Tuscan Cuisine: Ribollita Recipe

 Hotel Mario's is a place where to spend a very nice holiday!!!

Our staff will help you to visit the city and also live an authentic florentine life!!!

www.hotelmarios.com

hotelmarios@hotelmarios.com

Hotel Mario's in the area of San Lorenzo Market

Just in the area outside the Central Market are numerous and are open every day from 9:00am to 7:00pm (except Mondays in winter). The vendors sell a great variety of products and you could spend hours roaming through them all.What about the histoy of the market? Because the population was growing and the New Market, under the Loggia del Porcellino was clearly insufficient, it was decided to create three new markets instead of one, taking advantage of the occasion to revitalize one of the older neighborhoods in Florence called the Camaldoli. The largest market would be constructed in San Lorenzo, the Herb Market in Sant’Ambrogio and yet another, which was demolished in the beginning of the 1900s, in San Frediano.
It was a great idea but San Lorenzo had no room for a new market. It was therefore necessary to open up a vast area in the labyrinth of narrow streets that had grown up outside of the first set of Roman walls and between the two sets of medieval walls.The ecclesiastical neighborhood centered around the city's original cathedral, San Lorenzo (it was outside the city walls, and, according to tradition, was funded by a pious Jewish woman), and the commercial neighborhood centered around the mercatino, the street market, and the Mercato Centrale, the city’s major produce market. The former, with Brunelleschi and Michelangelo’s Sacristies, Pontormo’s paintings, Michelangelo’s sculptures, and the Laurentian Library (also designed by Michelangelo) is one of Florence’s intellectual cornerstones. In these days the market is specialized in clothing, leather goods, gifts and souvenirs, and is one of several places in the city frequented by tourists; it’s possible to find a wide choice of leather jacket and bags, jeans, t-shirts, shoes…everything of reasonably good quality and at reasonable prices.However The main attractions of San Lorenzo (apart from shopping, of course) are the San Lorenzo Basilique (made up of several buildings including the San Lorenzo church, the Brunelleschi Sagrestia Vecchia, the annex cloisters, the Canonici area and the Laurenziana Library with the famous staircase by Leonardo da Vinci) consecrated by St. Ambrose in 393, it is the oldest church in the city. It was then rebuilt along Romanesque lines in 1060. The present building dates to 1423 and was designed and built by Brunelleschi) and the Cappelle Medicee (the Medicean Chapels – are a precious tomb which preserve the Medici family remains, representing the mausoleum of the big family).
Hotel Mario's is located between San Lorenzo Market, Central Market, Santa Maria Novella church and the central railway station Santa Maria Novella.This is a great opportunity to visit the city in a very fantastic location. Reserve a room in the old historic building at Hotel Mario's, you'll enjoy part of Florence's history.
Visit www.hotelmarios.com or write an email to info@hotelmarios.com

BOBOLI GARDENS: The Florentine Versailles

Hotel Mario's suggests a further visit: Boboli Gardens. They were not famous until the land became the property of the Medici family, who called in Niccolò Pericoli, known as Tribolo, to design them; this artist created a masterpiece of "landscape architecture" between 1550 and 1558. Parks in Florence: BoboliThe park, on the property of the Pitti Palace, was planned to occupy a scenographic setting on the slopes of the Boboli hill (covering 320.000 square metres) and also had access from the square. The park was enriched with many Mannerist inventions by Buontalenti (like the Grotta Grande), fountains and statues by Ammannati, Giambologna and Tacca, and was eventually completed by Giulio and Alfonso Parigi (1631- 1656). The two architects, father and son, carried out the stone Amphitheatre, the unique setting for many celebrated theatrical performances, the cypress alley known as the "Viottolone" and the square and pool of Isolotto. The last additions, like the Coffeehouse (1774-76), the Lawn of the Columns (1776) and the Lemonary (1785), were later installed by the Lorriane family. Pietro Leopoldo decided to open the garden to the public in 1776. The design of the Boboli Gardens was used as a basis for all the royal gardens in Europe, including Versailles.

Tonight semifinal vs Inter ( Coppa Italia )

Today we would like to talk about the Cup game Fiorentina, the local soccer team, is going to playing tonight vs Internazionale of Milan.
Firenze has a real passion for its team and all the city support with a great feeling the ViolaS. In Florence is almost impossible to find a person that is fan of another team.Usually in other cities people can be of a different team than the city he belongs to, but not here in Florence. Florence is Fiorentina. When you go to the bar or to some store, you often see people speaking about this club and Fiorentina's supporter are one of the hottest of all Italy.
Firenze has always supported the team, even when it was in the lower leagues because a real Florentine is not opportunist is constant with his love and so will be forever.

FORZA FIORENTINA, VINCI PER NOI!

Hotel Mario's an real idea of hospitality

How many times do you find fantastic luxury hotels, with the most modern technologies, the best view and the best service ? if you have the opportunity to pay a lot of money, you know what we are talking about.
How many times have you been in a nice cozy little Hotel, ran from real youngs Florentine guys, with the history in their blood, with a know-ledge of the secret of the city? how many times in the big and unreal hotels you felt only a number? too big, too less time to spend with clients, no way to have a relationship with the concierge or with the front desk.
Here at Hotel Mario's, a very old Hotel, with far origin, we instist without esiting, to follow the way of a style that is not studied, but it's inside ourself. Real,Florentine,authentic and charming place, near the railway station of Santa Maria Novella and close to the Fortezza da Basso, to the Palazzo dei Congressi and in the historical area of the Mercato Centrale ( central food market ). A terrific position where to start your walking tours through the city.
Contact us to require information, to be helped to plan your trip. Don't hesitate, write us : info@hotelmarios.com
We'll be glad to assist you in any occasion.

Ciao from Florence, a magic city

San Lorenzo Central Market

San Lorenzo Central Market is at about two-three minutes from Mario's Hotel. The building was built some time between 1870 and 1874 by architect Giuseppe Mengoni and it is thought that it was built in part to provide an alternative for those who had shopped in the area around Piazza della Repubblica which at that time in history hosted the City of Florence's major vegetable market. According to history, the area around the Piazza della Repubblica was undergoing a renewal during these years.
It is Europe's largest covered food hall and is a most wonderful stone, iron and glass building. Mengoni is also responsible for Milan's celebrated covered shopping galleries.
It is difficult to appreciate the design of the Mercato though, one can imagine that in its day it probably was quite a site. The building's footprint is quite large and covers at least two blocks. The Mercato offers a huge variety of fresh items: produce of many kinds (from throughout Italy), fresh fruit, flowers, cheese of every imaginable variety, meats (including stewed boar, cow stomach and intestines), fish and seafood, poultry, pastas, dried fruits, porcini, spices, breads, pastries, dry goods, wines and truffles. There are also stands inside where you can have the vendor make you a sandwich and you can sit down at a little table and enjoy the atmosphere.