A Sunday in the Peaceful Town of Empoli, Italy

Hello my friends. I want to tell you about a beautiful day I spent with my family. Last year we went to the town of Empoli, near Florence. My sister and my nieces visited the Chocolate fair there. We were a bit worried that it would be too crowded but luckily our worries were unnecessary. The fair had chocolate for every taste. Everything was natural the chocolate sculptures made by master chocolatiers were very cute. Of course, the kids wanted to try chocolate sticks like lollipops or lecca first we couldn’t say no to them.

Besides chocolate the fair also had handmade products. For example, home decorations or room plants in aquarium-style containers. A large section was dedicated to children because where there is chocolate, there are children too. There were handmade toys and live animals. Not just pets with their owners but also a big area with adorable, slightly timid dogs and various other pets. Parrots, rabbits, guinea pigs even turtles. It was hard to pull the kids away. Then we went back to tasting chocolate this time, we adults joined in too.

After this interesting and educational chocolate fair, we wanted to eat something more filling. So, we found a pizzeria in the square and ate pizza sold by the slice.

That day Italy was celebrating Domenica delle Palme or Palm Sunday. It is a holiday observed one week before Easter, marking Jesus Christ’s entry into Jerusalem. People made a path for him with palm leaves. That’s why you can see many people on the streets carrying olive branches. Many of them bring blessed branches home after attending church service.

After our meal we decided to walk around the streets of Empoli, especially in the pedestrian zone in the center. This area has a charming mix of shopping and cultural spots.

Empoli is a small town about half an hour’s drive from Florence, with a population of around 50.000. It feels like a satellite city of Florence. Many people who live here commute to work in Florence because the transportation is convenient. There is not only a fast and practical highway but also a train station. The suburban train takes around 20 minutes, maybe a bit more, to reach Florence.

Since it was Sunday the streets were quite empty almost all shops were closed. First because it was lunchtime second, because it was Sunday. Weekends or lunch breaks are sacred. For the locals, income from business activities cannot compare to time spent with family.

By the way near Empoli is the town of Vinci, where Leonardo was born. I have a post on my blog about our visit to his birthplace and the town with his works. Some tourist attractions in Empoli include churches and the Glass Museum. But my sister vetoed the idea of visiting the Glass Museum, so maybe we’ll save that for another day.

We reached the main square, known as Lion Square among locals because there is a fountain with lion statues in the center.

There are many churches, a hospital even a football team, proving that the town is lively and developed. Football fans might recognize its name, as the team plays in Serie A. They even have their own stadium.

Empoli is such a picturesque town. It should be admired with loving eyes. I think it is perfect, even with its flaws. For example, there are messy courtyards and hanging laundry, but to me, that is part of its beauty and Italian atmosphere.

We checked out real estate prices. For instance, we looked at an ordinary apartment. A bilocale, meaning a two-room furnished apartment, costs 110.000. But this is not in the suburbs, it is in Empoli, in the stadium area, right in the city. A five-room apartment, including a living room and four bedrooms, with a garage, is 185.000. Prices vary a lot depending on several factors, such as location, whether it is in an apartment complex, if it has central or independent heating, whether it is renovated or needs renovation. There are many details to consider.

That’s all for today. I hope you enjoyed my post. Wishing you all good mornings, good days good evenings.