ROAD TRIP ITALY – FRANCE
STOP No2: FLORENCE
 

In fact, the Florence attraction performs an excellent half in that. You are sure to remain downtown, the town calls you to get misplaced in its medieval maze, following the footsteps of a few of its most well-known former inhabitants – Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante, Giotto, Boticcelli. Florence is sort of a residing canvas, the capital of artwork and the birthplace of Renaissance. Altogether, the town combines options that can make you fall for it the second you set foot there.

This put up accommodates my solutions on easy methods to spend your day – or days – in Florence. The place to eat, drink, stroll, benefit from the view and a glass of wine whereas there. It should aid you schedule your day should you’re additionally planning a Highway Journey in Italy.
 

So, brace yourselves – Florence is pure magic!

WHAT TO SEE
 

• Piazza del Duomo the place the Cattedrale di Santa Maria di Fiore – or Florence’s Cathedral – is situated. The Roman Catholic Cathedral – a superb instance of Renaissance structure in addition to the town’s trademark. Each highway will lead you there, together with the a whole bunch crowding to savour the view. You may also climb the 400 steps that can lead you to the Cathedral’s steeple, to benefit from the panoramic view. At Duomo you will additionally discover the Battistero di San Giovanni, one of many oldest buildings in Florence with its signature Gates, designed by Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo Ghiberti.
 

• From there you possibly can stroll all the way down to essentially the most well-known sq. in Florence or Piazza de la Signiora. Take a couple of breaths on the Fountain of Neptune (Fontana di Neptuno) – designed by Bartolomeo Ammanati – and search for: the big and fairly spectacular Palazzo Vecchio – the Previous Palace – stands there, with its sky-high Arnolfo Tower.
 

• Do not skip a go to to Gallery Uffizi within the Palazzo degli Uffizi the place hundreds of Tiziano, Boticceli, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo artworks are displayed together with distinctive collections of Greek, Roman and Baroque items of artwork. There are big traces to the Gallery in August, so should you resolve to go to it on the time, ebook your ticket on-line.
 

• Proceed or finish your stroll in Ponte Vecchio – the bridge over the Arno river connecting the 2 sides of Florence. Spend a couple of moments to seize its magnificence, admire it standing there for hundreds of years, having survived years and years – even after World Warfare II. Stroll on it from morning to night to benefit from the view, even when which means you are going to get misplaced within the crowd. Do go to the numerous jewellery retailers alongside the edges of the bridge and naturally, go to the bridge throughout the sunset – the view is magnificent. (In Ponte Vecchio I additionally wrote my postcards to these of you who messaged me on that day!)
 

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Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore

Ponte Vecchio

 The view from Piazzale Michelangelo

Fontana di Neptuno
 

WHERE TO EAT & DRINK
 

There are numerous choices for meals in Florence – there are eating places – and pizza – in each nook. I could also be fairly cautious in the case of meals however I ain’t no critic or loopy foodie, so my solutions are primarily based on a mixture of high quality with good customer support and worth. Florence hides a couple of nice eating places, in addition to some fairly dangerous ones.
 

That is the place I ate, I liked it and I am positively visiting once more.

• Fave Road Meals: All’Antico Vinaio

My hashtag #MaryhopOntheRoad on Instagram featured a couple of snapshots of this yummy Foodhop, since I liked it. Icredible sandwiches to-die-for with crunchy bread with oil and conventional Italian delicacies similar to prosciutto, rocket salad and sun-dried tomatoes. You create your personal sandwich, drink your wine in plastic glasses on the aspect of the highway and you will thank me later!

• Fave Meals: Antico Ristorante Paoli

A restaurant of distinctive magnificence which you will discover on the checklist of Florence’s oldest and most historic eating places. Launched in 1824 (!), it grew to become identified after the 1900’s when it reworked from a delicatessen to a historic restaurant, embellished with mural work and ceramics. Amongst its most frequent guests had been Puccini and Marinetti and, if nothing of the above persuaded you, then it will certainly do: BEST GNOCCHI on the town. Nice meals, wonderful service – signal of the restaurant’s status. Waiters of older age, extremely well mannered with a ardour for meals and the restaurant itself. I extremely suggest it.

• Fave Gelato: La Carraia

I tasted a couple of totally different ice lotions to finish up selecting La Carraia as my favourite in Florence. Situated on the opposite aspect of Ponte Vecchio, close to the historic centre, it provides nice number of chocolate-flavored gelato and naturally, tremendous creamy pistacchio which was my father’s favourite and proper there, in Florence, I realised the explanation why.

• Fave Wine Spot: Piazza di Santo Spirito

One of the vital vigorous neighborhoods of the town, on the opposite aspect of Ponte Vecchio – so you possibly can mix it with a gelato in La Carraia – you will get pleasure from a glass of Italian wine or cocktail if you want, admiring the view of the church – a masterpiece of Fillipo Brunelleschi.

All’ Antico Vinaio

Antico Ristorani Paoli 

La Carraia Gelato

Florence is a metropolis you will love – little doubt for that. There is no probability it can allow you to down because it has some nice photos and views in retailer for you. With a little bit of cautious choice, you will style some wonderful conventional Italian meals too. You will really feel a bit pissed off at first, as nearly all of eating places closes at midday at late within the night however you will forgive her.
 

I can not wait it to go to Florence once more, spend a couple of days extra and style extra of those pistacchio gelatos.
 

Subsequent cease? The super-amazing and vibrant Cinque Terre. Keep tuned for cease quantity 3!

Quickly on Maryhop! 

Maria Kalymnou

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