Florence
a city overflowing with art, history, and culture
Florence is one of my favorite cities in Italy. It’s a feast for all of your senses, from Renaissance art and incredible architecture to tiny cups of espresso, handmade pasta and double scoops of gelato.
There’s something almost overwhelming about how much beauty is packed into the city - the Duomo dominating the skyline, centuries-old churches tucked between streets, sprawling gardens above the Arno and art everywhere you look.
EAT
Vini e Vecchi Sapori
This was my favorite meal in Florence. We stopped by earlier in the day to ask about a reservation, and at first they told us they were completely full. Apparently I looked disappointed enough that the man helping me pulled out this giant old-fashioned reservation book, looked through it again and found a way to squeeze us in early that evening.
The menus were handwritten, the tables were shared with other diners, and they gave us wine while we waited outside to be seated. We ordered beef carpaccio, tortelloni with ricotta and spinach and fettuccine al ragù, and spent half the meal watching the carpaccio be carefully sliced and plated.
EAT
I’ Girone de’ Ghiotti
We arrived in Florence from Cinque Terre tired, hungry and ready to put our bags down after an absolutely packed train ride. We dropped everything at the Airbnb and almost immediately headed to I’ Girone de’ Ghiotti, a tiny sandwich shop just down the street.
There was a line, but it moved quickly, and the sandwich was exactly what we needed. If you’re like me and get overwhelmed by too many choices, just pick anything from the menu - it’s all good!
We took ours back to the Airbnb to eat before heading out to explore the city.
EAT
I Fratellini
Florence has no shortage of famous sandwich shops, but this little hole-in-the-wall was one of my favorites.
There isn’t really a restaurant to go inside, you order straight from the tiny counter built into the wall, pick from the menu and take your sandwich with you. We each tried something different, including a schiacciata, and then carried them over to the steps of a nearby church and ate them there.
EXPLORE
Boboli + Bardini Gardens
We spent a huge part of the morning wandering through the Boboli Gardens and over to the Bardini Gardens, and it ended up being one of my favorite ways to experience Florence.
The gardens are expansive and beautiful, with plenty to explore, but the views over Florence from Villa Bardini were one of the highlights.
TREAT
Gelateria dei Neri
This is where I first discovered coffee granita, which quickly became one of my favorite things to order in Italy.
We went back to Gelateria dei Neri multiple times during our stay, switching between granite and gelato, and would have gone again on our final day if it hadn’t been closed. If you need to rest your legs after exploring the city, they have plenty of seating inside as well as restrooms for paying guests.
EXPERIENCE
Sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo
Piazzale Michelangelo is one of Florence’s most popular sunset spots, so we knew to expect a crowd.
But there was something really special about everyone gathering in the same place to watch the sun set over the city. The view across Florence and the Duomo was beautiful, and afterward we took our time wandering back through the city.
