Allegra's Idylls: Hotel #18 and museums, churches and the Mercato Centrale

February 12, 2011
Today was more of a slow paced day. I am surprised I am sleeping so well in a different bed each night but I am. Falling asleep is a bit hard as I am almost too tired by the time I finally nod off.
Breakfast this morning was held on the rooftop bar at the Antica and it is a full breakfast spread. After breakfast I checked out and said goodbye to my new friend Maria Rita and did a few errands (Bancomat, stationery store to write MORE thank you notes) and grabbed a taxi to the next hotel, The Grand Hotel Villa Medici.

one view from the Antica Torre

another view from the Antica Torre

The Grand Hotel Villa Medici is a 5 star hotel located about a 10 minute walk from the train station heading out of the historic center. It is an old villa and has contemporary style rooms as well as the classic Florentine grand hotel decor (lots of reds and golds). It is a full service hotel and is the only one within the city with a pool. There is 24 hour room service and a lot of the rooms have terraces overlooking the pool or the convent located next door. I met with Daniele later in the afternoon for caffe and a tour of the hotel and he clearly loves working here as there is a large number of repeat guests - sign of a good hotel! They have a courtesy car service to take guests to any of the museums or monuments within the city, but you can easily walk as well.

room #130 at GHVMedici

the garden at GHVMedici

The Grand Hotel Villa Medici

This afternoon was spent wandering around the Mercato Centrale, going into San Lorenzo and visiting the Palazzo Medici Riccardi all in the neighborhood called San Lorenzo - oh and I visited (the "must see" Farmaceutica Officina Santa Maria Novella).

San Lorenzo

The Duomo can be seen from almost everywhere

the garden at Palazzo Medici Riccardi

one of the courtyards at the Palazzo Medici Riccardi

San Frediano from across the river

LOVE the floor at the entry of B&O in the Ognissanti neighborhood

one of the many rooms in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi

courtyard again in Palazzo Medici Riccardi

grand room at the Palazzo Medici Riccardi - there was a meeting apparently

The Mercato Centrale is an indoors market with stalls for salumi, cheese, tripe, herbal ointments, porchetta sandwiches, fish, all kinds of butchers, flowers etc. Usually, I will go here at the beginning of my stay to buy some flowers for my hotel room - however, I have been moving every day, so that would not work. I bought vacuum packed grana padano (MUCH less expensive than at home for a HUGE chunk) and dried porcini (vacuum packed) and grabbed some lunch.
Here are some photos of the Mercato Centrale: