Florence Aperitivo Tour with Curious Appetite

Recently, I spent an evening sipping and snacking my way across Florence on a three-hour aperitivo tour, which had the city’s famous Negroni at its heart. The tour was hosted by Curious Appetite, whose cultural, culinary tours cover anything from sommelier-led wine tastings to food lovers’ tours.

You can book the tour on the Curious Appetite website, and my readers get 10% off with the code ONTHESAUCE10.

What is aperitivo?

Aperitivo is one of Italy’s most loved daily rituals: a pre-dinner drink served with food. The word comes from the Latin aperire, “to open”. A bitter, bubbly or herbal drink is meant to open up your appetite before the meal ahead.

In practice, it’s a time for socialising. Colleagues, friends and couples gather at a bar after work or early evening, usually from around 6pm, for a drink to catch up. The drink will always arrive with something to nibble on. That drink can be a spritz, a Negroni or a glass of wine, paired with anything from a bowl of olives and crisps to platters of cheese, salami and crostini. The spread varies depending on the venue and the price.

It is basically an Italian happy hour, with one key difference: the food is the point almost as much as the drink, and no one is going to rush you out of the door. Senza fretta, no rush.

Not able to make it to Florence? Host your own aperitivo at home with this Aperitivo Guide.

Curious Appetite aperitivo tour

During the Florence aperitivo tour we visited three venues, each with a different drink, from Franciacorta to red wine to Negroni, and each paired with small snacks chosen to complement it.

Our first stop was a fancy wine bar with a long history in the city. It is well known for its mini paninis. We were served a glass of Franciacorta, Italy’s answer to Champagne, paired with a truffle panini, whilst the guide explained more about Italian sparkling wines. I won’t name any of the venues visited, as they may change depending on availability and it’s nice to have some surprises during the tour.

As we walked to the next venue for some wine and charcuterie, our guide told us more about some local wine producers, the history of Negroni and other interesting bits of history related to the city. As we were a very small group, we even had time to pop inside the Ognissanti church, where Amerigo Vespucci is buried.

The second stop was at a wine bar where we tried one white and one red wine paired with two types of ham and two different cheeses. I missed a little bit of honey or jam to go with the cheeses, which I’ve noticed are rarely included with cheese in Italy.

Negroni time

Before we headed across the river to another part of the city, we got to try a low-alcohol Negroni, Ernesto. The comparison of low-ABV and full-strength Negroni at the next venue was a fun experiment.

I enjoyed the last venue, where we were served two types of Negroni, a classic recipe and a white Negroni. I was a bit sceptical at first as I’m not a huge lover of white Negronis because they are often too floral and fragrant for my palate. But I was positively surprised as their serve was infused with coffee and not floral at all. Possibly one of the best white Negronis I’ve ever tried. We had some salted almonds, olives and a Japanese-inspired snack with the drinks.

Overall

I’d recommend this tour for those who only have limited time in Florence and would like to skip the overly touristy spots. Between bars, you wander the backstreets, learning about the city’s history and its drinking culture.

Also, to get the most out of the Florence aperitivo tour, I’d recommend doing this one at the start of your trip. Along with the drinks, you get great tips on where to eat and drink in the city, plus suggestions for historic sites and local shops.

Tempted? Use the code ONTHESAUCE10 for 10% off your Florence Aperitivo Tour booking.

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Disclaimer: The tour was complimentary, but as always, all the words and opinions are my own. The discount code is my gift to you, I won’t receive any commission.