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Fun food – |
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The fun food for kids is gelato, ice cream. Florence lays claim to the invention of gelato by Bernardo Buontalenti,
who made it for, who else, the Medicis. Don't go running around looking
for the gelateria that supposed to have the best gelato. Just stop into
gelaterias often and sample the selection. For really delicious sweets, pastries and cookies, try cafe Gilli on the Piazza della Repubblica. |
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The indoor Central Market (Mercato Centrale) is
chock full of multicolored pastas galore (a sight in itself), stalls with
fruits, vegetables, cheese, nuts (makings for a picnic lunch), and food
stalls, where you can sample all kinds of fun food. The Central Market is
open 7:00am - 2:00pm, Mon. - Sat. |
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Shopping – |
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The gold shops on the Ponte Vecchio are splashy and fun, little lacy gold butterflies, filagree rings, or enameled cameos are reasonably priced. Leather goods are traditional to Florence – look for purses, wallets, coin purses, key chains with beautifully tooled leather and the Florentine fleur-de-lis motif. Other shops have marbled handmade papers, whimsical paper frames or pencil holders. Kids will also have fun choosing painted wooden boxes or wooden toys. Florence is a wonderful place to window shop. As you're walking down any street, you'll find artisans at work, and beautiful window displays in the shops. |
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A deadly feud
between two great families is brewing in Giglia, a 16th century
city that resembles Florence, in the exciting conclusion of the
Stravaganza fantasy adventure. Duke Niccolo throws a lavish wedding
for his princely sons, but the rival Nucci family has other plans,
and days of feasting and tournaments take an unexpected turn. (Chapter
book)
Don't miss the
first two books of the Stravaganza series: City
of Masks and City
of Stars
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When
you visit museums or churches in Florence, you'll run into these
guys – Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Fra Angelico and Botticelli.
This is a fun, readable introduction to Renaissance paintings and
sculpture, e.g. why is the baby Jesus holding a pomegranate (not
a bumpy muffin), each saint has a symbol etc. Good for younger
kids. (Picture book)
And, perfect to bring on your trip – Go Fish for Art Rensaissance Card Game
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Fat little book,
perfect for small hands, full of artworks from the Uffizi –
portraits of dukes and duchesses, paintings of knights in armor,
lovely scenes of the Madonna and child, Botticelli's Primavera.
(Picture book)
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Find
out how the genius Michelangelo spent his childhood in Florence,
quit school at 13 to paint, broke his nose, lived and worked at
the de' Medici palace, and sculpted exquisite marble pieces. (Picture
book)
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In the Museum
of Adventures, go to the Magic Gallery, where Michelangelo's portrait
will take you back in time, to a marble quarry, sculpture studio,
Medici tombs and Sistine Chapel. Seven pieces of parchment contain
clues to a secret cave, where only the artist can open the door.
A fun, lively exploration of Michelangelo's art. (Picture book)
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Before
you check out the frescoes in Santa Croce, or climb up the Duomo
bell tower, find out about the artist and architect, Giotto. In
his time, he was one of the most famous artists in Florence. An
innovator, Giotto painted religious scenes with naturalistic backgrounds
and people from real life. (Picture book)
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Botticelli (a
nickname, that means "little barrel,") was a celebrity
artist in Florence in his time, and you won't want to miss his ethereal Birth of Venus in the Uffizi today. Get the scoop about his
life and times, growing up and painting in Florence. (Picture book)
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Engaging
pictorial biography of Leonardo da Vinci, not only his art and
experiments, but fascinating facts about the guy - Leonardo designed
a lute shaped like a horse head, entertained people with clever
riddles, kept a pet porcupine, and played practical jokes. Imaginative
illustrations. (Picture
book)
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Annie and Jack are whirled back in time to Florence, to find Leonardo da Vinci, help him with his inventions, and enable Leonardo to fly. (Easy reader)
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Take
a trip back in time to Florence in 1512 – what to see, sports
events, what to wear, what to eat, fun shopping (gorgeous gold
jewelry, fine wool clothing, a good suit of armor). Beautifully
written, Renaissance Florence comes alive. (Chapter book, historical
illustrations)
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Florence has delicious pastries and breads – this is a magical tale about a bakery in the Oltrarno. A baker buys a carved wooden bed for his wife, only to discover that the bed flies over the rooftops, and there's a secret to good baking. Glorious illustrations of Florence. (Picture book)
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We discovered this nifty activity book on our last trip to Florence. Ten famous landmarks in the center, each with two pages of outlines to color (pencils are included with the book), stories and background about the statues, art and architecture, and hidden gems. (Activity book)
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This pocket-sized book is a scavenger hunt for Florence. Find portraits in the museums, get your photo taken in front of the "Gates of Paradise," rub the bronze boar, count the towers (torres) in Florence, visit a panetteria, and more. Fun for everyone in the family! (Activity book)
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(More children's
books on other Tuscany and Italy pages) |
(Stravaganza series)
