Fierce Firenze

Florence is a perfect city: it’s modern, yet it’s historic Renaissance roots seep through every which way you turn. It’s beautiful; it’s romantic; and the food is delicious. We spent our time in the center of the city, visiting the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, Loggia dei Lanzi and the Ponte Vecchio. We also visited the Boboli Gardens, where we took amazing pictures of the city’s skyline, Palazzo Pitti, Piazza della Repubblica and Piazzale degli Uffizi. Unfortunately, we didn’t go to any museums and in retrospect I wish we did, considering Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance (my art history professor would have been proud!) Ben and I luckily got to visit Florence twice that week since we flew back to the U.S. from there, but regardless, I hope I get the chance to explore the city again in the future!

Where we ate: Caffe Pitti for lunch– it was really good and right in Palazzo Pitti. Even better than the pasta and caprese salad I had for lunch at Palazzo Pitti was this croissant-like panini from Bar Cucciolo, near the Duomo. Think: same concept as a panini, yet the “bread” was the same taste and texture as a fluffy, layered croissant and it was stuffed with fontina cheese and ham. Delicious and to die for, despite how random it was. Ben and I also ate at La Buchetta, which was all-around fantastic from the food, to the atmosphere, to the service. We rely heavily on Trip Advisor and Yelp when we travel and that’s where we found La Buchetta. Ben and Austin also got gelato from Gelato Santa Trinita.

Where we stayed: Hotel David. It’s slightly outside the city center and about a 10-15 minute walk along the river to the Ponte Vecchio. Ben’s dad recommended it and we needed a place with parking as driving is heavily restricted in the historic city center. It’s also ranked as the 3rd best hotel in Florence! Luckily, we ended up with an upgrade to a beautiful room with a private balcony on one side and a shared terrace on the other. Super clean with a friendly staff, but definitely more on the quaint side rather than the luxury side, which I personally prefer because I like the “at-home”feel.