Buon Anno - How Florentines Celebrate New Years

Much like Time Square in NYC, New Years Eve is a big celebration in Florence Italy as well.  The  feeling is very festive with streets still decorated with Christmas lights, which will stay up through Epiphany on January 6th.









This year, there were multiple concerts, spread across the historic center;  A pop/rock concert at Piazza Pitti; another at Piazza San Lorenzo; Piazza della Signoria hosted a concert by Chernivtsi Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra; and Piazza Santissima Annunziata set the stage for Gospel Singers.

Needless to say, plenty to enjoy and plenty of variety for everyone.

Hot Chocolate a Florentine Tradition

Hot Chocolate ... or Cioccolata Calda as it is called in Italy, first appearing in the Medici court in the 16th century.  It was often served to nobles instead wine or water at meals.

Caffé Riviore in Piazza della Signora opened in 1872.  They serve an artisan hot chocolate based on a secret recipe.

There is a difference in the flavor, constancy, and richness of Cioccolata Calda and American Hot Chocolate.  Cioccolata Calda is more often made with darker chocolate, less sugar, and is thicker than the hot chocolate that we drink in the United States.   This makes the hot chocolate in the US seem like water.