VyTa Santa Margherita, Florence

Florence is a beautiful, quiet city filled with narrow lanes and old traditional buildings topped off with red terracotta-tiled roofs, which is why the super cool and contemporary interior of VyTa Santa Margherita is such an unexpected surprise. On my recent trip to Florence I had promised myself to take the time out to visit VyTa Santa Margherita – one of the coolest contemporary designs the Tuscan city had to offer – and I’m so glad I did! A huge contrast against the city’s traditional terracotta roofed-buildings, the trendy espresso bar is a go-too, especially if you’re traveling by train. Located in the old sala di attesa (first class lounge) of the Santa Maria Novella train station, you’ll find the bar’s interior lined in luxurious green marble and copper, so it’s almost impossible to miss! Italian architect Daniela Colli, of ColliDanielArchitetto, is the mastermind behind the design of this establishment and wanted to ensure its contemporary interior paid respect to the heritage of the era, and accomplished this through the careful consideration of the materials. Delicious Italian pastries and sandwiches are presented in glass displays, and an L-shaped copper structure forms a kind of bulkhead, which houses the overhead lighting that illuminated the bar – the masterpiece of the space. Dark timber lines either side of the establishment, mirroring each other, adding warmth and a touch of tradition to the sleek and shiny space. [gallery columns="4" ids="34033,34032,34031,34030,34029,34028,34027,34026,34023,34025,34024"]