Destination: Pisa - Florence

Have you thought of visiting Florence? We’d like to put a soundtrack to your trip! We’ve created a special Florence playlist, exclusively featuring local artists, for you to discover what you can listen to there.

To find out more information on Florence and the beautiful surrounding area, we got in touch with Edoardo Florio Di Grazia, a local artist. We asked him some questions to find out what he thinks of your next destination and to find out if he has any recommendations for you.

Hi Edoardo, how are you? Thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions for us.

Thank you, I love to answer questions about music and travel!

How would you introduce yourself to Volotea passengers who might not know you?

I could describe myself as a story seeker, using music to travel and find a home.

Marc Twain said that every person is a book. I think songs and stories are hidden everywhere. I travel, in every way, to find them. I’m like an antenna looking for a signal, and to find it I need to be constantly on the move.

Music is my way of telling and sharing these stories.

You were born and raised in Florence, how do you think this city has influenced you and your music? Can we expect an album soon?

I was born in Florence and here as a child, aged five, in a record store in Via Gioberti called Nardi Dischi (sadly no longer there), I realised that music would be my life. Florence is a small city, but it is also a gateway to the world. Many artists have passed through here and throughout history. Growing up in the midst of all this artistic wealth can intimidate you or give you the desire to convey your own universe too. 

The medieval part of the city made up of workshops and cellars is the one that inspired me the most. The minstrel is a figure that has always fascinated me, and I try to be today’s version, travelling from place to place gathering stories and singing them.

Travel today as in the past, basically, is necessary to tell where you come from. And also to understand who you want to be in the future.

In 2024 my debut album will be released by Comet Records, an indie label from Paris. This is a journey album, written and recorded between France and Italy with musicians from many countries. The album, Ambra e Corallo (Amber and Coral), is named after the materials of the necklace made for me by my father that I have been wearing since my early days.

Travel and roots come together.

If someone was visiting you for the first time, where would you take that person first and why?

To the convent of San Marco where there is an incredible museum. You can see the work created by Beato Angelico there and visit the frescoed cells including the one that was occupied by Girolamo Savonarola who represents the irreverent soul of the Florentine people.

I would then take my guest for a glass of red wine accompanied by bread with olive oil in San Frediano, the old working-class neighbourhood of Florence and now the vibrant heart of the city. But if they were particularly lucky and happened to be in Florence with me on 24 June, the feast day of the city’s patron saint John the Baptist, I would definitely take them to see the final of Calcio Storico held in Piazza Santa Croce. An event like no other on earth, that transcends the realms of sport.

What are your top three restaurants/bars? And what local dish must we order?

If I can only choose three, I would say:

• Todomodo, a magical bookshop in Via dei Fossi where you can eat and drink divinely whilst also finding books that can change your life. The vibe of the place and its customers make it special; seeing is believing.
• Santo Bevitore in Via Santo Spirito, a restaurant that looks to the future without forgetting the past. Recommended for its food and, again, for its atmosphere.
• Enoteca Bellini, a small wine bar with an amazing list of fine wines. A great place for meeting up with my friends.

As for traditional Florentine dishes, I would choose:

• lampredotto: a must for anyone coming to Florence
• ribollita or pappa al pomodoro depending on the season
• tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms or pappardelle with wild boar (again depending on the season) for those who want to know the meaning of la dolce vita.

Florence is full of stunning museums and art galleries, which are your favourites?

Aside from the most famous museums, such as the Uffizi, which in any case are of course unavoidable, and San Marco museum of which we have already spoken, my top list is :

–Museo Bardini, where you can find the collection of the great antiques dealer Stefano Bardini, and the museum is adjacent to Boboli Gardens, a dream especially in autumn and spring.

– Museo del Bargello, an eclectic museum with a collection ranging from the jewels of the Medici family to the sculptures of the Neapolitan artist Gemito. A unique journey through the history of art in Florence.

– Italian Football Museum of Coverciano, a little gem for football lovers in particular, located inside the headquarters of the Italian national team just outside Florence. You can see trophies, shirts and photos from the 30s to the present day. A must for anyone wishing to understand one of the greatest Italian passions.

Where can we go to listen to live music?

In all seasons there are many festivals where you can listen to good music. My favourites are: Musica dei popoli and the Florence folks festival, occasions when music from all over the world passes through Florence. Also the Heartbeat Festival Florence is a very interesting event. 

Unfortunately, many of the old live music venues no longer exist, due to municipal policies that fail to give due consideration to the world of music. The Auditorium Flog, for example, was once the temple of music for every Florentine.

But I’d recommend to anyone visiting Florence today and looking for the music scene that they check out Manifattura Tabacchi, in the winter season, and the Anfiteatro delle Cascine, in the summer season.

And what local music stores should we visit for some crate digging?

The most interesting place to find some vinyl gems is the historic Contempo Records store in Via de’ Neri, which opened in 1977.

But my favourite is a small shop in Via dell’Oriuolo run by Maurizio, called Occasioni Musicali. Maurizio isn’t that keen on the usual tourist and before he’ll let you in he needs to know whether you have a true love for music, in which case, the doors of his unique and inimitable kingdom will open. You’ll breathe in the air of a 50s Florence that no longer exists.

That’s where I bought my most precious records, instruments, and music books that I still cherish today.

What would be a good medieval-themed walk around Florence?

A good option would be to follow the route taken by the Medici family from the Palazzo Vecchio to the Pitti Palace, stopping at all points, including the Vasari Corridor.

Or visit the Florence of Michelangelo, including his childhood homes and visiting the secret room, only recently opened to the public, inside the Medici Chapels, where the artist took refuge for two months in 1530 to escape the revenge of Pope Clement VII. The chamber, measuring around 30 square metres, is full of charcoal sketches by Michelangelo, who used the walls as a kind of notebook, to plan his future projects.

What I’d recommend more than anything, as a Florentine and history lover, would be to do a bit of research before visiting the city and devise some themed routes, avoiding the standard tourist routes like the plague.

If you could leave on a holiday tomorrow, what Volotea destination would you choose and why?

If I had to leave from Florence, for example, I would stop in Bordeaux for a few days to see some friends from Arcachon Bay, where I hide a piece of my heart and my life. Then I would take a flight and go straight to Algeria to discover the roots of Raï, Algerian folk music. I would definitely come back with some songs. You know what? I think I will organise this trip tonight!

The Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino owes its name to the prestigious Maggio Musicale Festival, the oldest in Italy, a record it shares with the Salzburg and Bayreuth theatres in Europe.

Created in Florence in 1933, after the establishment of the Stabile Orchestrale Fiorentina in 1928, which soon became one of the major European orchestras in Europe, it immediately acquired a strong and significant international reputation. The Festival soon established itself as a hub for the dissemination of the great European musical culture by pointing out, introducing and consolidating, through its repertoire as well as through contemporary compositions, with an overall interdisciplinary vision of the performing arts.

The Maggio Festival has thus become a point of reference for the greatest names in the world of music, leading conductors and artists of the highest order, who for decades have performed on the Florentine stage of what was once the glorious Teatro Comunale and is now of the Teatro del Maggio. The theatre, which opened in 2014, has taken on the festival’s iconic name and continues to preserve and perpetuate its reputation in a continuous dynamics with the Festival, which is held in the spring and early summer, the opera, symphonic and concert seasons, and the other activities spread throughout the year.

The Teatro del Maggio is a large modern building fronted by a garden, designed as one of the largest squares in Florence. In addition to its common areas, three large foyers and an internal cloister with an internal garden, a large bar, and a refreshment area, the complex comprises the Sala Grande, the heart of the Maggio’s opera productions – a theatre with more than 1,800 seats and excellent acoustics, as well as recently installed stage machinery that makes it a technological jewel unique in Europe.

The main Maggio building also houses the Zubin Mehta Auditorium, which will open in December 2021: a modern concert hall intended for the Maggio’s rich symphonic and concert activity, which can also be adapted as an opera stage. It has about 1,000 seats, but can be adapted to a smaller capacity, and its acoustics are among the best in the world, certified by both Italian and international university studies and research.

Finally, the Lastly, on the roof of the theatre is a large, white amphitheatre, streamlined and clean: 2,200 seats to enjoy opera or symphonic performances in an open-air setting, facing the greenery of Cascine Park with the wonders of the Florentine skyline as a backdrop. In addition to these three “public” spaces, there are three large rehearsal rooms: the Orchestra Room, the Chorus Room, and the Conductor’s Room, which can also be open to the public, as well as numerous other rooms, of various sizes, used for rehearsals or lessons.

In addition to the great multi-purpose complex of the Teatro del Maggio, there is another precious space not far away: the Goldoni Theatre, a small gem, with its classical horseshoe-shaped layout. The Goldoni Theatre was built in the 19th century, with 350 seats, and is located in the historical centre of Florence, in the Oltrarno district. One of the most avant-garde musical and cultural centres in Italy, the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is in fact not only a theatre of the highest international level, but also a modern, multi-purpose complex for conventions, fairs, exhibitions, and events that can be held in a space that is unique in Tuscany and among the most technologically advanced in Italy.

It is not only its history that has made the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino famous throughout the world, but also its conductors, including Vittorio Gui (who created the Stabile Orchestrale Fiorentina in 1928 and renamed it in 1933 as the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino), who was succeeded as permanent conductor by Mario Rossi (in 1937) and, after the war, Bruno Bartoletti. He was succeeded as permanent conductor by Riccardo Muti (1969-81) and then Zubin Mehta, Main Conductor from 1985 to 2017 and currently Honorary Director for Life, Fabio Luisi (April 2018-July 2019) and, since March 2022, Main Conductor Daniele Gatti.

Also highly renowned throughout the world are the theatre’s ensembles: the Orchestra and Chorus of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. Throughout its history, the Maggio Orchestra has been led by some of the greatest conductors such as Victor De Sabata, Antonio Guarnieri, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Tullio Serafin, Wilhelm Furtwängler, Bruno Walter, Otto Klemperer, Issay Dobrowen, Erich Kleiber, Arthur Rodzinski, Dimitri Mitropoulos, Herbert von Karajan, Leonard Bernstein, Thomas Schippers, Claudio Abbado, Lorin Maazel, Carlo Maria Giulini, Georges Prêtre, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Carlos Kleiber, Georg Solti, Riccardo Chailly, Giuseppe Sinopoli, and Seiji Ozawa. Distinguished composers such as Richard Strauss, Pietro Mascagni, Ildebrando Pizzetti, Paul Hindemith, Igor Stravinsky, Luigi Dallapiccola, Krzysztof Penderecki and Luciano Berio conducted their works at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, often in first performances.

The Coro del Maggio, established in 1933 (the year when the Festival was created), under the leadership of Andrea Morosini, is one of the most prestigious Italian vocal ensembles in both opera and symphonic music. It is also active in chamber music and contemporary music, with important premieres of contemporary composers, such as Krzysztof Penderecki, Luigi Dallapiccola, Goffredo Petrassi, Luigi Nono, and Sylvano Bussotti. In recent years, the Chorus has expanded its repertoire to include major classical and modern symphonic-choral compositions: its willingness and ability to perform pieces from different periods and styles in the original language have made it one of the most flexible ensembles, highly appreciated by international conductors, and it has played central roles in significant artistic and civic anniversaries.

Il Maggio also has an international centre for advanced training to provide the most demanding and prestigious professional education for young talents who intend to devote themselves to opera arts and crafts: the Accademia del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.

Courses are aimed at young opera singers, collaborating conductors, set designers, iron builders, wood builders, prop makers, stagehands, audio/video technicians, and theatre tailors, as well as those who wish to acquire and develop specific skills in the field of performance organisation and management. The education plans aim to provide specialised and innovative skills and competences, while maintaining a close link with the musical theatre tradition. The teaching approach is characterised by a strong integration of classroom training and work experience on the field, as well as effective interaction among the various professional profiles involved.

Classroom and workshop activities are thus followed by significant stage experience which, under the guidance of internationally renowned artists, makes it possible to consolidates the capacities achieved and offers students the opportunity to really experience the complex dynamics of opera production.

Young people and Maggio

Attracting new audiences is at the heart of the Maggio’s cultural and artistic vision: given its institutional role on the international scene, the very high artistic level provided by the constant presence of great artists and excellent ensembles such as the Maggio Orchestra and Chorus, the Theatre offers those under 30 the benefits of the Maggio Card. The card is valid for one year and entitles holders to EUR 15 for performances of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Seasons, as well as reduced tickets for exhibitions at Palazzo Strozzi.

Thanks to a partnership with Unicoop Firenze, under 30s can obtain the Maggio Card for free until December 2023.

Where can I buy tickets?

At the maggiofiorentino.com website and at the Maggio Ticket Office, which is open:

– Tuesday to Friday: 10am-1pm/3pm-6pm;
– Saturday: 10am-1pm;
– Two hours before performances;
Closed on Sundays and Mondays

Set in the medieval Santa María neighbourhood, close to Ponte di Mezzo, the Tornalibro bookstore opened its doors in 2007. So what makes this store so special compared to other bookstores? This space, dedicated to the cult of literature, was born through the restoration of an ancient house-castle, making it ideal for a few minutes of relaxation, while time traveling through the pages of

their timeless books. Here you can find a bit of everything: new releases, second hand titles, and even rare classics. If you are looking for a unique and special souvenir or gift, this might be the perfect option to find something extraordinary. They also host a number of events, talks, recitals, presentations and exhibitions, so have a look at their programming and plan your visit well ahead.

Welcome to the oldest botanic garden in the world. While you may, or may not, be a plant enthusiastic, this spectacular park, located next to the famous Piazza dei Cavalieri, will captivate you with its vast range of historical, medicinal as well as aquatic, plants. Some more than 200 years old! The garden is also the host of the

Botanic Museum, filled with educational and scientific collections. Feel like Alice in Wonderland as you stroll through this space complete with pureness, making it perfect for a restful walk and a few minutes of contemplation. On sunny days this lovely garden is the ideal place for a picnic with friends.