Forever Florence: Aussie actor Pia Miranda relives childhood memories in Italy’s Renaissance city

Australian actor Pia Miranda first visited Florence as a six-year-old with her mother Susan, the hustle of the Renaissance city’s il Mercato Centrale etched in her memory.

It’s where the Looking For Alibrandi star remembers eating truly fresh mortadella and she can still smell the freshly cut pasta that lingered in the air at the city’s famed alfresco market that day.

Miranda, set to co-host the ABC’s new Recipe Of The Year with Adam Liaw, recently returned to Firenze with her husband and children — a trip that furthered her love for the city, a fondness framed by art, authentic food and ease and which also came with wine windows and guitar-playing nuns.

“Florence feels like a real city — it’s small, easy to get around and convenient for those day trips as well. The food is incredible, there’s churches everywhere and you can pop into galleries too. It really is a very easy to explore place. I discover cities like Florence mostly by wandering the streets with no actual plan.

In Florence, I prefer to have somewhere to stay that has a kitchen — so it’s usually an Airbnb or pensione. The beautiful fresh produce from the markets gives you a chance to live like a local and cook for yourself. From the handpicked parsley sold by old nonnas, to fresh vegetables and tomatoes and homemade pasta; it’s a delight to shop and mix in with the everyday rituals of the people who call this city home.

“Il Mercato Centrale is still one of my favourite spots in the world. Everyone is so friendly. Some might think Italians can be a little snobby when it comes to food, but it’s not the case here. They’re really accommodating to a tourist who wants to try their food. You can’t go past the fresh pesto, pasta, biscotti and coffee.

“We celebrated my husband’s birthday in Florence at Antica Trattoria da Tito dal 1913 – a place everyone said was the most authentic. They have a funny sign outside the restaurant which says no pizza, no cooked meat — rare only, no pasta with meatballs, no American Italian food, no snacks and no cappuccino. In other words it’s a Florentine restaurant that doesn’t tolerate the tourist bulls.... They’re super friendly, the walls are graffitied and it’s the best experience we had. We ordered the Florentine steak and pasta ragu. They made a delicious homemade salami antipasti plate too.

“I always find time to go back and see the Statue of David in Galleria dell’Accademia. Even though when I travel I like to wander, some things need to be organised before the day you want to do it and so I always book in to see David.

“A stroll along Ponte Vecchio is as romantic as it sounds — the beautiful jewellery stores are a must visit and it’s here you can find something affordable to keep in your family forever. I highly recommend finding a spot on the bridge close to sunset and watch it set — it’s pure magic.

“There’s lots of great independent fashion brands in Florence. One store I like to go back to is Bastah. It’s a young Siberian designer who lives in Florence. She makes beautiful garments in linen and wool. It’s all colour-coded within and I always grab a matching set.

“For something whimsical, head to The Duck Store Florence — a shop filled with rubber ducks and a lot of fun.

“When in Bologna, about a 40-minute train ride out of Florence, go and eat a mortadella sandwich at Mo! Mortadella Lab. It’s famous and piled high with paper thin layers of mortadella that melt in your mouth. We took our kids to Florence right before our daughter went into Year 11 and our youngest started high school — was a great trip to do before things get serious. And remember the tram ticket system is very strict, you cannot travel without a ticket or you will get fined and they will scream at you — yes, I learned the hard way.”