Ciao Firenze

Florence is a beautiful city filled with so much history. The cobblestone streets, art filled museums, beautiful Arno, and endless supply of pasta are just a few of the greatest Florentine contributions to this world.

The stunning city rests in the Tuscany region of Italy near the northern center of the country. One of my favorite things to do in a new city is just walk around and get a feel for it. In Florence, I walked around the bridges over the Arno and through seemingly endless crevices, arches, and beautiful structures. The town itself was adorned with beauty and the adorable shops and restaurants

One morning I headed to the Galleria dell’Accademia and stood in line (around 45 minutes) to see some of Italy’s great work. I would recommend booking online prior to your visit- a simple google search will bring you to any site to purchase passes. But the wait was worth it to see such acclaimed work. In the center of the small gallery is The David, a larger than life marble sculpture created by Michaelangelo. Just around the corner from the museum is the Piazza Santa Croce. The artist behind David, as well as many other Italian greats rest inside the basilica which has become known as “The Temple of the Italian Glories.” The church is beautiful and I got to admire it during one of my lunches with some incredible pasta. I also had the chance to take an Al Fresco painting class in the piazza that I found through Airbnb’s experiences (https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/32998). The class was a hands on way to learn the history of the city and take home a personal souvenir (that was quite the hassle to get on airplanes but very worth it).

Italian food is unrivaled and the whole trip, I kept ordering full out items because hey, when in Rome! Some of my favorite restaurants were Gusta Pizza, Oínos Restaurante, Osteria Santo Spirito and Trattoria Borgo Antico.

And of course, in expected fashion, I finished every meal with some gelato from a gelatería on dei Neri right around the corner from the apartment. You can’t go wrong with one extra scoop.

With love,

Carly