There are very few cities that I would consider re-visiting, but Florence....ohhh, Florence <3 This city is definitely the exception! I can't really pin point just one thing that I loved so much about Florence, it was just a mixture of everything I experienced while being in this quaint little city. From the food, to the late night wine bars, to the exquisite art, to the romance! I spent 5 days here, and I can assure you that it wasn't enough. There is an abundance of things to do in this city, but below I will provide you with all of the highlights from my trip to the beautiful city of Florence. FACTS ABOUT FLORENCE ARRIVING INTO FLORENCE FROM VENICE BY TRAIN One of the easiest, and most efficient ways to get to Florence is by the 'high-speed train' operated by TRENITALIA. We booked our tickets in advance through the trainline website. The total cost of the train ticket was €50.00 and the travel time to Florence was a little over 2 hours. The train ride itself was relaxing, but it does take some pretty windy turns throughout the journey, and because it is going at a rather accelerated pace, it almost ends up feeling like a roller-coaster ride at some points. Once you arrive into Firenze S.M. Novella station, you will need to make your way out onto the street and either A) walk to your hotel (depending on how far it is) or B) take a taxi (which requires you to wait in a rather lengthy line). We chose to walk, and I'm not entirely sure I would recommend that option. Although our Airbnb didn't seem to be so far on a map, there are a few reasons why I would not suggest walking. Not only was it VERY hot during this time of the year, but the roads are not conducive for wheeling your luggage across far distances, especially considering they are made entirely out of cement cobblestone. So, if you do choose this option, be prepared for a serious workout. Other than that, the train station is pretty centrally located and can be accessed fairly quickly from any point in Florence. ACCOMODATION You would be surprised at how many amazing Airbnb's can be found in the beautiful city of Florence. It seems to be more of the standard when it comes to accommodations more so than hotels or hostels. We found an amazing Airbnb located in the very heart of the city that we stayed at for the entire duration of our trip. There is a continental breakfast included every morning starting at 7:00 a.m. and the spread is pretty delicious and plentiful. They also have a refrigerator that guests can have access to, as well as snacks provided 24/7 in the 'reception' area. This was probably one of the more spacious and comfortable rooms I stayed in during my 5 week Europe trip. This cute little bed and breakfast is situated in the middle of Florence surrounded by major attractions such as the famous bronze boar, the leather market, historical museums, and a short walk to the Duomo. Not to mention that the eateries in the area are all superb and within walking distance. LA SIGNORIA DI FIRENZE Location: Via Calimaruzza, 1, 50123 Florence FI, Italy Cost: $$ (average) About $75-85 per night) Hours: Reception is open on call or upon arrival Website: http://lasignoria.difirenze.eu/ WHERE TO EAT From classic trattorias to cocktail bars, this city offers some of the most amazing foods I've come across in Europe! I would be lying if I said that I explored an abundance of food restaurants during my time here in Florence, but the truth is, I fell in love with La Bussola for so many reasons, that I kept finding myself coming back day after day. It's really hard to go wrong when you're in Italy of all places, right? I mean the opportunities for Italian food are endless. Unfortunately, we didn't get to try all of them, but I will provide you with a few of the places we came across during our time in Florence.
WHAT TO DO / PLACES TO VISIT The only thing I ever knew about Florence before actually visiting was the fact that it was near or in Tuscany? Yep, that's about all I knew. Pretty sad right? So you can imagine my surprise to find that there was actually a plethora of things to do in this charming little city. Below I will provide a list of my top places to visit in Florence. 1. LEATHER MARKET Markets are abundant in Florence, and together with the daily markets there are even weekly and monthly markets to add to the mix. You will find that the markets are generally selling either leather and other souvenirs, food, or household goods. The monthly markets tend to be a bit more special with handmade goods or antiques. 2. PONTE VECCHIO The pedestrian bridge is often teeming with tourists and the many musicians, portraitists, and other entertainers to create a constantly vibrant atmosphere. The Ponte Vecchio is the oldest bridge in Florence and is believed to have already existed during the Roman times. Houses were built on the bridge during the Middle Ages, and now a days you can find an array of shops selling a wide assortment of jewelry, ranging from affordable modern jewels to pricey antiques. 3. CATHEDRAL FIRENZE (THE DUOMO) One of the top tourist attractions in Florence is the Duomo, which is also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. This beautiful church is located in the heart of Florence at Piazza del Duomo, surrounded by an abundance of cafes, shops, and so much more! This church in particular is one of the most visited places in Europe. It's no surprise either with the amazing architectural and artistic displays this magnificent building offers. The Cathedral is the largest building in medieval Europe and the fourth largest in all of Europe for present day. It's also considered to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as part of the Historic Center of Florence. Entrance to the Cathedral is free to the public between the times of 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. However, the museum is closed on the first Tuesday of each month, so make sure to plan accordingly. 5. PIAZZALE MICHAELANGELO With incredible views, Piazzale Michelangelo is the most known spot for enjoying a magnificent view over not only Florence, but all of the Arno Valley. You can reach the top by either car or on foot - if you go by car the roads are very narrow and there are very few parking spots available. If you go by foot, you get to wander through the Oltrarno, which is the neighborhood located on the other side of the Arno River. The piazza is dedicated to the most famous Renaissance artist, Michelangelo, and you will find a replica of his most famous statue of David, located in the very center of the square. 6. SANTO SPIRITO PIAZZA / CHURCH Located in the Oltrarno quarter, Piazza Santo Spirito is a tad less touristy than other piazzas you will find in Florence. It also has one of the most historic churches in Florence - Basilica di Santo Spirito. This church may look plain on the outside but the interior courtyard is a nice respite from the hubbub of the surrounding streets. Designed by Brunelleschi - the same architect of the Duomo dome - Santo Spirito is a fine example of Renaissance architecture. During the weekends, you can find vendor stalls set up with antiques and vintage wares in the piazza. 7. TOUR OF TUSCANY This is pretty much a MUST-DO when visiting Florence! And believe me when I say that it is absolutely worth it. Being able to drive along the country side and witness all the beauty that Tuscany has to offer is really just an incredible experience. Florence offers so many types of tours to Tuscany so its hard to find a really great one. Thankfully 'Chianti Tours' was recommended to us by a friend who had previously been here. We opted for the half day tour instead of the full day tour, and I like to think it was more than enough time wise. The 'shuttle' came and picked us up from our hotel around 11:00 p.m. He made a few stops along the way to pick up other passengers before dropping us all off at the main bus terminal. Once you arrive here, you must present your tickets to the lady at the booth (there's only one person there) and she will give you a sticker with a color for your bus. It gets a bit chaotic so make sure you are watching closely for the buses. The bus ride itself takes about 1.5 hours to get to the first destination, and if you are not good with windy roads then I suggest taking some Dramamine. Those roads are no joke - literally twists and turns the entire way. The views, however, are pretty spectacular, and the higher into the hills you get, the more of the vineyards you will be able to see. The first stop we made was at a lovely vineyard called 'Poggio Amorelli.' Upon arrival, we were immediately greeted by the hostess and lead into the wine tasting area. We were provided with a list of wines, a few tastings, and some yummy olive oil and bread pairings. After the tasting, we were given some free time to explore the vineyards and of course, the wine shop! The next place we visited was 'Fattoria Lornano.' This vineyard was a little bit smaller than the first, but we were still given 3 wine tastings along with some bread. Afterwards, we were taken down into the cellar and given some information about how the wine is stored and bottled, etc. This place was lovely to visit, and the view was incredible! The final stop was to a castle on a hill, literally... haha! The Castle of Monteriggioni was built as a fortress that guarded the way between Sienna and Florence in the 12th century. It's a bit of a hike to get to the entrance, but once inside, you will find yourself immersed with so much history, and even some restaurants you can relax in for awhile, before heading back to Florence. 8. LEANING TOWER OF PISA Located just a few hours outside of Florence, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the most remarkable architectural structures from medieval Europe. If you are able to catch a fast train from Florence, the ride itself is just about an hour into Pisa station, which isn't really so bad. Once you arrive at the train station, you will need to purchase a bus ticket from one of the machines located just outside. They have volunteers everywhere who are available to assist in helping with anything. Without them, we probably wouldn't have figured out where to go or what to do. The bus ride is about 20 minutes to Pisa, and they get very crowded with not only tourists, but tons of locals as well. Once you arrive in Pisa, you will instantaneously see the tower. It's very hard to miss...although its not as crazy massive as I thought it would be. The walk up to the tower was probably my favorite part - watching every single person doing the notorious 'lean into the tower with their hands pushed out' pose. Other than seeing the tower, there isn't really much else to do in this town. There are some eateries (including McDonald's lol) and a handful of vendors trying to sell souvenirs to tourists. In my opinion, it's still a place worth visiting if you happen to be in or close to the area.
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AuthorWest Coast blogger with a love for traveling and adventure seeking. Archives
July 2018
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