Unknown Florence. With its legends, mysteries, history and exclusive hospitality

“Florence, you’re beautiful tonight, dressed in a mantle of stars.” So sang the unforgettable (and never forgotten) Claudio Villa in 1939. Today, as in past, the Medici capital still remains one of the most magical, celebrated and mysterious cities in the world, and not without reason. Every street or narrow lane you travel exudes history and culture. These elements have earned it, as early as 1982, inclusion in the prestigious list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. However, looking beyond the usual tourist routes, it turns out that Florence can also be experienced in an unconventional way. Legends and mysteries softly whisper stories of passion, murder, magic and witchery. This does not mean that we should not stop in Piazza della Signoria, admire the Duomo or Ponte Vecchio, or visit the Uffizi, to name some of the most popular and appreciated attractions in the ancient capital of Italy. Quite the contrary! It means being passionate about historic monuments and focusing on their most obscure and mysterious sides. One of the most unusual tours of Florence, in fact, is dedicated to fans of mysteries (and even horror films). Remember “The Silence of the Lambs”? Well, raise your hand if you knew that some of the most emblematic scenes of the sequel were filmed in the Tuscan capital: from Palazzo Vecchio, where Hannibal holds his art lectures, and Piazza della Signoria, where Commissioner de’ Pazzi hands over Dr. Lecter to his American enemy Mason, to the Santa Croce church, where Hannibal performs many of his studies and where a gypsy sees the devil in Dr. Lecter’s eyes and the Fontana del Porcellino, where Hannibal fatally stabs Enrico Lo Verso, the gypsy who tried to rob him. Not only does this itinerary (which also visits many other places of worship) accompany visitors in their discovery of the mysterious Florence portrayed in films, but it is also completely free. With a map in hand, in fact, you can follow in the footsteps of the film’s protagonists without spending a single euro. For fans of oddities and mysteries, many places also tell stories that go beyond the first impression. For example, Perseus, the magnificent work of Benvenuto Cellini located in the Loggia dei Lanzi on Piazza della Signoria, is a sculpture that is twice as important. It hides, in fact, a second work: to discover it, just go into the Loggia, walk around the statue and observe it from the back. If you look carefully at the base of Perseus’s neck, you’ll see that the rippling muscles in relief form the face of a man, which is a striking self-portrait of the artist grimacing. Heading towards the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (commonly known only as Duomo), one of the side doors to the left of the main entrance, near Via Ricasoli, is flanked by two imposing columns, one supported by a lion and the other by a lioness. The portal is known as the Door of Balla or of the Cornacchini and it takes its name from a terrible occurrence. In 1400, a neighbor of the Cornacchini family named Anselmo dreamed of being devoured by the lion holding up the famous column. The next morning, to exorcise the nightmare, he went to the place and reached into the animal’s mouth. As bad luck would have it, there was a scorpion inside that stung the man’s hand. Anselmo died the very same day. You can’t visit Florence without paying tribute to the genius of Dante Alighieri. His home on Via Santa Margherita is now a museum open to tourists and people eager to uncover the private side of the great poet and scholar. However, not everyone knows the legend according to which somewhere, perhaps in a secret compartment within the walls, the original manuscript of Dante’s greatest masterpiece – the Divine Comedy – is hidden. For posterity, in fact, no original copy of the work signed by the author has ever been found and rumor has it that it could be carefully hidden right here. Such an unusual journey requires accommodations that meet similar expectations. For this reason, the Milu Hotel is the most appropriate choice: strategically located on the famous, elegant Via de’ Tornabuoni, this boutique hotel is situated in a beautiful refined palazzo from the 14th century. Its 22 rooms are all different yet they share one leitmotif: timeless elegance that embraces modern design. For a perfect stay in Florence filled with tours, mysteries and a well-deserved relaxing break, Milu Hotel offers the “Elements of Romanticism” package, ideal for experiencing the excellences of the city, where you’ll enjoy its most luxurious flavors and let yourself be pampered by experts. The package, which includes a three-course dinner accompanied by Tuscan wine at the nearby La Bussola restaurant, a couple’s massage at the Olimpo Spa (you can choose between Swedish massage, Thai or hot stone), two nights in a double room and breakfast, starts at € 626.

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