Bella Figura Revisited
For all things Bella Figura and Florence: news, views, travelogues, the odd rant and occasional recipes
Bella Figura redux: beauty and joy for a new era
I moved – unwittingly – to Florence 16 years ago, and you may know that I wrote a book about this, Bella Figura. It’s not only a memoir of my first year in Italy, but also a guide to my own homespun philosophy of Bella Figura, a kind of design for living inspired by the Italian way of life. In the six years since publications, I have received touching and wonderful messages from across the world, so I know my Bella Figura method, with its core message of embracing joy and beauty, has chimed with many people.
But since the world – and us by extension – is changing so fast, I have been wondering if my Bella Figura philosophy is still relevant today. In the teeming streets of Florence, where torrents of tourists – the likes of which have never seen before – pour down the cobbled streets and tight medieval alleyways, is it still possible to experience, practice and live by the Bella Figura in Florence today? Or in any of our overcrowded cities?
The Florence I wrote about is the Florence of 16 years ago, before AirBnB, Google Maps and hyper-tourism took hold. Every year more and more visitors come – and who can blame them? But the unparalleled pressure on this city of just 350,000 inhabitants is taking its toll. And sometimes in the melee of bodies and phone-cameras that occupy the historic centre – our beloved centro storico – it’s hard to remember to walk slow, breathe deep, stand tall and appreciate the moment’s beauty and grace, the Bella Figura way.
Sometimes I wonder whether, had I landed in Florence today armed with nothing but a laptop and an idea for a book, I would have received the same welcome? The same curiosity and warmth from the locals, who then were not frazzled by dealing with hundreds of foreigners day after relentless day. Would I have found such a comforting and haphazard community in San Niccolo, now that the charms of the neighbourhood have trended on TikTok and every doorway reveals a well-meaning tourist, looking for that special Florentine dolce vita, instead of the raggle-taggle of neighbours who, all those years ago, became not just my friends, but a sort of quartiere family?
I don’t know the answer to these questions, but some of my army of Belle – women from all over the world who are inspired by my book to come and stay in Florence for a while – probably do. Because the reality is that the magic of Florence and the joys of consciously living the Bella Figura way are alive and well, even in the middle of maddening crowds in the swelter of high summer. And so on this Substack I will be writing about the Bella Figura, as I understand and live it today, both in and away from Florence. I will be sharing any thoughts, people and things that strike me as very Bella Figura and leading you through the streets of Florence too sometimes to meet some of my characters, friends and favourite artisans. I will be telling you more stories that hopefully inspire you to also find the beauty and joy in your every day.
And what I would love is to involve all of my readers and have you all chat and comment and share your stories and Bella Figura tips, both about Florence and anything that feels very BF – slow, handmade, celebrating human skill and labour, natural and authentic.
There is no way to write about Florence these days without writing about responsible and sustainable tourism. And the Bella Figura method of course is all about slow living and even slower travel, so I will be scrutinising this global issue occasionally through our BF lens, and making my recommendations on how to love Florence without harming her or her inhabitants. This is, after all, the Bella Figura way.
I won’t be posting more than twice a month, so I hope I won’t overwhelm your inboxes! If you would like to become a paid subscriber, then you will have exclusive access to regular recipes, community chat, my notes and special content, such as podcasted walks through the city.
Founding members will, in addition to the above, not only receive my deep gratitude, but also a free 60-minute one-on-one mentoring session with me – be this for writing or Bella Figura coaching work.
Of course my interest in how to live a beautiful, joyful and creative life encompasses much more than Florence and Italy, so there will be all sorts of content, a wild ride through the things that grab my attention and ignite my passion. My hope for this newsletter is to evolve a community of like-minded people who want to come along for the ride with me!
