Florence’s New Hotels, Dining Spots, and Art Highlights to Explore

New hotels, culinary destinations and shopping spots are reshaping the map of Florence, as the city prepares to host another edition of Pitti Uomo. Fair attendees can enjoy a stay at a boutique hotel in the center, yet away from the hustle, at The James Suite Hotel 1564 or savor typical dishes made with fresh ingredients by the chefs at Santabarbara. Additionally, Florence is not lacking in exhibitions for art aficionados. Here’s a list of what not to miss in the city:

W Florence Hotel 

W Hotels, part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio, has landed in the city with W Florence.  It’s located in Piazza dell’Unità Italiana with an entrance from Via del Melarancio, in the heart of the city.

The hotel features 119 rooms, including 16 suites and a penthouse, as well as internal and external spaces such as a gym, a spa, a central courtyard and a rooftop garden. The building was designed in 1968 by renowned Florentine architect Lando Bartoli in a modernist rationalist style and is characterized by a stone facade and vertical bronze elements. The project of the restoration was entrusted to the Italian studio Genius Loci Architettura (GLA).

The New York-based award-winning international design studio AvroKO handled the interior design that features geometric shapes and bold colors inspired by the 1960s and 1970s. At the entrance, there is an installation created by London-based Adam Ellis Studio: a Florentine Babylonian garden with elements evoking the Medici family.

In the W Lounge, there’s an elliptical lava stone counter and an aperitivo table where gourmet Italian-inspired plates to share are served. The lounge hosts live music and DJ sets. At the heart of the hotel is the courtyard, featuring retro-style Italian seating with botanical elements, green walls and lush plants. The color palette includes green, red and blue shades.

W Florence offers three different culinary destinations: “Tratto” with a contemporary Italian gastronomic concept, born from the vision of the young collective of “Trattoria contemporanea,” the Michelin-starred restaurant near Lake Como; Zefiro Rooftop, located on the top of the building and surrounded by greenery, with signature cocktails, creative small plates and a rich events program, and the restaurant of Michelin-starred chef Akira Back, which reinterprets Japanese and Korean culinary traditions.

W Florence
Piazza dell’Unità Italiana, 4/B, Via del Melarancio, 1 – 50123
marriott.com

The James Suite Hotel 1564 Firenze

Located in the Sant’Ambrogio neighborhood, at Via di Mezzo, 20, this boutique hotel is the creation of architect James Cavagnari, who has transformed his childhood Renaissance palazzo into a retreat blending English and Tuscan styles. The building’s new design is the result of his vision, realized in collaboration with master artisans and using the finest local materials.

The property comprises 14 suites, the 1564 Lounge Bar and The James Restaurant. The number 1564 marks the year this historic palazzo was built. Originally a convent, the building still retains many of its Renaissance features, including a modest facade, an off-center doorway, vaulted ceilings and a quiet inner courtyard.

The interior features soft tones of sky and moss hand-painted on the walls, with climbing greenery. Cavagnari, who has worked with Ferragamo and Bulgari on retail concepts, has crafted a space that is both elegant and inviting.

Guests can enjoy The James Restaurant, where traditional dishes are reimagined with a Mediterranean touch. The 1564 Lounge Bar offers signature cocktails showcasing house-made infusions, and rare botanicals along with spirits, all served in an intimate setting characterized by natural wood, artisanal flooring, brass details, earthy tones and a striking pink chandelier. 

The James Suite Hotel 1564 Firenze
Via di Mezzo, 20 – 50121
manfredihotels.com

Santabarbara Desco & Cucina Restaurant 

In the center of Florence, at Via Pier Capponi 72/A, the Santabarbara restaurant has opened its doors. The name is inspired by the Christian martyr Saint Barbara, the patron saint of artillerymen, miners, and those who work with fire or explosive materials.

“Opening a new restaurant in Florence today means playing with fire in a battlefield, but the passion that burns for this work is stronger than everything,” said Alessio Ninci, one of the two chef-owners, alongside Lorenzo Chirimischi. The restaurant seats 20 and features a counter built around the kitchen pass, where the chefs serve guests directly, while the atmosphere is filled with rock and hip-hop music.

The menu is based on four culinary paths, each associated with a different symbol: lightning, cannon, tower, and crown and sword, with various combinations of sharing plates and main courses. The menu does not list specific dishes, as each path varies according to market availability.

According to the owners, the idea is to promote a cuisine based on daily purchases from small local producers. “This philosophy allows us to offer an intuitive, territorial and contemporary cuisine,” said Chirimischi.

Santabarbara Desco & Cucina
Via Pier Capponi, 72a – 50132 
santabarbarafirenze.com

Ecoalf 

Ecoalf, the eco-minded Spanish brand, has inaugurated a circular fashion hub within the Manifattura Tabacchi, a former tobacco factory in Florence. This approximately 1,080-square-foot space includes both a retail area and a showroom to present the history of the brand and its efforts to minimize its impact and protect the natural resources of the Earth.

Inside the space, the brand will premiere its fall ’26 collection, alongside past collections for men, women and accessories. Additionally, the space is adorned with large portraits of some of the fishermen who have been collaborating with the Ecoalf Foundation since 2015 to recover waste from the seabed through the “Upcycling the Oceans” project.

“Italy is a very important market for Ecoalf, so opening a new space in Florence right in the redeveloped Manifattura Tabacchi, a district full of the creative energy of fashion, art, and design, couldn’t be a better opportunity,” said Javier Goyeneche, president and founder.

Ecoalf
Via delle Cascine, 35 – 50125
ecoalf.com

Profumoir

Profumoir, the exclusive retail destination for fragrances founded by Roberto Cavalli’s son, Daniele, and master perfumer Sileno Cheloni, has opened another unit in Florence. The boutique is located in the Borgo San Jacopo neighborhood, at 68R, known as the artisans’ district.

Inside, there is an Olfactory Library where guests can explore an extensive collection of perfumery basics through a selection of different scents, and the Olfactory Organ featuring 198 fragrances carefully selected by Cheloni. Additionally, the space includes the Experiential house and the Aromatic garden with an extraction chamber.

In 2021, Daniele Cavalli acquired a majority stake in the niche fragrance label Sileno Cheloni, and in 2025, he opened Casa Profumoir in Florence’s San Niccolò neighborhood.

Profumoir
Borgo San Iacopo, 68R – 50125
profumoir.com

‘Kaws: The Message’ Installation

Contemporary American artist Kaws has created a new large-scale installation for Palazzo Strozzi, on display until Jan. 25.

Curated by Arturo Galansino, director general of Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, “The Message” establishes a dialogue with the Renaissance architecture of the palace, reworking the theme of the Annunciation through a monumental installation.

The work consists of two wooden sculptures, almost 20 feet high, depicting the artist’s iconic characters, Companion and Bff, interacting with mobile phones. Their pose recalls the traditional Annunciation scene, with Mary and the Archangel Gabriel facing each other. The characters embody universal human emotions like melancholy, vulnerability and solidarity.

In “The Message,” the mobile phone becomes a key element, symbolizing the almost sacred role technology plays in modern communication. Kaws combines a familiar gesture that highlights how technology shapes our relationships and perception of reality. The installation’s public and accessible dimension with free access is integral to the project. 

Palazzo Strozzi
Piazza degli Strozzi – 50123
palazzostrozzi.org

‘Beato Angelico’ Exhibition

The Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi, in collaboration with the Museo di San Marco, presents “Beato Angelico” until Jan. 25, an exhibition dedicated to the artist known as the father of the Renaissance and a key figure in 15th century Florentine art. 

The exhibition is divided into two locations: Palazzo Strozzi and the Museo di San Marco. It explores Beato Angelico’s art, development and influence, as well as his relationships with painters like Lorenzo Monaco, Masaccio and Filippo Lippi, and sculptors like Lorenzo Ghiberti, Michelozzo and Luca della Robbia. 

The project is the result of over four years of preparation and brings together over 140 works of art, including paintings, drawings, manuscripts, and sculptures from leading institutions such as the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Vatican Museums, among others. 

Curated by Carl Brandon Strehlke, curator emeritus of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, with Stefano Casciu, regional director of Musei Nazionali Toscana, and Angelo Tartuferi, former director of the Museo di San Marco, it marks the first major exhibition in Florence dedicated to the artist.

Palazzo Strozzi
Piazza degli Strozzi – 50123
palazzostrozzi.org