporar y

of leading

ar tists to the Florentine and International

I nternational

audience . The programme developed for the hotel’s exhibition Space has been specifically conceived to approach and propose new ar tistic trends, visions and themes.

This Januar y 2012 the Galler y Hotel

implied for Mona. Her visual journey

Ar t proudly presents the exhibition

fuses together photographs of nature

Native by Mona Kuhn. For this series, the

and people in a highly per sonal por trait

photographer returned to her homeland

of a place seen through the ar tist’s eyes

of Brazil, eager to under stand her

and imagination. The perception of her

relationship with the place where she had

per sonal connection to this countr y is

spent the fir st twenty year s of her life . “It

surprisingly strong and vivid and yet each

is not meant to be about Sao Paolo. It is

single photograph conveys it subtly and

about a mood, it is about Brazil, about a

skilfully.

bird returning to a nest in the forest”, she

Native is Kuhn’s interpretation of her own

confessed with her typical joyful ver ve .

feelings about her homeland from the

It was decided to show this specific body

point of view of an adult. She stressed,

of wor k by Mona Kuhn for the remar kable

though, that she didn’t want it to be

consistency in her imager y and the

an autobiographical narrative but an

emotional commitment that the project

inspirational tale . She rejected the idea

63

photographers

H ere

and on the previews pages are some of the photographs by mona kuhn now on show at the gallery hotel art until march

was

of focusing on the cliché of Brazil as the

stands as a metaphor for spirituality and

countr y of the Carnival, the Bossa nova,

instinct, adventure and fear.

extreme pover ty, criminality, sunshine and

The subjects of Kuhn’s photographs are

long, white beaches. Her interest was in

not stereotypes, but her Brazilian peer s.

the intimate experience and emotions

They are real, contemporar y people ,

of living in this special land. She wanted

par t of her generation. As usual she

to wor k with the colour s that she felt

photographed nude young men and

were tr uly representative of Brazil in

women, though she is not interested

her mind and in her memories: all the

in them because of their nakedness.

shades of green, yellow and pink. Green

Rather she focused on the body as a

is the forest, the jungle , the militarism

residence of who we are . It is a nudity

that characterized Brazil’s histor y for a

that is far and distant from wanting to be

long time; yellow and pink reference the

intentionally sexy and sensual. They are

ear ly European Baroque influence and the

caught in a pensive and quiet state that

iconic golden brightness of Brazil’s natural

the photogr apher achieved by patiently

lighting.

wor king with them to establish a genuine

The location of choice was an apar tment

relationship of tr ust. She avoided using

in the ver y centre of downtown Sao

a tr ipod - or any other ar tificial props

Paolo, in one of the oldest areas of the

- and did not use assistants so that her

city, abandoned for more than twenty-

models felt comfor table and natur ally

five year s. There she found the vibe that

at ease with her. Mona Kuhn’s wor k is

she was looking for to communicate the

engaging for its multifaceted per sonality

M ona K uhn born in S ão P aulo , peculiar abstract feeling of a place of B razil , in 1969,

she is known for her serene nude portraits

15 th , 2012

that is her signature visual style and

“fantasy”. One of the main character s is

because it is an expression of an intuitive

the jungle itself, with its sultr y beauty that

way of creating.

64

Art

ph. Lorenzo Cotrozzi

collection

Hidden Marilyn

How is the myth of Marilyn Monroe doing? Never been better. Michelle Williams takes on the role of the actress in the film My Week with Marilyn

by Simon Curtis. In June 2012, the Gallery Hotel Art will devote a show of photographs to her. Contemporaneously at the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, there will be an exhibit of her belongings, featuring 14 pairs of shoes that actually belonged to the actress, together with costumes from her most famous roles, as well as works of art that tell the myth of this tormented and inaccessible beauty.

65

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A n I rene G alitzine ’ s

model

Po r t r a i t of a Lady

A photographic tribute to Italian Style at the art gallery of the Hotel Continentale P h A rchivio G iorgini

It’s

a case of perfect timing for the show dedicated to fashion

60

in

I taly :

years ago the first high fashion show

took place in the 66

M ade

S ala B ianca

in

F lorence

A lberto F abiani , M aison G lans , I ole V eneziani , M aison C arosa

The great designer s - from Schuber th to Galiztine , from Capucci to Valentino – showed their wor k on the r unways in the Sala Bianca of Palazzo Pitti. Michele

In

the

‘50 s F lorence was the capital of I talian fashion T he photos reveal splendid models , elegance on the streets , and the always - fashionable masterpieces of the R enaissance

Bönan, the refined Florentine architect, pays homage to this unique per iod of histor y with his choice of best black and white photogr aphs from the per iod, now in each room and suite of this of Italian fashion is related to the

to its great tr adition of ar tisans,

memor able show on July 22, 1952

splendid boutiques grew, such as

HISTORY. The fir st fashion show

at the Sala Bianca at Palazzo Pitti.

Emilio Pucci, Simonetta Visconti and

of Italian designer s came about

This show mar ked the beginning of

the atelier of Salvatore Fer r agamo

thanks to the Marquise Giovanni

an er a and the affir mation of Made

(who had already won the Oscar

Battista Gior gini, who or ganized

In Italy style . In fact, the r unways in

of fashion in 1947 from Neiman

a show in his Florentine Villa, Villa

the Sala Bianca stayed up until 1982! Marcus together with Chr istian

Tor r igiani on Via dei Ser r agli on

The ‘50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s were the

Dior). This year Florence celebr ates

Febr uar y 2, 1951, calling it the

glor y year s for Italian high fashion

sixty year s since the fir st fashion

‘Fir st Italian High Fashion Show’.

and Florence was at the hear t of it.

show in the Sala Bianca.

Numerous inter national buyer s

Not only were there Roman tailor s

Today, more than ever, this

discovered Italian elegance and

like Emilio Schuber to, Rober to

represents a chance to discover

its pr ices, which were far more

Capucci, the Fontana Sister s and

the luxur y of handmade ar tisanal

competitive than Par is fashion. But

Valentino, to name a few, but

products and the pleasure of a style

the real anniver sar y for the bir th

Florence itself benefitted. Thanks

that is par t of the city’s DNA.

luxur ious hotel in Florence .

67

ph. Lorenzo Cotrozzi

1

4

68

7 2 3

5 6

8

9

Style

collection

R o o m s o f Beauty

Fashion museums in Florence. Where history meets costume T ext F rancesca L ombardi

Florence and fashion formed a tight unit

the heart of the business side of italian fashion is in milan , yet the chosen location

many year s ago. And today, even if the hear t of the business side of fashion is in

for the conservation of its history is florence

Milan, the chosen location for the conser vation of its histor y is still the Tuscan capital. Four museums devoted to this rich histor y, and real treasure troves of material, have captured the wor ld’s attention and are all situated in the centre of Florence: the Ferragamo Museum, the Gucci Museum (2, 4) the Capucci

sar y of Gucci in 2011 culminated in the

Foundation, and the Galleria del Costume . opening of a museum dedicated to this The Salvatore Ferragamo Museum (5,7,8,

maison, which is housed inside Palazzo

10) opened in 1995 in the historic Palaz-

della Mercanzia, in Piazza della Signoria. In

zo Spini Feroni thanks to the initiative of

addition to the permanent show of Gucci

the Ferragamo family – especially Wan-

archives, it’s also wor th visiting the series

da, Salvatore’s wife , and their daughter

of contemporar y ar t installations selected

Fiamma – who wanted to show the larger

by the Pinault Foundation.

public the depth of ar tistic talent of the

The Capucci Foundation (1, 9) is located

founder and the role that the company

in Villa Bardini between For te Belvedere

has had through histor y, not only in terms

and Palazzo Pitti. The Galleria del Costu-

of shoes, but in international fashion. This

me (3, 6) at Palazzo Pitti, with close to

museum is a key reference point for the

six thousand pieces, is the only museum

histor y of fashion at an international level. dedicated to the histor y of fashion in The celebrations of the 90th anniver-

Italy.

69

10

1

70

Style

collection

B i e n v i v r e à por ter

Lungarno Details store. Shop the Lungarno Collection style

At the entr ance of the Lungar no

details that tell the love story

Suites, on Lungar no Acciaiuoli, is a with its impeccably cur ated choice of fur niture and fur nishing objects. Here ,

F lorence , F erragamo

of artisan tradition in

sophisticated store seducing customer s

from to the style of the

S alvatore L ungarno collection

the classic décor blends, in perfect Lungar no Collection style , with the most refined contempor ar y look. The store has fast become a favor ite for the Lungar no wor ld fans and also a coveted showroom and shopping

r ange of vintage and colonial

destination for top Florentine architects

fur niture . From chic table and kitchen

and inter ior designer s. “Lungar no

accessor ies, for both living and

Details is an unusual downtown

wor king environments and for all

Florence space offer ing a wide choice

enter tainment pur poses, to one-of-

of inter ior accessor ies-explains

a-kind pieces such as blown glass

Mar ta Santoni, a well-known Italian

hour glasses, animal-shaped bookends,

architect and inter ior designer - in

colored dr inking glasses. And, of

a fresh and contempor ar y manner,

cour se , ar t is found in many for ms,

precious details that suppor t my

like Volker Kühn’s ironic wor ks or the

inter ior design projects (1)”. From

beautiful vintage fashion photogr aphs

the creations by Michele Bönan,

dating back to Florence’s golden

the architect and inter ior designer

year s of style , in the fifties and

of all the hotels of the Lungar no

sixties, when the Medici family’s city

Collection Group, to the extensive

was the wor ld capital of fashion.

71

1

solleone , the swan

90

belonging to leonardo ferragamo

72

Style

collection

Ex cl u s i ve perceptions

Swan and Lungarno Collection: a liaison that goes beyond the concept of luxury T ext T eresa F avi

There’s the concept of luxur y that

the most beautiful sailboat journeys in the world

ever yone , at least from a distance ,

on a swan embellished with custom built services ,

knows: it’s made up of designer clothes, expensive perfumes, car s and watches

as told by ettore mattiello , swan ’ s racing office manager

from “A Thousand and One Nights”.

Take that concept and multiply it (by three , at least) and apply it to the idea of a vacation on board a Swan, the Fer r ar i of yachts. The Mediter r anean, the Balear ics, the Car ibbean - and a crew ready to sail anywhere , at any time of year. Swan yachts were bor n

goes beyond luxur y”, and together they

in 1966 in a Finnish harbour, in the

now offer the most beautiful sailboat

age-old land of sailor s, 500 kilometres

jour neys in the wor ld.

nor th of Helsinki. The boat building

We met Ettore Mattiello of Nautor in

company who created them, Nautor, has his office , high up in an old tower in been in Italian hands now for thir teen

the hear t of Florence , to discuss his

year s. A key figure in the fashion wor ld

amazing wor k and let our selves be

and a passionate yachtsman, Leonardo

caressed by the breeze of exclusivity.

Fer r agamo bought the company and

“Our guests have the choice of our best

has re-launched it as one of the wor ld’s

yachts. We hope to soon have a fleet

lar gest super yacht companies.

of seven yachts, each one with a crew

Two jewels of the Fer r agamo family,

made up of four professionals: a captain,

Nautor’s Swan and Lungar no Collection, a chef and two stewards.” He explains have come together tr ansver sally to

this to us as the light of the setting sun

create the ideal notion of “luxur y that

illuminates the models of the boats

73

V irago , S wan 100

hanging on his walls. “Each yacht has

with for midable exper ience and there’s

its own crew - loyalty and teamwor k

the quality of the ser vices of the

are vital for the quality of ser vice we

Lungar no club tr ansfer red on board

provide ,” Mattiello continues. The

of a yacht. There’s the chef who pays

yachts are cr uiser-r acer s that go from

homage to the jewels of the sea and

28-33 meter s, with elegant lines,

there’s the joy of a jour ney sur rounded

gor geous to look at, with three double

by beauty and total pr ivacy. And there

cabins, in addition to two crew cabins

are the advantages of having a club

with bunk beds.

to back you up: the ease of dropping

Are these thoroughbreds of the sea

anchor in a harbour, which can be

fulfilling the desire for comfort and

pr actically impossible at a minute’s

luxur y of their owners?

notice . The best thing is that you have

They are at the avant-garde not only

the best ser vice imaginable and yet it is

technologically but also at the level

totally invisible .

of design. The inter ior s are all custom

What’s the secret of an unforgettable

made . Solleone , for example , the

cruise?

Swan 90 that belongs to Leonardo

Real emotions, tr ue luxur y, memor ies of

Fer r agamo, was designed by architect

pure light, and the sound of silence .

T he cruise - racer fleet : S wan heritage Michele Bönan: it has elegant spaces, combined with

L ungarno C ollection service T he 90- feet S olleone S wan T he 100- feet V irago S wan T he 112- feet H ighland B reeze S wan

How long does a typical cr uise last?

no excessive details, and is perfect for

One or two weeks, but it could also be

an intelligent life at sea. Ever yone loves

for a day or a long weekend depending

the inter ior s of that boat.

on the availability of the yachts.

Tell us about the extras that make all

The price?

the difference.

The pr ice star ts at 40,000 Euros a

There’s the professionalism of a crew

week.

74

75

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T he

frescoed hall and facade ( to the right ) overlooking

S anta T rinita B ridge

of

P alazzo C apponi -V ettori

‘ P r iv a t e ’ matter s

Palazzo Capponi and Palazzo Corsini. Discovering secrets and little-known stories

P alazzo C apponi -V ettori stands in loveliest part of the L ungarni area

the and

there is a love story behind its origin .

C lose

by is

P alazzo C orsini ,

which is

home to the most important private art collection in 76

F lorence

P alazzo C apponi ’ s windows on P onte S anta T rinita

77

L odovico C apponi

in a portrait by

A gnolo B ronzino ,

Palazzo Capponi Built in the four teenth-centur y, the palazzo was bought, in the 1500s, by the young Lodovico Capponi who chose it for its strategic position, close to Palazzo Pitti, midway between Via Maggio and Santa Trinita bridge, owing to a

two details of

P alazzo C orsini ,

A t P alazzo C orsini

portrait of

M aria M addalena M achiavelli

P alazzo C apponi -V ettori , the charm of ancientness meets with state - of - the art technology under the sign of the L ungarno C ollection , a prestigious partner in the meeting and incentive planning field in T uscany and

troubled love affair that had a happy ending. In love with Maddalena Vettori, Lodovico proposed to her, but her stepfather, Piero Salviati, greatly opposed the marriage and Maddalena was put into a convent. She was later taken out of the convent only to become lady-in-waiting

as hail in spring, and wine flowed like water.

Florence features masterpieces of seventeenth

to Eleanor of Toledo at Palazzo Pitti. Capponi,

Palazzo Corsini

and eighteenth-centur y Italian and European

still in love with the young lady, who was

Palazzo Corsini is a beautiful and rare example

painting as well as interesting Renaissance works

never allowed to leave the palace without

of Baroque style in Renaissance Florence and

of ar t. Among the paintings displayed are works

being accompanied, could see her pass over

one of the greatest moments in the histor y

by Filippo Lippi, Giovanni Bellini, Luca Signorelli

the bridge with the gran-ducal cour t from the

of Florentine painting. The building, which was

(Madonna and Child with Saints Girolamo and

windows of his house. The stolen glances they

at first called Casino (as it was a small house

Bernardo), Pontormo, Salvator Rosa and Luca

exchanged, as repor ted by old chroniclers,

surrounded by a big garden extending as far as

Giordano. The collection was star ted in 1765

aroused the curiosity of the crowd, which

the Arno river bank where the Lungarno Corsini by Don Lorenzo Corsini, nephew to Pope

always gathered to watch them. In the end, the

now stands), was bought in 1649 by Maria

Clemente XII, in 1765. Although still par tly

Grand Duchess interceded with Salviati for

Maddalena Machiavelli (wife to Marchese Filippo

used by the Princes Corsini, the palazzo ser ves

the two sweethear ts and they were able to get

Corsini) from the Grand Duke Ferdinando II de’

primarily as an exhibition and event venue

married. The wedding was celebrated in Piazza

Medici. Ver y few know that the building houses,

(the Antiques Biennale fair used to be held at

Santa Trinita where, according to the chronicles

on the first floor, the so-called Corsini Galler y.

Palazzo Corsini) and is open to visitors upon

of the day, comfits fell thick

This most impor tant private ar t collection in

reser vation.

78

Meetings and Events

Let us create memorable and joyful special moments. With enthusiasm, thrill and high spirits, the Lungarno Collection orchestrates the most extravagant events in its restaurants, sky lounges, meeting rooms or suites with spectacular terraces. Choose amongst the Hotel Lungarno’s Guarnieri Room or Borgo San Jacopo Restaurant, the Gallery Hotel Art’s Fusion Bar & Restaurant, the Continentale’s spectacular Sky Lounge Roof Top, or the magnificent and romantic countryside house Villa Le Rose. Charming settings with a direct view of the river Arno and surrounded by Renaissance masterpieces.

A choice of elegance and style to celebrate a wedding, a birthday, a graduation or any other special occasion in one of Florence’s most alluring locations.

80

food Borgo San Jacopo Restaurant The ‘Buche’ in Florence Fusion Bar at Gallery Hotel Art

hidden 81

Food

collection

D o o r s o f eden

The secrets of Beatrice Segoni, elegant chef of the Borgo San Jacopo restaurant T ext T eresa F avi

82

a few of the offerings from the menu that chef beatrice segoni changes every two months

T he 2012

guides rave about the restaurant : 1 hat from the l ’ espresso guide (15.5/20); 2 forks from G ambero R osso (81/100); 5 star diamond award from the american academy of hospitality sciences

Sur rounded by the Florentine

their ar r ival in this city of ar t and good

Still, after many year s on the menu,

Renaissance and with the Ar no River

taste be baptised by the gentle flavour s

Beatr ice has decided to take it off. We

only a few steps away, this elegant

of Beatr ice’s fish broth. Thanks to her

therefore suggest that when making a

boutique of a restaur ant, in which

refined cooking and aesthetics, this

reser vation, you ask the chef to make

the ancient beams and thick stone

restaur ant has been tr ansfor med into a

an exception and to prepare it for you.

walls blend perfectly with the moder n

culinar y Eden.

We sit together in the foyer of the

lighting and stunning picture windows,

After ear ning r ave reviews in the

Hotel Lungar no, the mir ror of the

allows diner s to enjoy views of the

inter national guidebooks, with Japan at

water s of the r iver Ar no caressing the

r iver and the city lights in all its poetic

the lead, even the Italian guidebooks

lar ge windows, making it feel as though

glor y. Fir st-time guests of one of

have star ted to sit up and take notice

we’re on a yacht.

the nine tables of Bor go San Jacopo

of this little jewel that began as a

Is it difficult to be a chef from the

ought to be char ged quadr uple if they

satellite restaur ant for the Hotel

Marche in a city that is so closely tied

leave without tasting the brodetto

Lungar no. With her shar p eyes the

to its traditions?

and fr ittur a di pesce , the only dishes

colour of dar k chocolate and her

It was the thing that fr ightened me

that are constants on the menu since

generous ways, the chef admits her love most when I fir st got here . But I

Beatr ice Segoni took over the kitchen

for the ar tichoke r isotto, declar ing its

resolved it beautifully by offer ing a

five year s ago.

elegance . Yet, her favor ite creations are

cuisine that was “Italian.” I include

Segoni comes from the Marche and

the desser ts. This is why, when you dine recipes from Piemonte as easily as I

the tr aditions of that region have

at Bor go San Jacopo for the fir st time ,

include Sicilian dishes, but at the hear t

influenced her cooking. She has spent

fr iends of the restaur ant will suggest

of the menu is local cuisine . However,

ten year s wor king in kitchens all over

that you leave a little room for desser t.

the fish broth and the fr ied fish are

Italy, including three year s wor king

As a matter of fact, her tir amisu has

two dishes that come from my Marche

alongside chef Gianfr anco Vizzani.

ear ned her a cult following for its

roots and they are my lucky char ms.

Hundreds of Japanese tour ists tr avel

lightness and the way it’s made with

What is the secret to your cooking?

each year to Florence in order to have

patabon (a kind of cooked zabaglione).

Pr ime ingredients are my obsession.

83

the charming interiors of the restaurant and one of the large windows looking out on the arno

84

They are my obsession. You cannot have excellent food without excellent products. It has taken me four year s to find exactly what I was looking for.

Can you share a secret with us?

I actually was tr ained to be a designer and wor ked with Genny, the fashion house . I star ted designing and producing my own line of clothing for women.

How would you describe your style?

Elegant, but with no froufrou. Like my dishes. Then came the career change ...

I became a chef many year s later and I don’t have any regrets. Even if the

A

vertiginous list of 500 prestigious wines selected by salvatore biscotti , a sommelier with extraordinary experience

creativity of designing is beautiful, fashion is something I still car r y with me and tr ansmit to my dishes. You can see it in the way that I focus on presentation and my attention to colour.

What’s your first culinar y memor y?

My father, who was a mechanic , used to spend his Sundays in the kitchen prepar ing sophisticated fish dishes with an almost maniacal precision.

85

ph. Dario Garofalo

P reparing T- bone

steak in

B uca L api ’ s

kitchen

T h e ‘ bu c he’ in Florence

Go down a few stairs and enter a ‘buca’, typical restaurants located in wine cellars T ext B eatrice S egoni

‘ the

cooking here is rigorously tuscan ,

and there ’ s a secret too : we pay special attention to our primary ingredients ’ so says the chef 86

from the top , clockwise :

S averio

e

S andro

della buca dell ’ orafo , buca lapi , buca dell ’ orafo , the private dining room at buca mario

For several evenings recently, I had the

I discovered that all three have something

and delicious charcuterie, then if paglia

pleasure of hanging up my chef ’s apron and

in common - the careful attention to the

e fieno alla boscaiola is on the menu, be

dress as a normal diner to finally tr y out

primar y ingredients. At Buca Lapi - owned

sure to order it. Follow with a Florentine

the so-called “buche.” For someone like me

by the Antinori vineyard - the wonderful

steak or a roast por k with potatoes. (via de’

who loves cooking so much to have made it

scents and flavour s of traditional family

Girolami 28/r, tel. +39.055.213619, closed

a career, it was about time. The result was a

recipes can be experienced in the handmade

Sundays). Buca Mario is located in the

tour of restaurants, some of which go back

potato tor telli dressed simply with butter

cellar s of Palazzo Niccolini. It is especially

year s and year s, being car ved out of old wine and sage, in the sumptuous Florentine steak

unique for its private dining room and

cellar s in the historic buildings in the centre

and in all the fried foods. Wild salads are

own entrance around the back. As for the

of town and much loved by Florentines, even

gathered each morning by a farmer who is

food, I had a good ar tichoke soufflé and

before there were tourists. Since I don’t have

close friends with the chef. (Via del Trebbio,

an excellent grilled steak with a wonderful

room to talk about all of them, I’ve chosen

1/r tel. +39.055.213768, closed Sundays).

vintage Chianti, concluding with cantuccini

three of what I consider to be the best:

Buca dell’Orafo is a small cellar with no

and Vin Santo (piazza degli Ottaviani, 16/r,

Buca Lapi, Buca dell’Orafo, and Buca Mario.

more than a dozen tables. It’s wor th star ting

tel. +39.055.214179, closed Wednesday and

The cuisine here is rigorously Tuscan and

off with a Tuscan antipasto dish of crostini

Thur sday lunch).

87

Drink

collection

S u r p r i s e me!

Not just cocktails: Kareem’s creative experiments at the Fusion Bar T ext A lessandra L ucarelli

88

C ocktails

and appetizers served during happy hour at the

F usion B ar , K areem

as

DJ

at the console during the evening

the cocktail hour at the fusion bar is currently considered one of the coolest places to go in florence

Italian-American of origin, Kareem

drinks varied and dynamic so that we

experiment. But even Italians are aware

Bennett is the man who has been in

can please our regular clients. One of

of the amazing drinks we create at the

charge of the Fusion Bar since 2005. His

the most requested drinks is La Vie en

Fusion Bar and they tr ust me willingly.

cocktails are per sonal interpretations and

Rose , which is a re-visitation of the

And you, what do you drink when you’re

reinventions of the classics using only

classic Spritz but with essence of roses

not working?

the best labels with seasonal ingredients

and berries, and there’s also the Green

I love Mar tini cocktails. And beer.

in a continually playful game of flavor s.

Hornet, which is a vodka sour with celer y

What’s your secret?

The inspiration for his wor k comes not

and ginger.

Music is my number-two passion. So,

only from the most glamorous bar s of

You share the bar with Alessandro Avilla.

lately I’ve been having fun dividing myself

the wor ld where he has wor ked, from

What are the main differences between

between the bar and the DJ console . And

Milan to London, but from a constant

the two of you?

it’s a success!

search for new ideas and tendencies at

Basically it’s a question of style . I have a

an international level. His new ideas also

more instinctive approach, Alessandro is

stem from the close collaboration with

more scientific.

the chef of the restaurant, a creative

Who is your ideal client?

genius himself.

I like open minded and curious people

Style at the bar. How can a person tell if

who know what they like to drink and

the barman is good at what he does?

ask to be amazed. I appreciate sincere

From his talent to satisfy the customer’s

comments. The exchange of opinions is a

desires, while always respecting the

great way to become better at what you

philosophy of the place where he wor ks.

do.

What cocktails should we absolutely tr y

Are there any differences between the

at the Fusion Bar?

Italian clientele and the International

Ever y six months we change the cocktail

one?

list and almost ever y day we offer new

Often Americans just say, “Surprise me ,”

combinations. We tr y to make our new

which shows great tr ust and a desire to

89

J eremy H irons

at

T uscan S un F estival , S argent

and the

A merican I mpressionists

at

P alazzo S trozzi , M aggio M usicale F iorentino , T aste F air

F l o r e n ce 2012 events

The must-sees. Art, music, cinema, theatre, food, fashion and wine art

art

one men’s fashion fair are shows and

March 3- July 15, Palazzo Strozzi

May 11-13, Giardino Cor sini

glamorous events throughout the city

Amer icans in Florence . Sargent and

Artigianato & Palazzo

the American Impressionists

Ar ts & Cr afts fair. This year’s special

Amer ican impressionist painter s

guest is Officina Profumo Far maceutica di Santa Mar ia Novella, which

art

celebr ates its 400th anniver sar y

March 9 – July 15, Strozzina, Palazzo

art September 22 2012 - Januar y 27 2013, Palazzo Strozzi The Thirties. The Ar ts in Italy during Fascism

Strozzi

food&wine

American Dreamers

May 17-20, Villa Cor a

Eleven Amer ican contempor ar y

Divino Tuscany

cinema

ar tists

The event devoted to great Tuscan

October - December, Casa del Cinema

wines and conceived by James Suckling

Odeon

food&wine

50 days of international cinema in

March 10-12, Stazione Leopolda

music , theatre, cinema

Florence

Taste

June (dates to be decided)

Over nine film festivals featur ing shows

Italian gour met food and wine fair

Tuscan Sun Festival

and special guests

Inter national music , theatre , cinema music , theater

and lifestyle festival, for the fir st time

May 4 – June 10, Teatro Comunale

in Florence . Among the guests are John

Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Festival

Malkovich and Jeremy Irons

The 75th edition of one of Italy’s

culture November 2-11 Florens

oldest and most impor tant oper a

fashion

The inter national week of Cultur al and

and music festivals. It opens with the

June 19-22, For tezza da Basso

Environmental Her itage planned by the

oper a Der Rosenkavalier by Richard

Pitti Immagine Uomo

Florens Foundation, featur ing a r ich

Str auss, conducted by Zubin Mehta

Running alongside the wor ld’s number-

progr am of events and wor kshops.

80

tips What are you like?

Are you the Lungarno Hotel or Continentale type?

Are you more attracted to the Gallery Hotel Art or Lungarno Suites?

Or rather, are you the typical Portrait Suites type?

And, what’s more, are you the classic, cool or creative kind?

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Choose the things to do and places to see in Rome and Florence according to your profile

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Creative tips

collection For Gallery Hotel Art Types

day Good morning Our city shows its most intense and genuine side in the morning. A stop at the Caffè degli Artigiani is therefore a must. This delightful little place with furnishings that remind us of Paris is at the centre of Piazza della Passera, a little pearl not far from Palazzo Pitti. culture At a stone’s throw is the gallery belonging to the Gallery Hotel Art, a window on to the world of contemporary photography. Enjoy it. If you’re interested in fashion and costume design, then there are two places you must visit: the Galleria del Costume at Palazzo Pitti and the Biblioteca della Moda at the Istituto Polimoda at Villa Favard, on the Lungarno Vespucci. For those who enjoy going to unusual museums go to Oltrarno to the Museo della Specola to see the very curious anatomic models in wax from the 19th century. Then, it’s off to Palazzo Strozzi where you can visit the Centro di Cultura Contemporanea Strozzina: contemporary art spreads its wings in a Florentine Renaissance setting.

Gourmet ‘Panino’ At ‘Ino you can only get the most original sandwiches; it’s located between the Uffizi and Ponte Vecchio. Mariano on Via del Parione is excellent and don’t forget I Fratellini, which has been around since 1875. tea time It’s called Brac, and it’s a contemporary art gallery, bookstore, and restaurant. You can look at books while enjoying a meal or an afternoon or evening snack, all of which are rigorously vegan.

T his

guest might be

dazzled by a beautiful painting , a photograph or a chef - designed dish , rather than by a piece of jewellery .

L eaving

aside

the traditional idea of a museum ,

H otel G allery

guests love to surround themselves with objects that stimulate their sharp sense of the aesthetic

night Happy hour In the heart of the Gallery Hotel Art is The Fusion Bar & Restaurant - your evening will start off in the best way possible; the memory of its cocktails will stay with you forever.

Dinner La Giostra is a trattoria where the eccentric Soldano will lead you down a sensory journey where a love for food is only combined with that of art. Lungarno 23 only serves chianina beef – and it’s the best place to get a gourmet hamburger.

Nightlife An after-dinner drink? In the centre of Santo Spirito is Volume, which is known for its eclectic vivacity (desserts and crepes are delicious and served until the wee hours).

A bohemian air circulates at the Circolo Aurora, which is a key reference point in the San Frediano neighbourhood.

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Hip tips

collection For Continentale Types

A ctive ,

day Good morning Begin the day with an hour of healthy jogging.

If time isn’t a problem, it’s the best way to experience the city as it is waking up. Run up the avenues to Piazzale Michelangelo, and then descend back down to the city through Pian dei Giullari and Via San Leonardo. Afterwards, relax and take a hot shower in your suite: you could even spoil yourself with breakfast served in your room, or else try the traditional brioche & cappuccino. Where? In piazza della Signoria at Caffe Gilli and Paszkowski, the two hot spots.

Shopping & Lunch Take a walk through the fashion district of Florence. All the main couturiers have shops on Via Tornabuoni, Via del Parione, Via della Vigna Nuova and Via degli Strozzi. Stop for a light, refined lunch at the brand new Caffe Isabelle or else at Obika, the innovative Mozzarella Bar which is located in the magic atmosphere of Palazzo Tornabuoni. If you are fascinated by the traditions of Florentine artisans and you want to experience the real feel of a craftsman’s studio here in the city, there’s no lack of choice, and they’re mainly situated in the Oltrarno. The most interesting ones are the Antico Setificio Fiorentino for its fabrics and Lorenzo Villoresi for its made to measure fragrances.

CulturE The whole city is imbued with art. Besides the timeless places like the Uffizzi, the Cappelle Medicee or the Galleria dell’Accademia, you should also take advantage of being in Florence to look at the more contemporary side of the city, including the Museo Nazionale della Fotografia Alinari, the Isabella Brancolini Gallery or the Tethys Gallery. The Cinema Odeon in Piazza Strozzi always offers films in their original language and is the setting for numerous events and festivals during the year.

dynamic , always on

the lookout for new vibes .

T he

person that chooses

the

H otel C ontinentale

wants to experience all the facets of the city , from traditional to trendy .

night Dinner Choose from the best. There’s the cuisine and important wine list at Enoteca Pinchiorri (with three Michelin stars) or the creative cooking of Marco Stabile, Chef at Ora d’Aria, which earned its first star this year. Harry’s Bar is a classic and is always a great place to be.

Or you can enjoy a candlelight dinner in the young and informal setting of Santo Bevitore.

NIGHTLIFE If you don’t feel like going back to the hotel right away, you can take a walk in Oltrarno, the radical chic neighbourhood, which is full of creative types enjoying themselves into the early hours of the morning. Or else have a cocktail at Colle Bereto in Piazza Strozzi or at Caffe Giacosa.

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Family tips

collection For Lungarno Suites Types

day Good morning Enjoy the morning hours at the Lungarno Collection. We are fully equipped to satisfy all the needs of even the youngest guests. If it’s a beautiful day, take advantage and go for a long walk at the Parco delle Cascine, the largest public park in the city. At the Parco dei Renai you can see many kinds of aquatic and migratory birds. Or else there’s the Giardino di Boboli, an open-air museum with wonderful landscape architecture and views, as well as sculpture gardens with pieces from Roman times dating back to the 20th century.

LUNCH The Fusion Bar is a wonderful place for brunch for the whole family. Or, on Borgo San Jacopo, you can go to the wine-bar Ringo, which is one of the best places in Florence for a classic hamburger. Or else get a quick pizza at Pizzaiuolo: delicious cooking, informal atmosphere, perfect for everyone. culture Culture can also be fun: and it’s the best way to introduce young ones to a city with as rich an artistic patrimony as Florence.

Experiments, simulations, secret journeys guided by entertainers and lots of laboratory experiments are always on show at the Museo dei Ragazzi which is part of Palazzo Vecchio and the main monuments, including Museo Stibbert, Cappella Brancacci in the Chiesa del Carmine, the Museo Storico Topografico and the Museo Leonardiano.

Shopping time Go to Anichini at the Palazzo Ricasoli, which is devoted to elegant clothing for children and where there are endless numbers of clothes made to measure by skilled Florentine seamstresses. Or else there’s Britta in Bicicletta on Lungarno Torrigiani, a stone’s throw from Ponte Vecchio. There’s Petit Bateau on Via della Vigna Nuova or Monnalisa on Via del Corso.

F amily

size :

L ungarno S uites

is perfect for people looking for elegance and flexibility , combined with a level of comfort that is also impeccably tasteful .

T his

structure is conceived for both adults and children ,

night Night-slow-time Make a reservation for dinner and a show at Teatro del Sale: the chef Fabio Picchi calls out his menu from the kitchen and children have fun lining up to taste his rigorously Tuscan dishes. At the end of dinner the restaurant becomes the setting for concerts and fun shows. You might be lucky and get to see Maria Cassi, who is usually sold-out when she comes to the city. If you would rather have dinner somewhere quiet, go to Terrazza Bardini: in the summertime, its terrace becomes the ideal place to enjoy a cocktail and children will be enchanted by the breathtaking view.

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with lots of ad hoc ideas

Classic tips

collection For Hotel Lungarno Types

F or

day Good morning If you are a guest of the Lungarno Collection structures, our first suggestion is to enjoy a leisurely breakfast of homemade bread and jam in your room or suite whilst enjoying the view of the river Arno. Mid-morning is perfect for shopping and a stop at Procacci in Via de’ Tornabuoni for a truffle sandwich, a favourite snack and delicacy of people with good taste.

Relax Dress comfortably and wear walking shoes to enjoy a walk throught the Boboli gardens. Experience pure emotion and the explosion of nature in the heart of the city. lunch Make sure you try a real Florentine steak at 13 Gobbi or one of the other classic Tuscan dishes reinvented by the chef at the Ora d’aria, being sure to enjoy a good glass of Tuscan red wine, too. These are not places for a quick lunch, but they are worth two hours of your time.

Culture The afternoon is for art. A temple of modern art is Palazzo Strozzi and the calendar of exhibits devoted to the masters of the 20th century will surely impress. Also worth visiting is the Museo Marino Marini, which has recently undergone an extraordinary architectural renovation. The Florentine Museum Group organizes guided tours of the Vasari Corridor, a jewel designed by Vasari.

people who like to live

well and feel great , the guests of

H otel L ungarno

love beauty in all its forms and are constantly seeking out small , new places where glamour is whispered and attention is given to their personal needs

night happy hour If a Bellini at Harry’s Bar seems too Venetian, relax a bit on the sofas of the Fusion Bar at the Gallery Hotel Art, leaf through one of the many international magazines available and enjoy a glass of bubbly. dinner&theatre Two wonderful options: Borgo San Iacopo is one of the most romantic and elegant restaurants in the city: a candlelight dinner and a night-time stroll around Florence is an excellent way to end the day. But if your desire for culture is not satisfied, consider a visit to the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. The Festival takes place May through June and it’s the real thing for people who love the opera and symphonies. You can always go to the restaurant after the opera.

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Stylish tips

collection For Portrait Suites Types

T he

day Good morning A Roman vacation should begin in the most classic way, at Caffe Greco on Via Condotti, right in front of the sparkling windows of Bulgari. Or else go to Babington’s, the old tearoom in an 18th century building that looks out over Piazza di Spagna. Don’t miss a visit to the Caravaggio at the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo, the Church of San Luigi dei Francesi and the Church of Sant’Agostino.

Smart lunch It’s hard not to bump into a famous actor when you’re at the Hostaria da Pietro, one of the most authentic trattorias in the city on Via di Gesu and Maria. Its artichokes alla giudea are a must, as are its traditional pasta dishes.

An alternative that’s a little lighter could be oysters and champagne at Riccioli Caffe in Via delle Coppelle; don’t expect anything too fancy, as the atmosphere is young and informal but the quality is superb.

Walking Take a walk through the centre of the city and enjoy visiting the most wonderful boutiques.

There’s Gente, a historic multi-brand boutique where you can find the best of the season’s collections. Or else go to Degli Effetti, in Piazza Capranica, a smart young store dedicated to independent international designers. For the little ones, go to Nikilo’ on Via Settembrini it’s a well kept secret address for this most exclusive designers’ work. Make your way to Palazzo Valentini, where Piero Angela has created an incredible three-dimensional construction of what was once the original piece of architecture.

avant - garde philosophy

of

S alvatore F erragamo

is the seal of style of the

P ortrait S uites H otel in R ome . C hoosing the P ortrait means being part of this way of thinking , a chance to share in the heritage , and all the elegance of the

F erragamo

night Cocktail Have a Manhattan at Elle. Classic and chic.

Dinner Go to Settembrini, for traditional Italian recipes in a modern key. Or else take a walk through the artistic neighbourhood of Monti and stop at Trattoria Monti.

Roscioli is a gourmet food store during the day and at night it becomes a small, intimate, unique restaurant - one of the best in the city.

Don’t forget Pastificio San Lorenzo; if you’ve got a sweet tooth, go to Said, the old chocolate factory directly opposite. It’s a multi-sensory experience.

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Scopri le soluzioni e-commerce MICROS per il tuo hotel, ristorante o negozio.

PER INFORMAZIONI TEL.039.2364.403

www.micros.com

Micros is partner of Lungarno Collections

Univer se

collection

P alazzo C apponi

H otel L ungarno G allery H otel A rt L ungarno S uites

Continentale

CROSS SELLING

the Ponte Vecchio, ideal for a romantic toast

Fusion cuisine or traditional Italian cooking?

Sala Bianca - Continentale: Sushi Bar with a view

Relaxing with a cocktail on one of the loveliest

over Florence’s rooftops

terraces in Florence or with a glass of champagne

Design

along the Arno river, in perfect Bateau Mouche-

Lungarno Details Store: the pleasure of purchasing

style? You have only half an hour for a special and

an object in perfect Lungarno Collection style at

sophisticated shopping experience? The luxur y

the Group’s official store

hotels, bars, restaurants and design stores of the

WHAT’S NEXT - SPRING 2012

Lungarno Collection group, like a mini-resor t

Wellness desire

within an area of 500 square meters extending

White Spa – Continentale: the temple of wellness

between the Ponte Vecchio and the Uffizi Galler y,

where all treatments are based on the awarded

allow you to change and choose the kind of

Care Suite Daniela Steiner line.

atmosphere and ser vice you prefer. And you can

Breakfasting around

have it all charged to your room. Here are the

The chance to choose from two different kinds of

options:

breakfast buffets:

Dining around

Breakfast at the Lungarno Hotel: classic-style,

Fusion Restaurant - Galler y Hotel Art: sophisticated

sweet and savour y all-Italian options, house-made

Asian and Mediterranean cuisine

pastries and freshly-baked bread

Borgo San Jacopo - Hotel Lungarno: a multi-awarded Breakfast at the Galler y Hotel Art: organic and Italian restaurant

local food, seasonal fruit and vegetable juices and

Bar experiences

smoothies, for the health-conscious and in-shape

Picteau Lounge - Hotel Lungarno: chocolate and

enthusiasts.

champagne bar, tearoom, Farmacia Santa Maria

Yatch collection

Novella herbal teas

Swan and Lungarno Collection: the cruise-racer

Fusion Bar - Galler y Hotel Art: enjoy the creativity

fleet is getting bigger, with the addition of 5

of famous barmen

yachts for unforgettable sailing cruises in the

Sky lounge - Continentale: the terrace overlooking

Mediterranean and Caribbean.

98

SULLE MIGLIORI TAVOLE DEL MONDO

L’UNICO MODO PER SCOPRIRE I SEGRETI DEI GRANDI CHEF È SEDERSI A TAVOLA CON LORO. VI ACCORGERESTE CHE C’È UNA COSA CHE NON MANCA MAI, ANZI DUE.

collection

collection The Lungarno Collection Magazine

florence special friends Bianca Balti Massimiliano Giornetti Davide Rampello Stephen Jones Giorgio Albertazzi

N.1 S pring - S ummer I ssue 2012

itineraries Florence by Giovanna Gentile Ferragamo Contemporary Rome Maremma by Gaddo della Gherardesca interviews Lorenzo Bini Smaghi Francesca Colombo Giovanni Gentile style Michele Bรถnan Mona Kuhn at Gallery Hotel Art Fashion Museums in Florence A Swan Cruise & Lungarno Collection city tips

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