After attacking Rome, we were excited to get to Florence where we’ve had numerous friends study abroad and really love it. We (the traveling trio – me, Katie and my mom) took a mid-morning train and arrived to our hotel within a few hours. It was a five minute walk from the train station and was a quaint, family-run affair with only a handful of rooms. Upon arriving we realized it was on the fourth floor of the older building without a lift, so I got my workout in hauling all of our bags up.
Like most cities we visit, we start off by putting in the Google Maps app the must-see places, viewpoints, museums and top-rated food spots we want to nom at. But let’s be real, we rarely make it to all the museums and attractions but do our best to prioritize all the delicious things. Florence didn’t disappoint and was chalked full of tasty gelato, delicious sandwiches (tip: waiting in the long line at All’Antico is totally worth it) and pasta galore. We walked everywhere believing all the calories were justified as we covered multiple miles walking to places like Piazza della Signoria for the view of the city and over to the Florence Cathedral, Ponte Vecchio and Piazzale Michelangelo.
The first night we had a great meal dining outside while listening to live music from an accordion player and enjoying the vibe of the city. Mom even tried limoncello for the first time! Obviously it was a hit and went along great with our sangria. The second night we had dinner at an unbelievably good place called La Fettunta. This is otherwise known in history as The Night I Had The Best Ribs Of My Life. I think I talked about those ribs for months, they were THAT good. Mom and Katie finally were like, “ok, we get it!” After the meal we were treated to some wonderful live music in the streets where an acoustic guitarist and woman sang in front of a crowd of a few hundred people that had gathered.
While we only had a few quick days in Florence, we felt like we did it justice and definitely see why people loved their time studying in this beautiful Italian gem of a city. Can’t wait to come back someday to get more time here!
