From the birthplace of the Renaissance and Leonardo Da Vinci to the site of Europe’s largest active volcano- come with me on an adventure through Italian cliffsides and hills.
Traveling through three major cities and trying to cover the most ground in 2 weeks, the first leg of the journey started under the Tuscan Sun in the peak summer heat of July. Little did we know at the time the extreme heat that we would be facing in this southern European country.
I will be sharing the best food places and must-see destinations of each city. Each city has their own specialties ranging from food to activities and I made sure to get a little taste of each!
Our first stop was Florence, Italy.
Located in the heart of Tuscany, Florence (or Firenze) is home to Da Vinci and the Medici family. There are many buildings and monuments erected in honor of this famous and powerful family strewn throughout Florence.
Day 1
Not much had happened that first day we arrived. I planned a rest day for the first day and decided that we could pick up our rental car and actually drive out to the Airbnb the next day after we have recovered a little more.
We had flown in from France and I arranged for us to stay at a hotel near the airport for the first day so we could recoup from the long flight. This is where I learned my first planning tip: CHECK FOR HEATING AND COOLING.
Jetlagged and roasting like Eggplant Parmigiana, we arrived at our hotel only to find a lack of proper cooling in our accommodation. We were too tired to care and ended up passing out on the bed immediately for a few hours.
After the much-needed mini coma, the hunger started to get to us so it was time to embark on our first quest for sustenance. We ended up circling a mall that was right across the street because we couldn’t find the entrance hahaha...
I will say that I do miss the size and scope of international malls, maybe I just don't have big malls around me? Don't get me started on international fast food chains however... personally I think they are just magnitudes better than their American Counterparts. If you are a fan of Starbucks or McDonald's then this is amazing news for you- the Starbucks is stocked with different and unique pastries and the McDonald's had delicious pesto fried chicken wraps-YUMMMM
These are the many pastries that were offered at a McDonald's location. Just looking at this one may think it's a Starbucks or another cafe!
After refueling, not much of the day was left so we had an early night in as the next day was when our adventure truly began.
Day 2
Waking up and already drenched in sweat, we were off to a great start. The first challenge was figuring out how to get a taxi and how to pick up our car rental.
*TIP: Don't be afraid to ask for help or directions, more than likely people know you are a visitor in their hometown and they are willing to help. Just use your discretion on choosing who to ask.*
We got the taxi information from the front desk and ended up getting dropped off with all our luggage a bit further away from the rental center than we had planned. We had to drag our one check-in suitcase, our two carry-on suitcases, and our backpacks down the side of the street as there were little to no sidewalks. After much of a struggle in the heat, we found the car rental place and after 2 hours of waiting in line, we had successfully rented our car. I had reserved the car ahead of time in the planning process on Expedia. In Italy, it is important to know if the car is automatic or manual. If you are not used to stick-shift, your vacation is not the time to learn it. Most places do charge a little extra for an automatic car and no matter the car you will have to be prepared to put down a deposit. For more on driving in Italy (or anywhere really) be sure to check out THE post for the first-time traveler!
My boyfriend honestly did an amazing job driving in a country he had never been to. It may have helped that a lot of the traffic and road rules and signs were similar to the ones here in the States. The drive took us about an hour to an hour and a half and it was breathtaking driving through the city of Florence and into the Tuscan hillside.
The Airbnb we were staying at was tucked away in the countryside amongst the rolling green hills. It was a separate house attached to a main one and came with access to a pool. The beautiful rustic Italian home came with quite the view and the hosts were amazing and friendly. They left us a bottle of Chianti and a pasta starter pack to cook. The place did not have any AC but had a single stand fan which was not that bad- we just dressed light and took advantage of that pool access.
After a long day of navigating ourselves to our stay in Florence and still acclimating to the jet lag, I figured it'd be best to find a cute local restaurant in the town near us. We were not ready to drive an hour back into Florence.
The restaurant would become the first of many encounters we had with two very popular menu items throughout the country- limoncello and prosciutto.
DON'T SUE ME buuuttt limoncello was not our favorite, and we got tired of prosciutto very quickly but that's just our personal taste! The food was very good and filling and we drove back to our cozy stay and turned in for an early night under our single stand fan, for tomorrow was when the more strenuous activities began.
Day 3
We woke up bright and early on the third day because we had scheduled a bike tour through the city and the hills as our first activity! I recall already feeling the morning air heavy with heat and humidity as soon as we stepped outside- I knew I had to bring the neck fan I had bought in the mall two days ago. I know, I know, a neck fan looks so corny and there's no better way to stand out but honestly that thing saved my life out there!
We had to meet up with the biking group at a location in the city, the first challenge was finding parking. We circled a plaza like 3 times before finding a small parking lot on the side. Of course the meters were in Italian so I did the thing to do best- ask for help.
After figuring it out, on queue, my stomach started rumbling. We rushed out the door so fast I didn't even have my morning coffee. We soon came to find that almost every place doesn't open until at the earliest, 9 am. We walked what felt like in circles, cutting it close to the meet up time to find even just a morsel of food before the 4 hour biking excursion.
At last we happened upon a small café open and serving breakfast called Pasticceria Buonamici , we quickly grabbed two egg sandwiches to go and let me tell you, that morning it tasted like the food of the gods.
Lesson well learnt- either always allocate extra time for food or always keep some snacks in my purse! We met up with our group at this building and we got our mountain bikes and helmets set up. Since I am un petite, I hilariously couldn't fit into the adult helmets and had to rock one of the eye-catching kiddie ones. We got set up and took off into the streets of the city.
That first stretch was really brutal for me. This is when I realized that I was not physically prepared for this and this experience truly taught me the importance of Cardio. Our (extremely fit) tour guide was effortlessly meandering on his bike through the group and leading us up the hill. He even circled back for my poor struggling ass.
We finally reached the first tour destination- an old government building turned school that had many ties to the all-powerful Medici family.
As I caught my breathe and slumped against a tree with water and my neck fan in each hand, I couldn't help but to marvel at the building before me. It was honestly unbelievable that such a magnificent and famous government building was turned into a very fancy school- I couldn't help but imagine what it must be like to attend such a nice school.
The next leg of the journey led us up the Tuscan hillside and through the local towns and neighborhoods paired with stunning views that I almost missed while I was dying biking up the very steep hills. The heat was not helping by any means- at some point the neck fan I had was just blowing hot air in my face. We passed by the very town that Galileo lived out the remainder of his life, Arcetri.
We rode back into Florence and made a pit stop at San Miniato Al Monte which is a church that sits atop one of the highest points in Florence and has a nice view of the entire city with the Duomo right in the center. San Miniato houses the alleged remains of St. Miniato who has quite the story. It is said that the Roman Emperor tried many times to kill him but each time he failed in a miraculous way. Finally the Emperor had St.Miniato beheaded but he got up and picked up his head and carried it up the hill.
Our next stop was at a popular vantage point of the entire city with it's jewel- the Duomo, showcased front and center. There was water being misted from the street store-fronts and I couldn't help but try to stay in the vicinity of the "splash zone"-it was way too hot out.
The final stop was at a wine restaurant that was included in our biking package. We enjoyed some prosciutto, cheese, and wine while we conversed with our fellow biking group members and our tour guide. It was a nice moment to cool off and catch our breaths before returning to our base meeting spot. The journey back was thankfully downhill which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Even though the biking was utterly brutal for me personally, this tour is a great way to see the city with its views and key attractions and even more views of the Tuscan countryside. Our tour guide was amazing and extremely knowledgeable about everything and anything. He was great to converse with and the charcuterie and wine at the end was a wonderful treat and a great little moment to socialize! The whole tour took about 4 and a half hours in total. I highly recommend this tour or others like it if you have great cardio and would like to learn a little bit more about the city and it's enriching and ancient history.
My boyfriend and I returned to our stay as we had decided that was enough for us for the day (the pool was definitely screaming my name at that point). We relaxed in the pool with the bottle Chianti the hosts had graciously left for us and I ended up making some spaghetti for us for dinner after.
Day 4
As it was our last day in the city of Florence, I made sure to let us have a free day to explore the city on our own.
After the hour-long drive into the main city, the first mission was to find some yum grub. We were determined to pick a good lunch spot that wasn't too touristy and had some Florentine Specialties. I suppose the Roman Gods shone upon us that day because we had found the perfect spot- a little place called Trattoria Il Contadino. We realized when looking for food that there are three main types of eateries to choose from:
Osteria- these are essentially wine bars that, over time, have come to serve simple meals. They often have a short menu or none at all.
Trattoria- are casual small eateries that serve authentic Italian cuisine. These are more formal than an Osteria but less formal than a Ristorante.
Ristorante- these are formal "full-service" establishments equipped with hosts/hostesses.
Most places will have Osteria or Trattoria in their title indicating the type of eatery. This little delightful establishment was bustling and busy and we only waited a few minutes for a tablet o clear up. They had a sort of "lunch deal" where you can get a first or second course with some refreshing wine and a little side of your choosing all for a reasonable price of 10-15 Euros. My boyfriend ended up getting a Florence special of pasta with Boar meat sauce and it was DELICIOUS. I had decided on another AMAZING choice of Ribollita which is a type of hearty porridge with a blend of vegetables. The waitress was super friendly and the atmosphere was nice and casual. It was a great start to our day in Firenze.
After a nice hearty meal it was time to head out and start the sightseeing, just a few blocks down landed us in the heart of the Santa Maria Novella Plaza. There was a gelato shop in the corner of the Plaza and straight ahead was the beautiful and regal Santa Maria Novella Cathedral. The gelato would have to wait it's turn as we headed down the cobblestone path leading up to the Cathedral. We waited in line under the blazing sun until it was our turn to cash in for two tickets and enter the ancient building. If you plan to visit this Cathedral, be mindful that if you have spaghetti straps on or are not deemed as "appropriately covered" they will give you something akin to a paper cape to put on over your attire. I was not aware of this or I would have brought a shawl with me as I try to be respectful of entering religious places of worship. I was brought up Catholic so I suppose it didn't surprise me too much that this was custom.
Walking into the Cathedral, one's eyes are immediately welcomed by beautifully crafted gigantic pieces of artwork depicting different biblical tales and scriptures. Lining the walls were the Stations of the Cross in what I can only describe as the most beautiful renditions of the stations I have ever gazed upon. Everywhere you looked, you were met with a piece of art renaissance- of beautiful crafted history. We slowly made our rounds taking in every piece. One section had heaven and hell depicted on one side of the walls and earth on the opposing wall. After visiting the gift shop for a memento, we headed out into the courtyard where there were rooms with gilded golden artifacts in glass displays and gorgeous ornate robes of priests. There were also halls with engravings of memoirs of people who had passed.
We came out on the other end of the Cathedral's grounds and I finally gave in to the heat and needed a taste of some ice-cold Gelato. We got some fruity flavors and sat down on a bench in the shade enjoying the nice refreshingly chill treat as I began to map our way to closer towards the Duomo- I was ready to see more beautiful architecture.
Bidding the plaza goodbye, we headed towards the heart of the action. The path towards the Duomo suddenly became filled with shops lining the streets and tourists and locals alike (mostly tourists) roaming the streets. We decided this would be a great place for souvenirs and a little shopping. Slowly making our way through the shops, stopping by some for AC, a familiar dome crept into view. We had finally made it to the Duomo and so had many many others. This was definitely a hotspot that gathered crowds of onlookers, and for good reason too! This magnificent and famous structure towered above the city with the gold ball at the top of the dome glistening under the Tuscan sun.
They were not allowing tourists in, which was probably for the best. It was kept private for churchgoers only but I really didn't mind. The outside itself was enough to behold and some things should be left sacred in my own opinion.
Now being introduced to the Duomo up close and personal, I decided it was time we enjoy the view in a more relaxing atmosphere. I had scouted out some amazing rooftop bars to hit in Florence. The one we had decided on, the View on Art Cocktail Bar, was a brisk 5 minute walk away but we kept missing the entrance (to give us some credit, it was tucked away and we didn't realize it was part of a hotel). Once you take the elevator all the way to the top, you walk out into a bar that opens up into a patio and you can see the shining dome of the Duomo immediately before you.
The bar was busy and bustling so we maneuvered around to find a seat that was somewhat in the shade. We found a spot that was kind of perfect and in the patio corner. My boyfriend had a great direct view of the dome and I had a great shot of it right behind me. The cocktails were a little bit on the pricier side but most came to sit and relax with a cocktail or two to bask in the view-us included. We ended up chatting a bit with some of the people sitting around us and just resting our legs.
The next thing I had planned for us to see before dinner were these tiny windows hidden throughout the city in the walls. These were no ordinary windows because you can order wine through them! The wine windows, or buchetta del vino, are usually attached to an eatery and you can easily look up the nearest one to you on google maps.
To end our night in Florence we had to have a taste of Florence's specialty- Florentine steak. Perseus was actually recommended by the family that shared the bike ride tour with us. A short car ride away, the restaurant was located in a plaza and pretty easy to find. Walking in, there was a nice vibe and lots to look at in the establishment. From the vegetable sculpture on our table to a beautiful mural in the back wall of a separate dining area the atmosphere was warm and colorful. I was very hungry from walking all day in the heat so I was already picking off some of the art exhibition sitting in front of me while waiting for the waiter. We had been given a menu when seated and some bread but we already knew what we wanted so when the waiter arrived we just ordered the steak with the wine that is offered with it as well as some side roasted vegetables.
When the steak was ready our waiter brought it out sizzling on a table and carved it into a meat sculpture before handing it off to us. I thought it was delicious and juicy and flavorful. It was more of the rarer side than my boyfriend or I tend to order but it was good nonetheless. The thing is it was good-but it wasn't mind-blowing, we both felt we have had the same or better back here in the US. The potatoes, however, blew my mind. They were wrapped in foil and when you cut into it, it was filled with spices and herbs.
With our appetite more than adequately satisfied, the tiredness from the day started to set in for the both of us so we made the hour long ride back to our stay.
Just before going to bed, I wanted to gaze upon the twinkling lights scattered amongst the distant hills and see if I could maybe be lucky enough to catch the stars as well. My boyfriend joined me outside and we lay on the ground under the stars reflecting on this first leg of our trip. Man were we gonna miss this cute Airbnb! After a few more moments we headed back in for bed as check-out was early in the morning and we had a train to catch.
Departure
Bidding Tuscany and Florence goodbye, our next destination was the Amalfi Coast. We headed back into the city center to turn in our rental and catch a taxi to the train station. I had bought the train tickets online ahead of time on TrenItalia which I recommend doing. There were boards posted by the trains announcing which trains were at the station and were boarding so we waited until it was our turn. We had a few transfers on the way to our destination but I was ready for the cliffside beach town. We still had a long journey ahead.
Florence is a great city that is rich with history garnering global recognition. A beautiful and timeless classic that has much to explore for people of all kinds. I absolutely can't wait to return to the beautiful rolling hills of Tuscany.
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