When in Wine Country
It took me approximately 28 seconds to fall in love with Florence & want to make a permanent move there, let me tell you why...
Rome was fun, Perugia was pretty but Florence stole my whole heart.
We spent 3 days staying in the heart of the city directly opposite Santa Maria Del Fiore.
We looked at one photo of the Airbnb & immediately launched into my bag for the credit card to book it. It was the most insane view I have ever had, & worth every euro. If you also want the view of your dreams, you can click the link below to book it. I suggest a minimum of 3 nights so that you can fully embrace Florence & enjoy the 'Pod' in its entirety.
The Duomo Climb
The first foundation of the Santa Maria was laid in 1293 & it took over a hundred years to finish. Of course they had a 'view from the top' option but we didn’t do that because
1. It is over 400 stairs to the top AND
2. We were so lucky because our airbnb was in line with the viewing platform so we saw the exact same thing from the 'pod' & didn’t miss out at all. If you would like to climb all the way up, it is €20 & you can book your time slot here.
Ponte Vecchio Bridge
The 'old' bridge, think Dubai markets, It's beautiful but very busy. There are loads of street vendors selling expensive jewels right next to someone selling a €1 keychain, all vying for your attention. I definitely would suggest it around sunset for the prime views. There are also loads of nice restaurants next to the water to stop by for a cheeky happy hour cocktail.
Piazzale Michelangelo
If you want to see the statue of David without paying to see the statue, you can pop to the top of the 'hill' behind the rose garden & see an exact copy! Once at the top you will also be rewarded with a stunning panoramic view of Florence. They of course have a restaurant with gelato because #italy & there are usually buskers playing music which adds a great atmosphere to sit & relax & take in the gorgeous views.
Galleria dell'Accademia (Statue of David)
Just like seeing the Colosseum 'has' to be done in Rome, seeing the statue of the tall nakey man 'has' to be done in Florence. The statue of David really is tall AF, you need to purchase timed tickets to get into the gallery/museum.
It's actually a really large museum & if you are arty you could easily spend a couple of hours getting lost in the artworks. We actually left it last minute like you should NOT do & booked the morning of, directly from the gallery (they have a number of same day tickets available & we got lucky). 🙈 To get tickets you can book here.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa
Pisa is only one hour away from Florence & I couldn’t come that close to only go that close so we spent a morning wandering the streets of Florence & then jumped on a train to see the leaning tower. By the time we got there & found it (about 15-20 minutes stroll from the station) it was 6pm so we got takeaway pizza & ate it next to the tower in the sun.
It’s busy & you will have to wait for a specific spot but I think that any spot in that square would lead to a great photo. There’s a little museum/gift shop right opposite & a small market good for collecting cheap souveniers if you are into that.
Boboli Gardens
The illusive manicured boboli gardens with the beautiful views, that we sadly, never found. The first day we arrived we decided to go & hangout there for a few hours but took a wrong turn & missed the opening hours by about 15 minutes 😭.
We went back the second day, a different way & couldn't find the entry 🤷♀️. It was suggested that we take a few hours to just slowly wander around the gardens & leave the main track to find the hidden gems. Next time, I will definitely make an afternoon of it I'm sure that it was very gorgeous.
The Rose Garden
Finding the rose garden was a very happy accident. It has a charming view of the skyline & is filled with 400 deliciously scented rose varieties & fruit trees.
They also have a Japanese zen garden. Alot of people were relaxing & having a picnic & suntanning with friends in the garden. At the back of the rose garden they have access to the piazzale.
