A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO ITALY: FLORENCE
Buon giorno everyone! I’m currently writing from Rome (how posh and luxurious does that sound???) and I absolutely adore everything about this city. But I’m not here to talk about Rome with you all, at least not today. I have spent the last 11 days traveling around Italy, specifically the Tuscan region, with my family. It’s been an absolutely incredible experience and I am so incredibly fortunate to have such a travel-loving group of people to take me with them to different places around the world. But enough about me, let’s talk about you. Yes, you! I can only hope that one day soon all of you will each be able to visit this beautiful and culturally rich part of the world either by yourself or with company. Some of you may even be planning a trip right now!
When helping plan for this trip I found myself a little frazzled and overwhelmed by the big scary place called the internet with it’s endless amounts of search results. A part of me said to myself, “Why bother with all this Google search stuff? Just go to Italy and wing it once you get there.” That lasted about 0.0005 seconds. Luckily, I found a solution. Good old-fashioned guide books are the way to go! I recommend grabbing this one and this one. I went through the small, pretty book specifically about Florence (the second link) and put little Post-It notes on the places and restaurants that sounded the best to me. This gave me a good starting point for approximately where and what I wanted to see and do which definitely put my mind at ease after that internet scare. Another great way to find places worth visiting or trying is to ask around and see if anyone you know has been to the city. Tons of friends and family sent us lists upon lists filled with great recommendations.
Once I actually got to Italy I discovered that the easiest way to find places is the simplest and most obvious of them all: ask the locals. Hotel receptionists are a great resource, especially if they really know the area well. But seriously, guide books will be your main go-to. Before I get to my experiences and personal city guide of Florence, I want to let you know how this travel post series is going to work. I have decided to divide my trip up into four sections: Florence, Tuscany, the Emilia-Romagna region, and Rome. 11 days is a long time and I thought it would be too overwhelming to squeeze all that into one post. Also, I would like to note that I am not going to go chronologically in how my actual trip went since we went to Florence more than once, and we also had a car for day trips to different little cities and towns. Now that that's all cleared up, here we go with the first guide!
My family rented a villa 20 minutes outside Florence so we didn’t feel like we were stuck there. We only spent two full days actually exploring the city, so of course I only got a taste of what it has to offer. Personally, I think you would need a whole year there to truly get a fully enriched experience, but honestly who has that kind of time? As it turns out, we ended up squishing a lot of the highlights into two days and definitely got a good feel for the jewel of a city that is Firenze.
Let's start with food-
Ristorante Mamma Gina: (sorry no photo, I was too hungry) This family owned restaurant serving very traditional Tuscan cuisine is the perfect place to grab dinner on the South side of the Arno. They have delicious pastas (go for the ricotta gnocchi or the oxtail tagliatelle) and amazing Florentine steak that comes from a locally-raised white cow only found in this part of Italy.
Gelateria de Neri: After dinner at Mamma Gina we took a stroll over to the well visited Gelateria de Neri. I decided to go big for my first night in Florence, so I got a cone with both ricotta and coffee which ended up being a great decision. :)
'ino: I loved this charming gourmet panini shop tucked away on a little side street. I got an amazing panini with sardines, lemon, and fresh mozzarella (sounds weird but it was delicious), while everyone else went for the more traditional salumi/prosciutto and cheese combo. They also sell super high quality preserves and other specialty goods that make for perfect gifts to bring home to your hungry friends and family.
Mangia: This was the first place that I had pizza in Italy and let me tell you, it lived up to every one of my exceptions. It’s a super tiny place run by just two young guys who both really know what they’re doing. The tight squeeze is a little uncomfortable but totally worth it. We got four different pizzas to try which was perfect for five people. You can tell just by the vibes in the place that it's a local gem.
Gilli: We stopped at this great place in the Piazza della Repubblica to grab pastries while meandering around. They're eye-catching windows filled with beautiful cakes and boxes are what grabbed my attention and they ended up having really, really good traditional Italian cookies.
Vivoli: This famous gelateria has a huge reputation for having the best gelato in Florence and I definitely think I can agree. They don’t do cones here but they do have cups and they let you choose up to three flavors. I got hazelnut, stracciatella (sweet cream with chocolate shavings), and coffee which made a heavenly trio. Also that neon sign really filled a gap in my heart I didn't know was missing. :)
Antico Fattore: After a day of traveling to Ravenna we decided to stop for one last time in Florence to grab some dinner. I read about this place in one of my guide books. We waited a bit but it was definitely worth the wait. The sweet staff even brought us out a little prosecco while we stood outside. The restaurant had a very traditional, very Tuscan hearty cooking. The fried mozzarella and fried pumpkin blossoms were absolutely delicious, as well as the amazing cinghiale (wild boar) sausage. My pappardelle with cinghiale was also another stand out. Honestly, at "mom-and-pop” places like this you really can’t go wrong.
Revoire: Our last stop in Florence before leaving for Rome was this beautiful cafe located in my favorite square, Piazza della Signoria. I spotted this place a few days before hand, but we didn't have a chance to visit. Luckily it was only a two minute walk from Antico Fattore so we made our way over there after dinner. I had been looking all over for a place that served Italian thick hot chocolate and luckily enough they had it! Revoire's hot chocolate was absolutely heavenly and dipping a cantuccini (like a biscotti) in it was a near religious experience.
Alright let's move on to the sights-
Duomo di Firenze: The beautiful cathedral in the heart of Florence is hard to miss due to it’s enormous size and eye-catching facade. Not to discredit the architects or designers of the place, but I think it’s alright if you don’t wait in line to get into the actual cathedral. I do believe that it is definitely worth your time to wait in the super long line to climb 463 steps to get a closer look at the intricately painted Brunelleschi’s Dome, as well as a gorgeous view of the city. It’s a sight to see and a workout all in one. ;) Also, if you look down from the viewpoint in the Dome, you can see a bird’s eye view of the cathedral without having to wait in the super long line. Crisis averted!
Giotto's Campanile: Although 19 ft shorter than the 297 ft Dome, the view at the top of the Campanile is by far my favorite in all of Florence. Seeing the Dome plus the entire spread of the city at the same is a pretty incredible experience. The photo at the top of this post is taken from the very very top of the tower. :)
Baptistry of Saint John: Just steps away from the Duomo is the also outstanding Baptistry, which happens to be one of the oldest buildings in Florence, dating back to about the 4th century. The East Doors are a prime example of the beginnings of Renaissance art in Florence and are quite a sight to behold. The original panels are kept in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, but the copies are just as stunning so no worries. The inside of the place is another jaw-dropping sight with it’s colorful 13th century mosaics.
Ponte Vecchio: The oldest bridge in Florence (built in 1345) is probably one of the most famous parts of the entire city. It’s unique facade makes it look like the bridge is filled with tiny houses, which are actually jewelers' workshops and stores. The bridge itself is super crowded but it’s a nice way to cross over to the opposite side of the Arno River. Definitely get a shot of the place from a distance from one of the river embankments.
Palazzo Pitti: Another Medici family outpost, the Palazzo Pitti was the famous banking family’s main and grandest residence. Think of it as the Versailles of Italy. By the time we got to the palace it was about an hour and a half till closing time so we had to breeze through most rooms, but we still got to see the whole place. Sadly I didn’t have the chance to take any photos. :( Also unfortunate is that we didn’t make it to the Boboli gardens, but they can easily be seen from some of the large windows in the palace. Also, my personal favorite room was the detailed bathroom built for Napoleon Bonaparte that he sadly never got to use. :(
Piazza di Santa Croce: Also located in central Florence, the Piazza di Santa Croce is one of the biggest and most beautiful piazza’s in the city. The most stunning part of the square in my opinion is the Gothic Basilica di Sante Croce. The gorgeous church holds the tombs of some of Firenze’s best and most famous including Michelangelo, Galileo, Bruni, and Machiavelli.
The Uffizi: The oldest art gallery in the world houses the Medici family’s vast well-preserved art collection. To me this is like the Louvre of Italy, meaning it’s absolutely gorgeous but a little overwhelming. You definitely need to book tickets ahead of time because the lines are unbelievable. Trust me though, the Botticelli room alone is worth all your time and money.
Piazza della Signoria: This is my absolute favorite piazza in all of Florence. Home to the Palazzo Vecchio (Florence’s town hall which you can take a tour of), an outdoor sculpture garden, and a few other pretty monuments and shops, this square has it all. This area is always lively and beautiful no matter what time of the day. I mean just look at this place at night!!!
And one last quick recommendation for some retail therapy-
Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella: There’s tons of shopping in Florence but for the most part we spent our time sightseeing and eating so we didn’t get much of it in. We did stop at one place though that I definitely think is worth your time. This beautiful perfumery and cosmetic establishment has been around since 1612. They even use the same formulas that they once made for Caterina de Medici! The interior of this shop is absolutely breathtaking and everything they sell including perfumes, skin care products, candles, lotions, potpourri, and even elixirs smell incredible. I bought a few gifts for my friends (and myself) here. :)
Even though I was only in the city for a few days I feel like I got to see the main attractions and discovered a few gems along the way. I love traveling, especially with my family, and Florence is such a magical place. Whether you wait in line to see the city from the top of the Campanile or you just wander around the charming little streets filled with pretty nooks and crannies, you’ll find yourself in love with the city. I’ll posting the other guides soon and I’m also going to start editing a video clips I took throughout my entire trip. Until then I hope you find this guide useful for planning a future trip, for quick references, or just for pure enjoyment. Ciao darlings!
xoxo,
Emma <3