Aah, mi amor…Italia. My dream of going to Italy finally came true in May 2022. I was planning (and saving) to go the fall of 2024 for our 25th anniversary. But alas, my husband’s cousin was getting married in Siena so we decided to take the trip sooner (thank you Derek!). I know, it sounds like a terrible problem to have. And so began my research for this extensive trip, which took several months, for every detail to seamlessly intertwine. It was like we were in our own version of “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”. After taking the red-eye and barely making it through customs with little time to spare, we made our last flight to Florence from Paris. Our plane looked as if it was 30 years old and after making the most frightening landing, we were in Italy! As we made our way off the plane, onto the tarmac and made the short walk into the airport, I was overcome with emotion seeing the mountains in the distance and breathing in the air. We gathered our luggage and made our way to the left outside of the airport where I knew the tram would be available to take to the city center.
The tram’s Line 2 will take you into the city center. The red and silver machine above is where to purchase your tickets, cash or credit is accepted. The small yellow and black machine (smaller than a backpack) is where you validate your ticket inside the tram. I cannot express enough how crucial this is, as you can be approached by a tram employee and charged a hefty fine if the ticket is not stamped. It was less than 2 euros to purchase the ticket but you can be fined over 40 euros. This same concept applies to the regional trains in the country as well, always validate your ticket! Check out http://thetuscanmom.com. I found her article and pictures about how to use the tram. I was too preoccupied with making sure my family wasn’t in culture shock to take any of these pictures. We got off at the second to last stop near the Santa Maria Novella train station, as it was closer to the hotel we were staying. Little did I know my son, Kyler was taking a video of me as I led the way from the station to the hotel. He could sense my excitement and wondered if I had been there before. Apparently, I seemed to know where I was going. In fact, at one point when we were in between cities and he had a second to think about it, he asked how in the world I planned it all. I told him I spent months planning, reading and studying maps so this trip would go off without a hiccup.
I found the Boutique B&B Torre de’ Conti on http://booking.com. The photo above was the view from our room, just down the street from The Duomo. When we first arrived at this massive door, this was one of the first moments when my family was slightly in awe that I knew some Italian and was conversing with the owner. Federico and Francesca were wonderful hosts, the place was beautifully decorated, clean and the breakfast was delicious! And they had an antique crafted key for our room (not a piece of plastic). I don’t know why I liked this, but the key itself I almost kept as a souvenir. There is something in the history and details of such things, that sometimes I wonder if I was born in the wrong century. Now the room I booked for the 4 of us was cramped and allowed us little room to walk around the beds and several suitcases, but we managed. When traveling overseas, you should expect space to be limited and not as abundant as what you might experience in the States. That includes elevators, staircases and bathrooms. Don’t expect everyone to fit in the elevator with the luggage…you will be making a few trips!
I have heard from several people over the years, that Florence was their favorite city in Italy. After having the privilege of being there myself, I know why. It has something for everyone: food, art, culture, gardens, shopping and the list goes on. If you’re salivating over these images, you will LOVE the Mercato Centrale. It was one of my personal faves and an absolute foodie’s paradise. And bonus, it was only several blocks from where we were staying. I only wished my brothers could have been there. I imagined all the ideas we may have come up with to make delectable dishes for our family. The attention to detail and the fact that each vendor specializes in something is truly a sight and greatly appreciated. We had panini with roasted pork, Tuscan ham and vegetables from a vibrant woman who was so passionate about her own little corner of the market. This will definitely be on my list of places to return.
If you have at least 2-3 days to spend here, you must cross over the Arno River to Piazzale Michelangelo. We walked but you can certainly take a taxi if you are pressed for time or just don’t want to make the climb. I’m so glad I listened to my cousin Marc who highly recommended that we see the amazing views. As you can see from the photo above, it did not disappoint. And our host, Francesca told us about the Rose Garden, which is conveniently on the way up to the Piazzale. Side note, there was a bathroom available for 1 euro to use in the Rose Garden. This is a common practice to pay 1 euro in some European countries to use the facilities. This is where it helps to have small bills in the local currency. After taking some time to take photos and enjoy the breathtaking landscape, we made our way down the hill and explored the other side of the river. We did not have time, but the Boboli Gardens are on the same side of the Arno as the Rose Garden.
There are a few different bridges to cross the Arno which makes it convenient to navigate through the city. The most famous is Ponte Vecchio (old bridge). It doesn’t look like much when you look at it from a distance, but when you walk over this bridge, you will be mesmerized by the jewelry vendors. Italy is known for its gold, and Florence is probably the most popular. Don’t be afraid to shop around, I was at one place inquiring about a gold bracelet and just wasn’t happy with it. I ended up buying a bracelet and cameo earrings (which they are also known for) from a different vendor. If you read my previous article WTV?! (what the vat), you will know it is important to bring your passport when you will be shopping. In Italy, if you spend over 175 euros, they will be giving you a VAT form to fill out and get stamped at the airport to be reimbursed for the tax.
You should know at some point I will be talking about food. So, here it goes. Let me first say, we went to 4 cities while on this trip. In my humble opinion, Florence had the most amazing food overall. My first meal was spaghetti carbonara. I don’t even remember where it was we ate, but it was some side street that had outdoor seating, like so many restaurants do. Yes, you will see a pasta pattern here (I mentioned in a previous post about the creamy carbonara I ate in NYC).
I will not forget taking a bite of my son’s lasagna that he had at Trattoria Da Guido, which was only a few blocks away from our hotel. It was like ribbons of silk in my mouth, it was beyond any lasagna I had ever had. I personally had wild boar with tagliatelle! I saw it on some show before making this trip, and I had to try it. It was quite tasty, not gamey at all. It was like fine ground beef with a delicious, salty flavor.
Don’t even get me started on the panini enormi (huge sandwiches) from All’Antico Vinaio. I kid you not, they are the size of a dinner plate. The most delicious combinations of meat, cheeses, condiments, oh my! And bonus, all the guys in the shop are good-looking. I went by myself to pick up these sandwiches, and I took my sweet time ordering. I swear, all good things were created in Italy. And guess what?! They have a location in NYC, I don’t know how I missed this before my trip in October 2023. http://allanticovinaionyc.com
Now, you’re probably wondering, what about pizza? I got you covered. You must try Pizza Napoli 1955. And conveniently, it’s right across the street from All’Antico. We each had our own pizza. I know you’re thinking that’s crazy, but they aren’t as big here in the US, and it tastes so good. You’re usually walking A LOT in a city like this, so all those carbs consumed are usually burned off.
Last but not least…gelato! This really needs no introduction or explanation. I had it twice in one day, don’t judge me. Perche no! and Gelateria Santa Trinita were my favorite places. You’re probably wondering why I have no pictures of this food. I ate those too, it was that good.
Florence really is a special place. I’m not sure if it is because it was where we first started this amazing trip or it’s part of who I am, probably a little of both. It is a small enough, relatively flat city for visitors to meander through the streets and take in the amazing atmosphere. It really checks all the boxes of what you want to experience in Italy. This will be the first segment of a series about our trip. And I can assure you, there will be more posts about this beloved country in the future. I hope as you read this, you fall in love just as I did. This will be a long love affair as long as I have breath in my lungs.
