Florence is just one of those cities.
It has small alleyways that lead to little restaurants and cafes. It has both elegance in high Florentine society and down-to-earth ‘mom and pops’ ice cream shops.
Walking the streets with no goal in mind is one of my favorite things to do in a European city. It seems to be the best way to ‘fall into’ new experiences and hidden corners.
And that was my expectation on this holiday trip to Florence. The best thing about living in Europe and visiting European cities multiple times—you feel like you don’t have to rush.
Usually, it’s the first time when I see the major tourist sights, and it’s then the second time that I can enjoy time sitting at a cafe in the afternoon. Walking the streets with no goal in mind. Or jumping into little shops that went missing from sight before.
And that was our story of Florence. Florence, the capital city of Tuscany, feels much smaller than Rome. It makes sense being a city of less significance in both politics and religion—but I like Florence better.
Florence to me has more class.
Eat, Drink, Explore
Eating is quickly becoming my number one pass time on holiday. And Florence was no exception in excellent food. Please give me all the pasta, wine, and gelato!
After three days in Florence, these were my favorite food hotspots:
- Trattoria Boboli — We stumbled into this place, but it was a great surprise. It’s small, warm, and serves up a unique Florentine menu.
- Pitti Express — Don’t be weary of the name, this little cafe hosted us two mornings in a row. Their pistachio and chocolate croissants were amazing.
- Gelateria Santa Trinita — You can have gelato at a million places in Italy, but this place really stood out to me. I loved every ‘slurp.’
- Trattoria de’ Guicciardini da i Bigi e i Birghe — The little courtyard was adorable and the food was great.
And I loved exploring these areas:
- Piazza Santo Spirito — We stayed on this piazza the first night in Florence, and it was cute. It’s a busy and bustling place on the weekends, but it’s so lively. It’s a great place to sit after the sun has gone down or to have a glass of wine.
- Palazzo Pitti — It’s not the most glamorous spot, but I thought it was pretty cute that all the university students chose this location as their late night hangout. It’s here that you see uni students chatting and drinking beer until the early hours of the morning.
- Ponte alla Carraia — Everyone walks to Ponte Santa Trinita, but I enjoy walking over the bridge, Ponte alla Carraia, because I can enjoy the full landscape of the colorful buildings, the river, and Ponte Santa Trinita in full focus.
Those are a few of the unique spots that I enjoyed. For all the other tourist spots, you can read every other blog to give you the full details.
Until next time Florence, “Chi vive vede molto, chi viaggia vede di più.”
(Those who live see a lot, those who travel see more.)
