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Singer-Songwriter Charlotte Cardin Shares Her Guide to Florence

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Travel Guide, Music, Florence
By Caitlin Stall-Paquet
Photo by Gaëlle Leroyer
January 13, 2021

Art, pasta, wine – repeat.

While in Paris promoting her music in 2019, Charlotte Cardin took a romantic week-long trip to Florence with her boyfriend. As an artist, the Juno Award-nominated singer-songwriter was inspired by the city’s rich musical history, Renaissance architecture (she bought a point-and-shoot camera to capture it) and classical art – she even started painting when she got home to Montreal. As a food lover, she turned to her fans (and her mom) for recommendations on where to find the tastiest Tuscan dishes. Last fall, Cardin was back in Europe shooting a music video for her forthcoming album Phoenix (out this spring), and the city, and its pasta, were calling again: “I wanted to go to Florence for a few days just to revisit all the restaurants I fell in love with.”

Make sure to check government entry requirements before you travel.

An illustration of a neighbourhood in Florence with some of Charlotte Cardin's favourite spots
    Illustration: Saskia Rasink

Charlotte’s 5 Spots in Florence

A charcuterie plate with fresh with fresh bread and red wine at Il Santino in Florence
Photo: Sophie Delauew

  1. Il Santino —

    We went to this cozy aperitivo spot a few times for Tuscan wine paired with complimentary charcuterie. Then, we moved next door to the fancier sister restaurant, Il Santo Bevitore, for the freshest burrata I’ve ever tasted.

The courtyard of the Le Gallerie Degli Uffizi in Florence
Photo: dalibro

  2. Le Gallerie Degli Uffizi —

    The famous gallery has the most incredible collection. My favourites were the paintings by Raphael, the many works depicting the Madonna and the hall dedicated to Caravaggio – I loved seeing the Medusa in person.

A vendor at the Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio food market in Florence

  3. Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio —

    This loud food market is full of locals and visitors buying amazing terroir products. We went to so many restaurants that it was nice to pick up some cured meat and fresh bread for a dinner in.

Fresh bolognese with grated parmesan served at Cibrèo Caffè in Florence
Photo: Cibrèo Caffè

  4. Cibrèo Caffè —

    I tried a few spots in the city for pasta with meat sauce, since Bolognese is one of my favourites, but I can’t stop thinking about the one I had here – at least 10 of my Instagram followers recommended this café. It was made with fresh tagliolini and the sauce was so flavourful.

  5. Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze —

    The Department of Musical Instruments here is fascinating – I saw an early upright piano with a flower pattern that was kind of psychedelic, and the world’s only entirely conserved Stradivari viola from 1690.