Sunsets over Italy
Part II : Florence
This is Part II of my three-part Italy series. You can find Part I : Rome here and Part III : Travel Tips will be coming soon!
The second half of our trip, we escaped the hustle and bustle of Rome and made our way into the Tuscan countryside. We spent the day in my husband’s great-grandfather’s hometown before continuing on to Florence. I recommend planning your trip in this order if you decide to visit Rome and Florence. Rome is bigger and will require the most energy. For us, Florence was slower and much more relaxed. We didn’t spend as much time in Florence, so it is definitely somewhere I’d like to revisit the next time I am in Italy.
Make sure to download the FREE 6-day Itinerary at the end of this post!
Day 4: Country Cruisin’
Some rental cars will be manual and some will be automatic. Make sure you check that when you reserve your car. Also, make sure to apply for your international driving permit. More on this will be in Part III.
We rose early in the morning to check out of our Airbnb and called Ubers to take us to our car rental location. From there, we drove a little over an hour through gorgeous countryside to a little town called Bagnaia. This is actually the town where my husband’s great-grandfather grew up and everyone was so excited to visit. Bagnaia reminded me of a classic Tuscan town frozen in time. We drove in down tight, winding roads, and made our way to the town center. A grand clock tower overlooks the square and two churches stand at each corner. It felt as if we had been transported to the medieval times. At least architecturally.
As we explored the town, we came upon Villa Lante, for which Bagnaia is most well-known for. We had left the medieval period and entered the Renaissance. Stunning gardens sprawled before us; fountains and running water structures were engineered throughout the entire property. Most were no longer in use, but I can’t imagine how beautiful it would have been to see it in all its glory. We stopped by a map on our way out of the Villa and there in the city, was a street named “Largo Delio Milioni.” We hadn’t known about this street prior to visiting, but now, we were determined to see it.
As we walked through the streets, we passed elderly men sitting on benches smoking cigars, women in bathrobes gossiping outside their doors, and clothes hanging to dry on lines strung across the streets. It was all very surreal. Not many people knew English, but my father-in-law asked around if anyone knew his family name, given the street named after them. To our delight, a woman understood the name, and could communicate very little except that her mother was a Milioni before marrying! It was an exciting meeting and she even agreed to take a picture with the family.
After walking around the small town, we sat down for lunch in the main square. I believe we ate at ristorante pizzeria, but it is possible that it is the same restaurant as Il Borgo. They are located right next to each other in the main square.
If you are driving through the Tuscan countryside, I think Bagnaia was a cute stop. Villa Lante really is beautiful and the gardens are impressive.
After lunch, we said goodbye to the sleepy town of Bagnaia and continued our trip to Florence. Once we arrived, we dropped off our rental cars and made our way to the Airbnb. Remember how I said to try and pack carry-on in Part I? This is why. We had to walk a decent bit along the Arno before we reached the streets up to the apartment. We were forewarned that there were stairs, and boy were there stairs. And then a very large, steep hill. And yet more stairs once we entered the building. It did not help that it was incredibly hot and humid this day as well. We huffed and puffed our way up the hill and finally made it inside. Now, one of the selling points for this Airbnb was the hot tub. When we got there, we searched all over for this promised hot tub. Once our host arrived to officially check us in, we asked about it and he told us that, despite the ad, they did not actually have a hot tub during this time of the year. So, double check with the host that all the amenities will be provided as advertised.
We settled in and cleaned up, taking this time to relax after the drive. It was still so hot and sticky, no one really wanted to go anywhere quite yet. But eventually, the sun started to set and our hunger got the best of us so we decided to venture out for dinner. The thing I love about Florence is how compact the city is. It is much smaller than Rome, so you could probably walk the entire city in a day. We crossed Ponte Vecchio, elbowing our way through the crowds. While a huge tourist attraction, the old bridge is only home to expensive jewelry shops and there’s not a lot to see. I suggest walking down to one of the other bridges. The traffic is much lighter, plus you’ll get a great view of Ponte Vecchio without having to fight the crowds. Although, if you need water, there is a fresh water fountain on Ponte Vecchio that we filled up at a few times.
Once across, we entered a shopaholic’s dream. Designer brands, boutiques, and even familiar brands such as Lush, H&M, and Zara lined the streets alongside restaurants and gelaterias. The Mercato del Porcellino, a leather and goods market, was closing up for the day, and a line of tourists gathered on the outskirts, waiting for their turn to rub Il Porcellino’s nose for good luck. Legend says, if you place a coin in the boar’s mouth and it falls into the grate, it means you will return to Florence someday. Good thing it’s only a legend, because if that’s true, then none of us are coming back…
Across the way, music and cigarette smoke beckoned us into Piazza della Signoria. The Torre di Arnolfo, part of Palazzo Vecchio, stood watch, casting a long shadow over the piazza. People mingled in the Loggia dei Lanzi, a beautiful (and free) open air museum located adjacent to Palazzo Vecchio. Restaurants lined the square, but again, the prices were outrageous, and the smoke seemed heavier here than it had in Rome. When I was doing research for this trip, one blogger had suggested we try Coquinarius, and specifically the pear ravioli. Please, if you go to Florence, go to Coquinarius. You will not be disappointed. I suggest putting in a reservation, it is quite a popular place, and with such a big party, we waited close to an hour for a table, but it was so worth it.
If you've heard of all the extra charges for dining in Italy, and it worried you, this is for you. It is true that you pay per head and you pay for water. A lot of places charge for bread as well. HOWEVER, Coquinarius was the nicest meal we had and it was still cheaper than an equivalent meal in the States. Let me break it down. Included in our bill were: our coperto (price per head), our waters, 1 appetizer, 2 glasses of wine, 2 full entrées, and 2 desserts. This cost less than $60 USD. It is possible to eat well and not pay a fortune when you travel, just make sure to look beforehand.
Despite us having a large, last minute party, the hostess, waitress, and the owner of the restaurant were all very nice and welcoming. They made helpful suggestions on appetizers and wine pairings for our meals. Everything was delicious - we couldn’t stop ordering food! I think the total bill had at least 5 appetizers on it. Side note: No one wanted to come to this restaurant. I mean no one. There was the long wait, everyone was hungry, and no one wanted to decide on a restaurant. I was dead set on eating here while in Florence so I was going with or without them. I’m not saying I’m always right, but everyone agreed that this was one of the best meals on the trip. Once we got back home to the States, the pear ravioli was one of the first things I tried to recreate. I still haven’t been able to imitate it, but I’ll keep trying until I do, or I’ll just have to go back for more.
After dinner, we walked down the streets, taking our time to enjoy the night. Like I said, Florence is much smaller than Rome so the sites are all closer together than you may think. I didn’t even realize that Coquinarius was even in the vicinity until we turned a corner and all of a sudden the Duomo stood in front of us. It was stunning. Lamplight lit her from below, casting dramatic shadows up towards the famous dome. A few patrons sat at cafés lining the courtyard, enjoying their late evening meals. It definitely felt a little magical standing there in the moonlight.
We made our way back into Piazza della Signoria, having more time to enjoy the area now that people weren’t hangry. At this time, most of the group hadn’t purchased Firenzecards. My husband and I had purchased ours online, but we needed to trade in the vouchers for the physical cards. Palazzo Vecchio is one of the places where you can obtain your physical card. Surprisingly, the ticket booth was still open that late at night. And, since it was so late - I’m pretty sure most exhibits in the museum were closed - there were no lines so we were able to make the transactions pretty quickly. I have more on the Firenzecards in my free Itinerary at the end of this post. For the ease of access, I think it was worth the price. It was also super helpful that we were able to get them this night because the next day was jam packed with activities and we wanted to get an early start.
Day 5: Marble and Leather
Since our time in Florence was shorter than our time in Rome, we wanted to try and see as much as we could. Looking back, I wish we had taken our entire trip slower. I mentioned this in my post about Rome, but there is just so much you miss when you speed through cities like these. But hindsight is 20/20. My husband, his parents, and I left early to get tickets for the Galleria degli Uffizi. Something that was a little confusing when reading the instructions for the Firenzecard is that while you don’t have to pay for a separate ticket, and there is a line for Firenzecard holders, you still need to wait in the ticketing line to reserve an entrance time and ticket (you can also reserve a time online but I think you still need to pick up your physical ticket?). So when we arrived, we tried to find signs telling us what to do. Surprisingly, the entrance line for Firenzecard holders was super short. I think in the back of our minds we knew that we would need to go get a separate ticket but, like I said, it wasn’t super clear. We got in line and figured the wait wasn’t too bad if we ended up needing to actually purchase a ticket. When we reached the front, the admission officer confirmed we needed a reservation and kindly pointed us in the direction we needed to go to get our ticket.
Some fun facts about the Firenzecard: they don’t allow you to book time slots for absent people. Everyone needs to be present with their own Firenzecard. The rest of the family were hoping to sleep in and have us grab tickets for them, but they will not allow you to do that. Also, for some reason this didn't click at the time of the trip, but you will need bookings for both the Uffizi and the Accademia.
Somehow, we ended up in yet another wrong line trying to book our own reservations, but thankfully the person at the ticket booth was extremely kind and allowed us to get our tickets there instead of sending us to the correct line.
The original plan was to treat the Uffizi like a fast-pass. We would grab our reservations and then come back with the rest of the family and do the museum together. However, with the line being so short and not being able to reserve their spots anyways, we decided to book our time slot for that hour and I’m really glad we did. The ticketing lines just kept getting longer and longer and even the Firenzecard holder line was starting to back up. I enjoyed the Uffizi, and I think going in the morning was actually best since it wasn’t super crowded yet.
After the Uffizi, my husband’s parents returned to the Airbnb to grab the others while my husband and I made our way to the Duomo. Already, the square was full of people milling about, trying to find the correct lines for the correct exhibits. While free to enter with the Firenzecard, you still need to book a time if you wish to climb the dome. I’m sure it would’ve been amazing to see the inside, but the lines were just too long. We continued past the Duomo and made our way to the Basilica di San Lorenzo. I believe there are a few different lines for this church as well, but we were able to enter through the cloister. It was a beautiful and peaceful area to just walk around and catch your breath. I know we entered the cellar and explored the museum below, and I believe we were able to enter into the main church. (If you’re looking for bathrooms, the ones in the gift shop were nice and clean. You do have to pay to use them though, which is pretty common in Europe.) The only thing we didn’t see were the Medici Chapels. Those do have a separate entrance and the lines were very long.
After San Lorenzo, we made our way to the Galleria dell’Accademia, home of Michelangelo’s David. You will also need to book a time slot for the Accademia as well, but they do have priority access for Firenzecard holders after you’ve received it. The ticket line for this was much easier to navigate than the Uffizi. We waited a little longer to get in as it was reaching noon and the crowds were gathering, but once we were inside it opened up as people split off to explore different exhibits. Like the Vatican is known for the Sistine Chapel, the Accademia is largely known for the sculpture of David. Thankfully, the David did not disappoint. We entered a hall lined with unfinished sculptures that paved a way to David, standing alone under a skylight. The sculptures were big, but David stands taller than the rest. We stood in awe at his feet along with the rest of the onlookers.
Wear layers if you plan on traveling to Italy in the spring/summer. While it may rain, it is also very likely that you will get caught waiting in line out in the sun. The line for the Accademia wrapped around the building and people had been waiting for hours to enter.
We continued our adventure through the museum, overwhelmed by the expansive collection of art spanning centuries. Once we exited, we were surprised to find the rest of the family in line waiting for their timed entrance. We made plans to meet up once they were finished to check out Mercato Centrale and the neighboring Mercato di San Lorenzo. In the meantime, we walked the nearby streets to find a small snack. We ended up choosing Arà: è Sicilia, a small standing room only street food café. All their food looked amazing, but we settled on a gelato and our first cannoli.
A while later, everyone was back together and we made the short walk to Mercato Centrale. Outside, the streets were bustling as tourists milled about, weaving between tents and leather stands. We started inside, hoping to escape the midday sun. The entire lower level of the building boasted shops, vendors selling fresh meat, fish, and pasta, and a few food-based souvenir stores. In the middle of the market, stairs leading up to the second floor brought us to the food court. Options ranged from desserts to street food, Asian to local Italian, coffee and pastries to pizzas and arranchini. Friends gathered over pizza and wine while school kids enjoyed casual lunch dates. The trick was finding a table large enough for our family to sit down in the midst of the popular gathering place.
Once we finished enjoying another round of cappuccinos and cornettos, we split off to explore the market and surrounding outdoor leather market. I suggest not buying dried pasta goods from the souvenir stores inside. We bought a few packages of pastas with flavorings that we wouldn’t have normally tried and when we made them they were not that great. Usually those things will be way over-priced as well. We made our way out into the leather market and wandered around, enjoying the weather and strategically avoiding the stares and calls of the merchants. Until I stumbled upon a stunning leather jacket hanging on one of the racks. Beautiful navy blue leather formed the body of the jacket while the lapels and folded cuffs contrasted with light tan. It was sleek and fitted, cinching to accentuate the waist and hips. My husband saw the look with disdain as the merchant took the opportunity to pull us into conversation. Five minutes later, we were in the brick and mortar store and the owner himself was smooth-talking us into buying not one, but two leather jackets. My husband settled on a handsome, terracotta-colored jacket that fit him like a glove. Thanks to his lack of wanting to purchase anything at all, he was able to barter down the prices of the two jackets by almost half.
Whenever you visit a marketplace, don't be afraid to barter down prices. Most of the time, items are priced well above their value and the merchants know that. More often than not, you will be able to get a more reasonable price if you show hesitancy or ask for cheaper. We did this in Italy, but also on a trip to the Bahamas as well.
Now Florence is known for their leather, so it’s no surprise that almost all the tourists will have bought a leather jacket. It’s quite a touristy thing to do. But for the quality and price, we couldn’t have done any better in the States. After showing our new jackets off to the family, my brother-in-law actually bought one the next day.
We all headed back to the Airbnb to clean up and regroup before going to dinner. My father-in-law chose the restaurant this night, his decision based solely on the racks of meat hanging in the window. After days of pasta and pizza and carbs, the men were ready for meat. We ate at L’Osteria - Cucina Casalinga. Even though they were just starting out, the dining room was packed. They were grateful for all the business and asked that we leave reviews to help them gain exposure. The menu felt classically Italian, having similar pasta dishes to those on other menus. Their main specialty, however, was meat and steaks (specifically, cuts larger than any sane person should eat at one time). The food was good, and we all enjoyed the experience as we ate over glasses of good wine. If you’re looking for meat, this is not one to miss.
This restaurant did not make it into my travel guide, so here's a sneaky extra for you. You can google the restaurant, but the address is Via dei Neri, 12r, 50122 Firenze.
After dinner, we walked around and grabbed gelato at Gelateria dei Neri. They have so many flavors here, I definitely recommend checking them out. Everyone was pretty tired towards the end of the night, and we had plenty more to see and do the next day, so we headed back to the Airbnb pretty early. P.s. Florence’s skyline is beautiful at night. If you can find a balcony or rooftop bar, be sure to check out the views.
Day 6: Midnight Train
We woke up on our last morning in Florence, excited to see as much as we could before our late train back to Rome. My husband and I picked up some coffee and pastries from a nearby café and brought them back for the others for a quick breakfast while everyone packed. Thankfully, our Airbnb was partnered with a luggage holding service so we could check out and leave in the morning without having to haul all our bags with us throughout the day. It took us a while to find the place, but once we did, we were off to explore.
The luggage hold was down the Arno, close to Palazzo Pitti. My husband and I decided to start here while the rest went off to other parts of the city. I highly recommend visiting the all the museums in Palazzo Pitti; they were honestly some of my favorite. The palace doesn’t just hold and showcase art, the palace itself is art. Ornately decorated rooms boast beautiful walls, ceilings, and even floors and doorways. It was stunning, and for once, we took our time meandering through the halls.
Palazzo Pitti sits pretty high up on my list of favorite museums. (The Prado in Madrid is my first.) Don't pass this one up on your next trip to Florence.
After we left the opulence of the palace, we continued on into the equally beautiful Giardino di Boboli. The garden represents a true “Italian garden,” and statues, fountains, and grottos are distributed throughout the massive park. Wear your walking shoes though, and dress for the weather, because, while there are shaded areas, the park is hilly and you’ll definitely break a sweat walking around. Especially if the sun is out like it was on the day we went. The park is a great way to burn off all those carbs you’ve been consuming on your trip as well. We climbed the large stairway and were rewarded with stunning views of Pitti Palace with Florence in the background. Groups sat on the various benches and grassy areas, enjoying the weather and people-watching. It’s definitely a great place to take a breather if you have the time.
A while later, we left Pitti Palace and made our way across the Arno to Palazzo Vecchio. On our way, we actually spotted my husband’s parents and brother getting lunch in one of the cafés lining the street. We joined them and talked them into climbing the Torre di Arnolfo, the tower of Palazzo Vecchio. Coming in around 400 steps, the tower offers panoramic views of the entire city. It’s a great place to go if you want a postcard shot of the Duomo and bell tower. Because the stairs are so narrow and steep, and the top landing doesn’t accommodate that many people, we had to wait in line for a decent while. But if you love bird’s eye views, it is so worth it. After climbing back down, we explored the rest of the museum on our own, the other three were off to do their own thing again.
The rest of the day, we walked around the city, drinking in the sights one last time before we left. Too tired to research a spot for dinner, my husband and I went back to Mercato Centrale and ordered our last Italian pizza and some arranchini to go with it. The skylights cast golden beams across the food court as the sun began to set on our trip. We made plans to all meet up at the luggage storage location to pick up our bags before walking to the train station. Despite the questionable safety measures the luggage hold had, all our bags were there along with our valuables. The train station was actually the furthest destination we had to walk to in Florence, and of course we had to do it with our bags in tow, but the setting sun cast gorgeous shades of pink and purple across the sky, making it a little more enjoyable.
After a long, and loud walk as our suitcase wheels click-clacked over the cobblestone roads, we made it to the Santa Maria Novella Train Station, passing the church for which it’s named after along the way. We had anticipated to maximize our time in Florence, so I didn’t book our tickets until 10pm that night. But because of the luggage hold closing at 6, and us not being able to do much with our bags, we had arrived at the station super early. Since we had so much time, the siblings went off to explore the little gift shops while my husband and I started to settle into one of the benches. However, a few minutes later, my father-in-law came back, grinning like a cat, with new train tickets for the next train. Which left in 5 minutes.
Now under a huge time constraint, we rushed off to find the rest of the family before dashing towards the platform. Because the announcement had been so sudden, with so little time to process, I hadn’t properly put on my bags, and I had my phone and my water in one hand. When I went to adjust my bag, my phone slipped out and hopped along the concrete over the edge… We all stared in horror; just my luck. Suddenly, my sweet husband was down between the train and the platform, grabbing my phone for me. How likely was it that he could’ve electrocuted himself on the rails? I’m not sure. His family was pretty shocked that he did that; I was just in shock at the whole fiasco that had just transpired. Thankfully, we were all able to board the train, all our possessions in hand, and we sat settled in for the hour or so trip back to Rome.
The next day, we left for the airport and flew home. At least back to the States. Everyone’s tickets had us landing in Charlotte then connecting to New York, but the rest of the family decided to jump off after Charlotte and just drive the rest of the way home. Since my husband and I had already booked a flight home out of New York and had a hotel for that night, we kept on for the last leg of the trip. After days of cappuccinos and cornettos, we dug into a proper all-American breakfast at a diner close to the hotel the next day, and grabbed Shake Shack for lunch before we finally caught our flight back home.
As much fun as we had had in Italy, there is no better feeling than showering in your own shower and sleeping in your own bed. After 10 days, it was also so sweet to hold our puppy again.
I hope you enjoyed Part II of my Italy diary! Check out Rome if you haven’t already, and stay tuned for a whole post dedicated to my travel tips and hacks!
Download my FREE 6-day Rome and Florence Itinerary here! I promise I won’t send you anything except the PDF.
Once you submit your email, it will redirect you to the PDF. On iPhone, download the PDF then copy the PDF to Books. You can also save this PDF to your Google Drive and access it there. On a computer, once you are redirected, download the PDF and save it to your desktop.
I hope you it useful! These are all just suggestions, but I did a lot of research to put together the best possible schedule!