We took off for Italy right after the wedding with grand plans to meet my grandma in Florence for her last Euro trip. But, plot twist: she decided to break her hip on the morning of the wedding. Classic timing. Story for another day. Anyway, Florence turned out to be a delightful carb-fest despite the hiccup—and a little travelers’ sickness on the last day to spice things up.
While we were there, we made the most of our limited time. We marveled at the iconic Duomo and its jaw-dropping dome, strolled through the Piazza della Signoria like we were extras in a Renaissance painting, and got lost in the Uffizi Gallery mesmerized by the incredible painting (a personal favorite The Adoration of the Magi, the unfinished Da Vinci). As for dining, we sampled pizza that was nothing short of a religious experience at Gusta Pizza, and enjoyed long walks home with gelato in hand that made us question our life choices—like why don’t we just move to Florence permanently. If your goal is to eat your weight in carbs and see some stunning sights along the way, Florence is your ultimate destination.
A few notes:
The train station is super close to the center of town.
We were in Florence the first week of October and it was bustling with tourists and the weather was hot hot.
If you get in and aren’t able to check in to your AirBnB or hotel you can leave your luggage at the hotel or a luggage drop for a small fee. We did this and it was worth every euro. It allowed us to make the most of the day without having to lug our stuff around on cobblestone streets.
Pack Imodium (you know, just in case).
Watch your pockets and purses. We saw a few pick pockets take place. This is my absolute travel item. It’s lightweight, packs easy, can hold a ton of stuff and avoids any risk of pick pockets.
Discover the quiet side of the city. We weaved through the streets by the university, where it’s much more calm and still filled with culture, art, and history. We stumbled across a little market and many local food destinations.
Grab a Coffee from Simbiosi and then make your way over to Piazza San Marco. Check out the church Basilica di San Marco and then stop into All’Antica Vinao for lunch. Explore the University and little parks and gardens that surround it. The 4 Seasons Hotel grounds are breathtaking.
Food:
Gusta Pizza — This is a MUST MUST TRY. Add it to your list and make it happen. Like over indulgent Americans, we ordered 3 pies to “try” and devoured them all. As I am sure you know by now, my husband is a pizza freak. Pizza is a main food category for him so wherever we go, pizza is a must. He found this place after weeks of research and it did not disappoint. There was a bit of a wait, but it as worth every minute. This was the best Neapolitan pizza we had in Italy. The dough was incredibly light and airy with the perfect char. You could tell they only use the freshest ingredients.
Simbiosi Coffee — Italy is known for their espresso and cappuccinos, not their talk black coffees. My hubs religiously drinks two cups every morning and was struggling to find coffee he enjoyed, until he discovered this spot across the street from our AirBnB!
ZaZa Trattoria - My grandma took me here 15 years ago, and I've been fantasizing about it ever since. Reservations are a must, so make sure to swing by and put your name down for dinner one night. Going back and sharing this gem with my husband was the ultimate treat. Fifteen years ago, it was a tiny hole in the wall; their expansion absolutely blew me away. The menu is extensive, and the pasta is to die for. We indulged in artichoke hearts, gorgonzola gnocchi, and truffle ravioli’s. Everything was finger-licking good and will forever be a favorite of mine.
All’Antica Vinaoi — The hot sandwich spot taking social media by storm. I was shocked at how many locations there were on one street. What makes this place out of this world and different than any deli sandwich you have had before is the fresh warm bread they are bringing out every 2 minutes.
Base V Juicery
If you know me, you know that my day doesn’t officially start until I've had some kind of green juice or smoothie. Sure, my heart dreams of starting the day with a croissant (or three), but my stomach insists on something healthier. We stumbled upon this juice spot and stocked up for our stay. The juice is made and bottled right there, so it’s extra fresh and a nice break from our daily afternoon carb binge. Because, you know, balance.
See:
Ufizi Gallery — We went early in the morning and were able to somewhat beat the crowds.
Duomo — Always busy, early in the morning or late at night.
Ponte Vecchio — Lots of cute shops on the strip by the water. We also stopped for a drink and mid day snack in the area and it made for great people watching outdoors.
Shopping:
We didn’t do much shopping in Florence, but I did stumble across a few gems outside the brand names and large piazzas.
Albrici — This was a happy accident. We stumbled across this incredible vintage store while roaming the streets post lunch. Albrici has an extensive vintage collection with the most incredible prices and quality.
Splatterware — While Puglia is known for its incredible pottery, I was on a mission to find splatterware in Florence. Low and behold I found several pieces at local convenience shops. The most unassuming places carried random gems. Once I discovered this, I made sure to pop into everyone I saw to check out the inventory. I wish I would have purchased more, but it was the first stop on our trip and I was terrified by the end it would all be destroyed.
Note: There was a tiny little place around the corner from ZaZa with a bunch of garlic hanging from the awning that carried some at a reasonable price.
Reach out if you have any questions or need more recommendations!