FLORENCE GUIDE
Florence is a city where every corner is a canvas: Renaissance façades, marble piazzas, and light that turns even quiet streets into works of art. For the design-minded traveler, two hotels capture the city’s soul - The James Suite Hotel and Hotel Savoy - each offering a unique lens on this timeless city.
All imagery in this article was captured exclusively through the lens of Splendid Magazine.
Where to Stay
The James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564
The newest jewel in Manfredi Fine Hotels’ crown, The James is a love letter to Florence, hidden away on Via di Mezzo in Florence’s Sant’Ambrogio quarter, this 16th-century residence feels like stepping into a story where time slows and the city’s past breathes softly through frescoed ceilings, sculptural baths, and terraces open to the Tuscan sky.
“In the heart of my childhood home - a Renaissance residence built in 1564, adorned with vaulted ceilings and fading frescoes - I set out to create more than just a boutique hotel: a narrative retreat where each suite whispers its own story.” — James Cavagnari
Architect James Cavagnari has transformed the home of his childhood into a temple of quiet beauty. Every suite is its own narrative: curated objects, custom-made furniture, rare fabrics, and light calibrated to create atmosphere rather than simply illuminate. It is a place where architecture becomes storytelling and hospitality an art - intimate, rare, and profoundly moving.
The James Restaurant is an elegant setting inspired by Mediterranean culture and deeply rooted in Tuscan tradition. Refined brass details, natural wood accents, artisanal flooring and sumptuous textiles come together to create an atmosphere both warm and sophisticated. Earthy tones and soft lighting envelop the space in an intimate glow, while regional art touches add authenticity and character - design becomes part of the culinary experience itself.
1564 Lounge Bar complements this with its own style, perfect for early evening cocktails or a relaxed drink after dinner. (Bar hours vary; great for golden-hour views or intimate conversation below soft lighting.)
For the design-minded traveler, The James is an address of pure intention - a hidden sanctuary where history, art, and contemporary craft converge. This is more than a stay; it is a journey through memory, proportion, and feeling - an experience that lingers long after you depart. Luxury here is quiet and deeply personal, expressed through bespoke furniture, hand-picked vintage treasures, and light that shapes mood as much as it illuminates. As evening falls, the rooftop terrace beckons - the Arno glinting in the distance, the city bathed in gold - the perfect setting for aperitivo and quiet reflection.
Discover more or book your stay on the Manfredi Hotels website.
Hotel Savoy, a Rocco Forte Hotel
Overlooking Piazza della Repubblica, Hotel Savoy is a timeless landmark offering a front-row seat to Florence’s energy. Interiors by Olga Polizzi mix Renaissance inspirations with bold Emilio Pucci patterns, bringing a playful yet polished spirit to this historic address. Rooms and suites are elegant, light-filled, and many offer views of the Duomo or the square.
Savoy is ideal for travelers seeking traditional luxury - refined service, a prime location steps from Florence’s major landmarks, and a lively yet sophisticated atmosphere. The ground-floor Irene offers Tuscan cuisine with a contemporary twist, perfect for those who want to taste the city without leaving the comfort of the hotel.
Savoy is for travelers who crave classic luxury in the city’s most enviable location. Service is refined but warm, the kind that remembers how you take your espresso. Step outside and you’re mere moments from the Uffizi, the Duomo, and Via de’ Tornabuoni’s elegant boutiques.
Hotel Savoy has partnered with storied jeweller Cassetti to craft “Golden Hour on the Arno” - an experience that distills Florence’s beauty into one unforgettable evening: the journey begins with a guided stroll through the city’s historic heart, ending at Cassetti’s prestigious Ponte Vecchio atelier, where guests enjoy private access to its archive of vintage brooches, rings, and necklaces - each piece a glittering fragment of Florence’s goldsmithing history.
As the sun begins to set, a traditional renaiolo boat awaits on the Arno. Guests drift along the river as palazzi glow in the golden light, accompanied by live violin music and a perfectly chilled aperitivo. The evening concludes back at Hotel Savoy with a late dinner at Irene, where Chef Pierangelini serves Tuscan specialities paired with golden-hued wines - a fitting finale to a night steeped in beauty, craft, and Florentine soul.
Discover more or book your stay on the Rocco Forte Hotels website.
A Splendid Lens on Florence
Every time I go to Florence, I realize how much I have missed it. - Henry James
Florence is a city that reveals itself slowly, like a canvas brushed by light - where Renaissance façades, marble piazzas, and quiet alleys become living works of art. Whether it’s the curated intimacy of The James Suite Hotel Firenze 1564 or the timeless glamour of Hotel Savoy, each offers its own perspective on the city’s soul.
Our Editors’ Top Picks | Florence Local Highlights
To Eat & Drink.
Ristorante La Giostra – Romantic and intimate, with candlelit interiors and classic Tuscan cuisine.
Address: Borgo Pinti, 10/12r, 50121 Firenze FI
Website: ristorantelagiostra.com
4Leoni – A beloved trattoria serving authentic Tuscan dishes in a lively piazza setting.
Address: Via de' Vellutini, 1R, 50125 Firenze FI
Website: 4leoni.com
Atelier De Nerli – A design-driven restaurant where the interiors are as inspiring as the menu.
Address: Piazza de’ Nerli, 6R, 50124 Firenze FI
Website: atelierdenerli.com
Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura – A Michelin-starred experience inside Gucci Garden. Expect playful, inventive dishes on custom Ginori porcelain.
Address: Piazza della Signoria, 10, 50122 Firenze FI
Website: gucciosteria.com
La Terrazza Rooftop Bar – Perched on the medieval Consorti tower, this is the place for sunset cocktails with sweeping Arno and Ponte Vecchio views.
Address: Vicolo dell’Oro, 6r, 50123 Firenze FI
Website: hotelcontinental.it
Spirituum – An artistic cocktail bar in Santo Spirito that design lovers will adore.
Address: Piazza Santo Spirito, 16R, 50125 Firenze FI
Website: instagram.com/spirituumspiritsclub
Caffè dell’Oro – On the most charming stretch of the Arno, perfect for a morning espresso and pastry or a Tuscan-leaning lunch. The best place in the city to soak up the winter sun.
Address: Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli, 2P, 50123 Firenze FI
Website: lungarnocollection.com
Caffè Gilli – Florence’s oldest café, perfect for espresso and people-watching near Hotel Savoy.
Address: Piazza della Repubblica, 50123 Firenze FI
Website: gilli.it
Art & Culture.
Duomo – Florence’s most iconic landmark, just steps from Hotel Savoy.
Address: Piazza del Duomo, 50122 Firenze FI
Website: duomo.firenze.it
Uffizi Gallery – Home to Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo.
Address: Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6, 50122 Firenze FI
Website: uffizi.it
Palazzo Pitti – A Renaissance palace housing four museums.
Address: Piazza de' Pitti, 1, 50125 Firenze FI
Website: uffizi.it/palazzo-pitti
Boboli Gardens – The Medici’s spectacular gardens behind Palazzo Pitti.
Address: Piazza de' Pitti, 1, 50125 Firenze FI
Website: uffizi.it/boboli-garden
Museo Salvatore Ferragamo – A fashion museum dedicated to the legendary shoemaker.
Address: Piazza di Santa Trinita, 5R, 50123 Firenze FI
Website: ferragamo.com/museo
San Miniato al Monte – One of the most beautiful viewpoints in Florence, perfect at sunset.
Address: Via delle Porte Sante, 34, 50125 Firenze FI
Website: sanminiatoalmonte.it
Shopping & Design.
Officina Profumo, Santa Maria Novella – The world’s oldest pharmacy, crafting fragrances & herbal remedies since 1221.
Address: Via della Scala, 16, 50123 Firenze FI
Website: eu.smnovella.com/it
LuisaViaRoma – Recently reopened with a minimalist, gallery-like design.
Address: Via Roma, 19/21r, 50123 Firenze FI
Website: luisaviaroma.com
Il Papiro – A Florentine favourite for artisanal paper goods and marbled notebooks.
Address: Flagship at Via de’ Tavolini, 13R, 50122 Firenze FI
Website: ilpapirofirenze.it
Ginori 1735 – Florence’s most beautiful porcelain house, with collections displayed like art.
Address: Via dei Rondinelli, 17/R, 50123 Firenze FI
Website: ginori1735.com
We hope this guide helps you see Florence in all her moods - elegant, expressive, and endlessly inspiring - inviting you to wander slowly, linger longer, and experience the city through a designer’s eye. Come for the galleries, stay for the architecture, and leave with a little of Florence’s magic stitched into your memory.
- Team Splendid x