I enjoyed the Firenze Gelato Festival very thoroughly in 2011. I was in Florence merely to be a…read moretourist, but this quickly turned into a gelato eating frenzy. First, I wondered through a piazza where workers prepared the tents and booths for the day. The offerings looked rather generic so I moved on.
Finally, I came upon Piazza Pitti. As I read the gelato signs and saw some product, I knew I found my Firenze gelato home. Still, they wouldn't open until noon. What to do? I was determined to be first in line, so I started waiting at 10:45am.
Finally, it was showtime. €7 got you a rechargeable card and 5 samples. Each additional €5 gets you 5 more samples. And all the sample were quite generous. I enjoyed rice and wasabi gelatos in dark green soy cones, porcini mushroom, ricotta di bufala, mandorla, la pera al pepe rosa, grom, chestnut, persiano with saffron, and so many more
After €17, 14 large gelato samples, I was finished at the Firenze Gelato Festival. Cheers to Florence and it's delightful gelato culture. Hats off to their wonderful organization and card system. Each booth swiped your card and gave a receipt of how many samples you used there along with your remainder (genius!). Be aware of mass-produced, generic offerings, though. Look for the artisanal products. Your stomach and taste buds will thank you.
