One of my favourite cities that I've ever visited is 100% the beauty that is Florence. For those unaware (which I admittedly wasn't), Florence is the capital city of the Italian region, Tuscany. From travel blogger to youtube video, I have seen only visuals of the wonderful scenery and heard the incredible stories of those who have travelled to this cultural rich area of Italy. I have honestly wanted to travel here for a long while so when I found out that we'd be heading here on our little Italy trip, I was more than thrilled. I thought I'd share all the wonders of Florence and the experiences I had because I believe it is now my favourite European city I've EVER visited!
Click HERE if you fancy reading my post all about our first destination - MILAN.
Click HERE if you fancy reading my post all about our first destination - MILAN.
Boboli Gardens
One of the major attractions of Florence is the Boboli Gardens, situated at one of the highest points of the city. Renowned for homing a collection of 16th-18th century Roman sculptures, the Boboli Gardens are much larger than I originally anticipated; around every corner there was something new, from fountains to sculpted nature. I was in awe at nature's beauty and it was extremely relaxing to take a slow stroll for the majority of the morning and early afternoon (especially after the steep trek up the hill by foot!) Although my hayfever was playing up a bit, I'd definitely visit this part of Florence again because I found the experience relaxing and therapeutic. The tickets were averagely priced (around €10) but we made the mistake of not researching in depth - we could have brought our passports to get a cheaper student ticket which would have cut the price by half. Therefore, if you're a student then I'd definitely pop your passport in your bag as they wouldn't accept either of our driver's licenses.
Ponte Vecchio Bridge
The Ponte Vecchio bridge is another popular place in Florence; however, the best time to visit would be at night. The atmosphere is indescribable and not to sound cringey, but it made me feel incomprehensibly happy just sitting on the street kerb and listening to the street entertainers sing/play music throughout the evening. This bridge was the place I felt most content; no technology for once, experiencing the rich Italian culture that Florence had to offer and listening to the different sounds of the night. It just made me ridiculously happy sitting here and I'd highly recommend stopping on this bridge in the evening (making sure to dodge the guys trying to give you roses) and just watching or listening to the entertainer for a while. It felt like a community with the public all singing songs together and swaying - I crave nights like this now and would do anything to go back!
Food Stops
For a main meal, I'd highly suggest eating at Il David if you fancy treating yourself to a more luxurious cuisine. Aidan and I both opted for Florentine steak and OH MY, it was super tasty! It took us a while to eat but the potatoes, the salad and, of course, the meat were incredibly delicious. It was perfectly cooked and although it was very expensive, you definitely got your money's worth! Additionally, if you are a massive dessert lover like myself, I'd recommend getting any gelato if you're in Italy. Something I came across before travelling to Florence was people advising to check the aesthetics of the gelato before buying - if the ice cream looked air-filled rather than dense, find a new gelateria! You will get more for your money if you opt for the denser looking ice cream. There are also Magnum shops, one is located on the outskirts of the Duomo square; you have the opportunity for €5 to create your own magnum from scratch. It was so fun choosing your ideal ice cream with the chocolate, sauces and toppings...see mine above ^^^
For a main meal, I'd highly suggest eating at Il David if you fancy treating yourself to a more luxurious cuisine. Aidan and I both opted for Florentine steak and OH MY, it was super tasty! It took us a while to eat but the potatoes, the salad and, of course, the meat were incredibly delicious. It was perfectly cooked and although it was very expensive, you definitely got your money's worth! Additionally, if you are a massive dessert lover like myself, I'd recommend getting any gelato if you're in Italy. Something I came across before travelling to Florence was people advising to check the aesthetics of the gelato before buying - if the ice cream looked air-filled rather than dense, find a new gelateria! You will get more for your money if you opt for the denser looking ice cream. There are also Magnum shops, one is located on the outskirts of the Duomo square; you have the opportunity for €5 to create your own magnum from scratch. It was so fun choosing your ideal ice cream with the chocolate, sauces and toppings...see mine above ^^^
HIGHEST POINT OF FLORENCE
One morning, Aidan and I decided to set our alarms to an ungodly hour. We researched the time of sunrise and ensured we were up, dressed and had time to climb to the highest point of Florence to admire the sunrise from a good view. Unfortunately, the day was cloudy so we didn't really see much of the sun emerging; however, it was still worth it to see the views and be up in a beautiful location with little to no people around. The peace and quiet from just standing and admiring the city was heavenly...again something I would love to do when I return in the future. LOOK AT THE VIEWS!!
One morning, Aidan and I decided to set our alarms to an ungodly hour. We researched the time of sunrise and ensured we were up, dressed and had time to climb to the highest point of Florence to admire the sunrise from a good view. Unfortunately, the day was cloudy so we didn't really see much of the sun emerging; however, it was still worth it to see the views and be up in a beautiful location with little to no people around. The peace and quiet from just standing and admiring the city was heavenly...again something I would love to do when I return in the future. LOOK AT THE VIEWS!!
Duomo Bell Tower
Another of the main tourist attractions, and where most people crowded round, was the Duomo. The architecture is like no other and just mesmerising to stare at - I couldn't stop thinking how long it would have taken for someone to construct such a stunning building, especially during the time it was built. Unfortunately, it was close to Easter so that meant a lot of children were out of school. The Duomo itself was fully booked so we weren't able to venture inside. However, we managed to snatch a ticket to climb the Duomo's Bell Tower. If you suffer with claustrophobia, this is DEFINITELY not for you. The stairs are ridiculously cramped and I felt awfully uncomfortable making my way to the top. It was worth it for the admirable views but I don't think I could do it a second time purely for the uncomfortable nature of climbing up the same narrow stairs as people are coming down too.
I really hope you enjoyed my little post all about my favourite places and things to do in Florence. My Rome post will be on its way shortly - I've just had a lot of work to do recently. Apologies. Hope you are all having a lovely week and I love you lots.
I really hope you enjoyed my little post all about my favourite places and things to do in Florence. My Rome post will be on its way shortly - I've just had a lot of work to do recently. Apologies. Hope you are all having a lovely week and I love you lots.
Have you ever visited Florence? Is it on your bucketlist?
Lots of love
Post a Comment