Florence, Italy
After my first time in Florence, I concluded that it was a city that fit all of my criteria for a place I would love. The size of the city is perfect for strolling, and it has so much beauty and history to discover. I would highly recommend some sort of walking tour of Florence, as it gives life to the buildings and the history within them.
View of Palazzo Pitti from the Boboli Gardens.
Photo by Hunter Sawyer on 35mm film.
A great place to start exploring this city is Palazzo Pitti/Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens. I have not yet had taken a tour of the palace itself, but it is worth a visit to at least see the impressive exterior. If you want to pay for entrance to the Boboli Gardens, I thoroughly enjoyed wandering through the various sections, seeing the many varieties of trees, appreciating the sculptures and grottos, and even searching for turtles in the ponds and lizards climbing up the trees. It would be easy to spend a few hours exploring all of the corners of the gardens. When I visited, the entrance fee for the gardens also gave access to a special exhibit hall in the stables. As you walk away from the Palace and towards the river, keep an eye out for an elevated hallway that leaves the Palace. This is the Vasari Corridor, which leads across the Ponte Vecchio, through the Uffizi Gallery and to the Palazzo Vecchio. It was the method the royal family of Florence used to travel this route.
Portrait in the Boboli Gardens.
Photo by Hunter Sawyer on 35mm film.
If you are looking for something good to eat after exploring the gardens, I highly recommend Gustapizza. I ordered the classic Margherita pizza, but every option here looked delicious. The overall vibe of the restaurant was also very fun, fast paced, and authentic, and the prices are very reasonable.
Inside the Boboli Gardens.
Photo by Hunter Sawyer on 35mm film.
This side of the river, you will also definitely want to head to Piazzale Michelangelo. A visit here is most worthwhile at golden hour or sunset, or better yet both. The view offers a panorama of the entire city, and the beautiful Italian light and sunsets are captured so well from here.
The Arno River.
Photo by Hunter Sawyer on 35mm film.
To cross over to the other side of town, you should take the Ponte Vecchio. The world famous bridge is lined with gold shops and offers a wonderful place to stroll, window shop, and take pictures with the backdrop of the river. The previously mentioned royal pathway crosses the upper level of the bridge. Evidently, the Ponte Vecchio once featured many meat and fish shops. However, the smell became too overpowering and the shops were converted to ones that sold wares more like the current shops.
Looking up while inside the Boboli Gardens.
Photo by Hunter Sawyer on 35mm film.
One of my favorite things to do in Florence is to walk along the Arno River. The blue green color of the river compliments the yellow and orange palette of the buildings that run alongside it. The view here is gorgeous all throughout the day, but especially during golden hour.
Pensione Pendini in Piazza della Repubblica.
Photo by Hunter Sawyer on 35mm film.
The next few locations contain a little bit of magic for me specifically. The first is a tiny artist shop we found while wandering the city. We stumbled upon this tiny room, with tall ceilings but a size not much larger than a closet. I was drawn in by a woman painting at the back of this room. We entered to see an expansive and stunning collection of artwork. We ended up purchasing a tiny hand painted image of the Florence skyline – the painting and its frame measure less than three inches total. The Gold Corner is a jewelry shop in the Piazza di Santa Croce, next to the Basilica di Santa Croce di Firenze, another beautiful church in Florence. My grandmother discovered this store when she visited Italy, and brought back some gifts for my family. My grandmother then developed a relationship with the two jewelers, and occasionally met them when they came to New York for trunk shows. When I traveled here with friends in college, we visited the store and shared stories of my grandmother. I also visited while traveling with my husband on our honeymoon, and purchased ceramic black rings for my mom and I.
Palazzo Vecchio in the Piazza della Signoria.
Photo by Hunter Sawyer on 35mm film.
Next to Palazzo Vecchio in the Piazza della Signoria, is the full-size replica of the statue of David. Nearby is the Mercato Nuovo, where you can find many traditional Florentine staples, including leather bags. This is also where Il Porcellino, a bronze statue of a wild boar said to bring good luck, is located. The museum for Salvatore Ferragamo is in the Piazza di Santa Trinita, as well as many of the very upscale and expensive shopping locations.
Mercato Nuovo.
Photo by Hunter Sawyer on 35mm film.
Some of the most iconic buildings in Florence are the Duomo and Baptistry. I absolutely love the architectural style of these buildings, and the colors used inside and outside the Cathedral. If you want to take an official tour or climb up the cathedral, make sure to secure a spot in advance. We learned this the hard way when our October visit ended up coinciding with a school vacation week in Europe that we were completely unaware of! In the square with the Duomo is Gelateria Edoardo, an organic gelato store offering delicious flavors and varieties. Grom is another gelato shop near here. It’s actually a chain location that you will find in many cities in Italy.
Duomo at golden hour.
Photo by Hunter Sawyer on 35mm film.
Trattoria Za Za was a recommendation from a blogger I follow and trust implicitly for all travel recommendations, Lauren Knight (Aspiring Kennedy). We loved the atmosphere, the excellent service, and the food. The truffle fries were AMAZING. One of our favorite and most fun food experiences in Florence was Mercato Centrale. This is an entire indoor food market, and you absolutely most come hungry and ready to EAT. We had freshly made gnocchi with sage, fried zucchini flowers and fried sage, cappuccinos, and various desserts (to name a few things…) It was so good and we left very full.
The Duomo bell tower.
Photo by Hunter Sawyer on 35mm film.
If you want to see Michelangelo’s statue of David, you will have to visit the Galleria dell’Accademia. A student ID gets you discounted entry to the museum. I absolutely did not expect to be as moved by this work of art as I was. It was awe-inspiring to see the detail and humanity he was able to bring to this piece of marble.
Buildings along the Arno River.
Photo by Hunter Sawyer on 35mm film.
As this is my first post about this beautiful country, here are some of my top tips for Italy: grazie is pronounced “gratzi-yay”, make sure you validate all of your train tickets (and while you’re at it, expect the worst from all of your Italian train experiences), and enjoy as much gelato as you can (prices average a little over one Euro per scoop, and it can’t be beat as a snack break during your many adventures).