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Posted by
15678 posts

Thanks for the reminder, Maria! I remember reading about them sometime during the past couple of years but don't remember seeing any either. Then again, I didn't know to look for them so they'll be on the Watch List next time. 🧐

(Sigh) The next time can't come soon enough. I understand that Firenze isn't everyone's cuppa but OMG the art, the art, the art...

Posted by
3938 posts

Thanks for posting this interesting read and video. Now I too have a need to get back to Florence and explore these clever architectural innovations from the past!

Posted by
4526 posts

I loved Florence, and would want to visit again. I never got to Boboli Gardens or beyond the immediate 'big' sites. Even though I had the RS Italy guide when I was there in 2002, I don't recall him mentioning these. The article and concept tickled my sense of the obscure and quirky. I do agree, Kathy, that Italy can't come soon enough. I am struggling with the prospect that my long awaited retirement plan to spend next winter in SEAsia isn't going to happen due to restrictions, but on the flip side, I realize I may be able to retire 4 months earlier - so maybe I can at least escape to Italy for a few weeks and get back in time for family Christmas (which was virtual in 2020). I know eventually we'll know what we can do, but knowing what continent to plan for would be a kindness.

Posted by
3961 posts

MariaF- Thanks for sharing the link. I also don't recall seeing the buchettes when visiting Florence. I recently viewed a trailer that was featured on CNN for the docuseries "Searching for Italy.' Host Stanley Tucci and his guide featured the buchettes. The docuseries is slated to commence on 2/14/21. Looking forward to watching. Reinvention seems to be the name of the game this past year. Hope to return to Florence!

Posted by
407 posts

Thanks for posting this, MariaF ! Now I'm going to go back and look through my photos of Florence and see if I inadvertently photographed any buchettes.

Posted by
1305 posts

Maria, thanks so much for sharing this.
I remember seeing one or two many years ago and thinking that they were niches for shrines.
I guess in a way they are "shrines,' but to wine these days.
I love it!

Posted by
2281 posts

hey hey MariaF
these great pictures brought back memories about "wine windows", was june 2018.
we were roaming around the plaza near the carousel, needed to rest our footsies. saw an empty pedicab, asked for a tour and how much? thought he said 30E and less seen areas. he took us to an area that had these wine windows, so interesting with his information and history about them, some locked up, some were mailboxes and others were decorated with doorbell to greet people.
happy to see they have come to serve wine. our tour was about 90 minutes and excellent, good looking young italian gentleman that sang opera while we cruised around. we ended up at santo spirito area, had a glass of wine and pasta at tamero pastabar he recommended. walked back to our apartment near the murate art complex, stopping for gelato.
later that night went to I Fratellini Trattoria, a hole in the wall, for dinner. i had osso bucco and friends had steak florentine plus great wine. thanks for the memory
aloha

Posted by
4526 posts

Thanks Princess for contributing your experiences to this thread. I guess they started becoming used again in 2017, so your pedicab opera singer was 'in the know'.

I got a kick out of gelato being served through there too. I think gelato and wine have to be 2 of the 3 iconic items of Italy...pasta being the 3rd.
I can see how they can be mistaken as niches for statuary. I expect that would have been my thought, but the mail box and door bell retrofit is a great idea.
Osso bucco, my fave.

Posted by
11030 posts

I remember seeing something in the media about this a few months back, in the vein of 'what's old is new again'.

Have no recollection of seeing one when in Florence ( or anywhere else). Probably a combination of the crowds and being in a 'sensory overload' condition with the experience of being there.

Thanks for the reminder----- hopefully will have the opportunity to look for one 'next' time