Buchette del Vino – an intriguing piece of Florence’s history
With thousands of years of history, Florence has many secrets. Behind the Renaissance art and architectural masterpieces which fill the city, there are hundreds of stories to be told. Perhaps one of the most relevant for today are the hundreds of wine windows, or buchette del vino, that abound in Florence.
Dating back to Renaissance times, wine windows where first used at an outbreak of the plague across Italy around 1630. Small windows were set up in wine stores so merchants could sell wine to the public without the need for them to enter their store. A very early example of social distancing!
With social distancing becoming relevant again in 2020, savvy businesses with wine windows on their premises are starting to use them once again.
Coffee, gelato, wine – all manner of food and drink is being sold out of these wine windows, allowing businesses to keep their customers safe! All this while making use of these historic features which have allowed the city to responsibly open for tourists and locals alike.
For a thorough run down of the windows in Florence and other towns in Tuscany – including an interactive map showing their locations, please visit www.buchettedelvino.org. This site also includes a thorough and fascinating history of these windows – well worth a read!
So as you wander the streets of Florence, be sure to keep an eye out for some wine windows. When you get the chance, be sure to order some gelato or an Aperol Spritz through one!
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