Cosmopolitan - November 2016 UK

Hello, lover
THE MALL
near Florence
Otherwise known as:
The ‘original’ outlet.
Who’s there? More a case of who’s not.
The Mall has Saint Laurent, Gucci,
Prada, Bottega Veneta… the fashion
editors’ must-have list goes on. Within
a 20-mile radius, you’ll also see signs
for other little outlets in this quiet
corner of Tuscany, including Dolce
& Gabbana, Hermès and Trussardi.
Anything else to do? There’s a Gucci
Caffè at The Mall, but be warned, they
don’t make food in quite the same way
as they do clothes. If you’re driving,
we recommend making the 18-mile
trip to Antica Macelleria Falorni in
Greve. From the outside it’s a
butcher’s, but behind a secret
door there’s a restaurant where
you’ll eat the best burger
patties (no bread, obviously)
and salad in the universe.
Come dressed for it, though
– this may be the coolest
joint in Italy. We sat next
to Brooklyn hipsters and
Japanese fashion editors
who’d made the pilgrimage,
so you get the idea…
So, what are the discounts like?
They vary. You can tell where
the bargains are by the queues.
The best buys are had at Prada and
Gucci. The latter usually has an
extra bargain area, where we found
sequinned trousers for €120.
Expect up to 60% off.
BOTTEGA VENETA A/W 16
Did we buy? No,
but we regret
not snapping up
those trousers.
Make a holiday of it: Get an EasyJet
flight to Pisa, take the €7 train to
Florence and use that city as your base.
We’d recommend hiring a car for your
outlet day, but there are lots of tour
companies (try Caftours.com) that
will take you for around €35 return.
Where are we staying, then? There’s
no better place than the Hotel
Continentale, still the best boutique
hotel in a city awash with them. For
a start, it’s close to everything: the
Uffizi (three minutes); the Arno (two
seconds, it overlooks it); the Duomo
(10 minutes). Secondly, the hip factor.
There’s no grand entrance where
you’ll find tourists in small shorts
reading their itineraries aloud.
There is only a small, discreet
lobby with ’50s designer chairs
GUCCI A/W 16
Gucci cake: style
over substance
and a silent lift that whisks you
up to the rooftop bar with views
over the city. There’s a small spa
with every soothing treatment
you could want, while rooms
are simple, elegant, and with the
sort of flattering lighting that
makes all your ‘essential’ outlet
purchases look wholly justified. You
can have dinner at any of the Hotel
Continentale’s sister hotels, all within
a short walk, but we say make the
12-minute wander over the river
to ’O Munaciello pizzeria (31 Via
Maffia), where you’ll find charcoal
pizzas (don’t ask – just order) and
the best party in town.
✱ Do it! Hotel Continentale, from €200
per room per night (Lungarnocollection.
com). EasyJet flies from London to Pisa
from £26.99 one way (Easyjet.com).
RIGHT, AND
BELOW:
The Hotel
Continentale
is the perfect
backdrop for your
new purchases
COSMOPOLITAN · 159