Benvenuti a Firenze! Our second stop on the “Sissy Passes the Bar so let’s Travel Europe” was Florence for three days–not enough! You can easily spend a month here and experience something new every day. We will explore some of the world’s most important pieces of art, amazing architecture and some of the best wine…ever!

  We checked into our lovely hotel as another recommendation from Mr Rick Steves, Hotel Morandi alla Crocetta. Luckily, we were upgraded to a deluxe double room equipped with our own private terrace. Naturally, we ordered our first glass of wine and toasted the town! The staff of this charming hotel was super helpful and I recommend it to anyone looking for a charming boutique in the city center.

Our first stop was to track down the historically significant Duomo (fun fact: Duomo is the Italian word for the main cathedral for the city. Every city has its own Duomo).

 For ten euros, you can climb to the top of the Duomo for a breathtaking view of the city. But, make sure to wear comfortable shoes because it is 463 steps to the top! If you are tall and normal, like myself, you may find some problems navigating the tiny stairs and narrow pathways.

You can also be like my teeny sister and not have any issues at all…she basically did back flips up and down the stone steps.

From the top of the Duomo, you have a unique view of Florence and start to appreciate where Michelangelo received so much inspiration for multiple pieces of art.

My favorite spot from the top of the Duomo is the Basilica of Sante Croce, where Michelangelo is buried. But we will get to that later 🙂

 

Walking up and down over 900 stairs will make anyone hungry…or thirsty. We ventured out for those delicious Italian delicacies that would satisfy our pallets. In this instance, it was wine and gelato.

 Any travel website will recommend this gelato stand or that, but to be honest, they are all legit. Take my advice and taste every flavor possible! My favorite is pistachio but I’ll get excited about any one of them.

We did have one stand that we kept going back to, the gelateria carraia, right beside the River Arno.   It’s right off the Ponte alla Carraia (second bridge west of Ponte Vecchio, on the Oltrarno side. Take away cones are two euros per scoop or you can take a seat next to the river for some delightful people watching for fifty cents more. Best pistachio in town! If you ask my sister, she will recommend one of the other classics like stracciatella or strawberry.

After you’ve had your gelato, be sure to make your way to the super close Ponte Vecchio for some ideal Italian shopping. During World War II, the Ponte Vecchio was the only bridge not destroyed by the Germans and is now home to many small shops, mainly jewelry.

 

 

As our day began its descent into night, we made our way to Piazza Michelangelo for the show of the year! You can get to this famous square by bus or by foot; since traveling with my sister, we opted for the foot route. Below is a map of possible routes you can take on foot- we went up from Piazza Poggi and it took us around thirty minutes to complete the trek.

If you are lucky enough to get to the top before the rush, you’ll have a prime spot in the only cafe in the piazza. We decided to have a small snack before our mouth watering dinner that would take place much later in the evening.

  You will pay prime price for the wine, maybe 5 euros per glass, but it’s worth to take your time and enjoy the scenery. Before the sun begin to set, we were already amazed at the site of the Duomo from our little spot and couldn’t wait for the finale…

 

…and we we were not disappointed. Sadly, a picture doesn’t do the site justice but it was truly one of God’s miracles. The most beautiful thing I have seen to date.

We made our trek back down the hill to get ready for dinner! My sister read about a restaurant that received amazing reviews from all of the top travel and food sites, La Giostra. We took a risk and went without making a reservation, which was a big mistake; walked in around 8pm and were told they were booked until 10pm. We made the reservation and set out to find a place to grab something light to eat and, of course, some vino.

 Success at the cutest bistro in Florence, Natalino! We ordered bruschetta and wine as an aperitif and were immediately in heaven. The olive oil served with the bruschetta was the best oil I have ever tasted. So good, in fact, that I bought two bottles for ten euros a piece! The staff was just delightful and packed the bottles up for me in a bag to take away once we finished the delicious chianti.

10pm finally came, and while we were sad not to dive further into the Natalino menu, we were so excited to taste the rave review food at La Giostra. Upon arrival, the waiter set us at a table for 6 and brought over a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine as an apology for the delay…not a bad start!

For starters, we ordered a specialty mix of the house filled with italian hams, cheese and dried fruits that were so fresh and savory! We forgot to take a picture of the before because were so hungry and it smelled soooo good.

For our main course, we took the suggestions of the house and ordered two types of pasta: tagliattelle bolognaise and canneroni bolognaise. I didn’t speak to my sister while demolishing this amazing dish.   

During our feast, the patrons started to leave the restaurant as it was getting quite late. However, the stragglers still wanting to indulge made their way to our table for some extra time to drink and enjoy their evening. Carpe diem, right??? One couple who joined us was a power couple from California, a plastic surgeon and anesthesiologist on holiday. As we finished our dinner, this fascinating couple asked to join us to finish their wine and limoncello; thankfully, they shared!

On our second day, we took it a bit slow to really enjoy the city! Our first stop was the lovely Santa Croce Basilica where Michelangelo is buried, as I mentioned before.

 Michelangelo is not the only recognizable name to be buried in Santa Croce. Galileo, Dante and Machiavelli are a few to be named whose tombstones can be found inside this cathedral.

Among the cathedrals and basilicas in Florence, it is a must to walk through some art exhibitions as Florence is home to many key historical pieces of art. For your first time, I suggest the Accademia, where you’ll see Michelangelo’s David sculpture and the Uffizi, home to art from Boticelli, Della Francesca and Raphael. Pictures are not permitted in the Ufizzi nor the Accademia, but I was able to snap a quick picture of The David…and it is magnificent!       The price for the Accademia is 18 euros and the Ufizzi is 9 euros–very steep but worth it!

Sadly, my sister and I weren’t prepared for the amount of leather shopping in Florence. We stumbled upon an outdoor market that was full of leather bags, jackets, wallets, belts and all sorts of jewelry! It was good for our wallets that we didn’t prepare for this shopping excursion but it is on our to do list when we go back! This outdoor market was around the San Lorenzo church–bargainers get ready because a good deal is waiting to be made!

Enjoy Firenze and let me know if you have any questions or would like more suggestions on what to do! Ciao!