On our trip through the Northern and Central regions of Italy, our stop in Florence was the last but also the longest one. There, we stayed at YellowSquare Florence, which was only two tram stops or a 15 min walk from the train station and thus close to most attractions. Although larger than Venice and Bologna, it was still easy to navigate through the city and explore the capital of Italy’s Tuscany region by foot.
While we have already been on a culinary mission in Bologna, we still indulged in the food culture of Florence during our stay – from schiacciate, the typical Tuscan focaccia, to (not veggie-friendly) Florentine steak, to lesser-known Tuscan cuisine. But despite eating and sipping on our daily aperitivos, we also strolled across the city, marveling at the many beautiful buildings and gardens as well as historical and famours landmarks.
On our last full day, we also left the city to explore Tuscany beyond Florence. So, we headed south and first stopped at Villa Poggio Torselli, a historic residence and winery on the Tuscan hills of San Casciano in Val di Pesa. There, we got a tour of the estate and could enjoy splendid views of the vineyards and olive trees while learning more about wine production and trying different sorts of Chianti Classico paired with Italian delights afterwards. Following the recommendations of our guide Cathrine, we went to Poggio al Sole afterwards for another wine tasting and spent the rest of the afternoon there before heading back to Florence for one last dinner together.
And so, after nine days of exploring Italy with my favorite American, I had to say goodbye to Brigid again and, on Sunday at noon, hopped on the train back to Vienna again, but taking with me some more great memories!
Eat here
Dalla Lola: small trattoria offering lesser-known Tuscan cuisine at a reasonable price
Osteria Antica Mescita San Niccolò: Tuscan trattoria serving traditional cuisine, such as the Florentine steak
Retrobottega: small spot for paninis and the typical Tuscan schiacciateria – with best pistaccio pesto ever!
Perché no!: gelateria with a wide range of traditional and non-traditional flavors
Pasticceria Buonamici: bakery with old school interiors serving artisanal pastries and coffee
Trattoria Sant’Agostino: restaurant serving traditional typically Tuscan dishes such as wild boar pasta & Tuscan stews
Buca dell’Orafo: old wine cellar restaurant serving simple, traditional Florentine dishes
Drink here
Loggia Roof Bar, Angel Roofbar or La Terrazza: higher-class (and thus pricey) rooftop bars with a view of Florence
Caffetteria delle Oblate: cheaper option to rooftop bars at Biblioteca delle Oblate overlooking the Duomo
Gosh*: bar serving unique cocktails in a great atmosphere
Pitta M’Ingolli: bar at Piazza Santo Spirito with good and cheap drinks
The Lodge Club: restaurant, bar and club overlooking Florence, only open during summer
Bulli e Balene: bar offering spritzes, selected wines, as well as cicchetti and tramezzini
Pint Of View: minimalistic gastropub offering a vast array of Italian beers on tap, cocktails and food
Things to do
See the classics such as Ponte Vecchio, Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, Piazza della Signoria, etc.
Get the “PassePartout 5 Days” ticket to visit Uffizi, Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens within 5 days for only 38€
Try different scents and perfumes at Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
Watch the sunset at Piazzale Michaelangelo or off the beaten-path at Fiesole
Go vintage (window) shopping, e.g. at Celeste Vintage, Epoca Vintage or Melrose Vintage
Capture your trip at one of the “Fotoautomatic” photo booths around the city
Get a drink at one of the many bars around Piazza Santo Spirito
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