Um, raise your hand if you’re as excited I am to kickoff my Italy travel series! I really really hope everyone raised their hand. And if you didn’t, that’s okay. After browsing through today’s post, I’m hoping that might change.
I can’t say this enough – Italy was magical. If you know me at all, you know how much it meant for me to finally visit. I could literally eat pasta for every meal. I’m obsessed with the culture & the people. There were special moments that carried more meaning than others. And did I mention, all of the gelato, pesto, aperol spritzes, limencello and espresso I could consume? Heck yes.
Today’s post is all about Florence – the first stop on our Italian adventure. We only spent two nights/three days here but we crammed in as much as we could! Now fair warning: we didn’t get a chance to do as much of the super touristy & historical stops so you won’t find many recs here – but you know what to do, just google that $h!t. We did however fit in lots of wine, pasta, exploring cobblestoned streets, etc.
So without further ado, the first of many travel diaries coming your way this week….
Watch the Florence Travel Diary!
Getting There…
Well let me just tell you – this was quite the journey. Our flight (only $460 roundtrip!!!) got into the Venice airport around 9am.
From there, we took a bus to Piazzele Roma which is a transportation pub right by the Venice train station. The ride was about 20 minutes and cost 8 euro one way or 15 euro round trip. We purchased the roundtrip ticket since that’s how we’d be returning.
After our bus arrived at Piazzele Roma, we walked over the bridge to the Venezia Santa Lucia station to catch our train to Florence. We purchased tickets online and upgraded to first class – these were about $50 per ticket and the ride was a little under two hours.
After arriving at the Firenze Santa Maria Novella train station, we took the tram to our hotel! I told y’all…it was a journey but so worth it.
Stay…
When looking for places to stay in Florence, we knew we wanted to be close enough to the city center but still far enough away so we weren’t right in the middle of the crowds. When I found Riva Lofts on Instagram – I was sold.
This was by far one of the most gorgeous properties I’ve ever called home and wish we could have stayed for an entire week. The décor is super minimal and modern but still keeps the essence of traditional Italy. The rooms are light & airy and the staff were absolutely amazing and super friendly. We stayed in the loft which was perfect in so many ways. We had a terrace, a living room and kitchen, lots of closet space and tons of room to stretch out and relax.
The pool area provided the perfect backdrop for resting in hammocks and enjoying wine with new friends and the breakfast each morning was to die for (the fresh peach juice was BOMB). Highly suggest staying here even if just for a night when visiting Florence.
Explore…
Getting Around
One thing to note, there are no ubers. We took a taxi everywhere and it was pretty affordable. It was a little challenging to get a taxi while in town since you have to either call one or find a taxi stand but we got pretty lucky. They also have a tram which is like a subway or metro that also seemed pretty easy to use when trying to get around.
The Food
When it comes to food, we didn’t make any plans or reservations. We would just stumble across little cafes while exploring and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I loved the spaghetti e olio at 4 Leoni and the pizza at Ristorante Borgo Antico was to die for. Honestly I feel like you can’ go wrong anywhere you go!
To Do
Florence is full of charming little squares. One of my favorites was the Piazza Della Passera. This was where we ventured on night one and had the yummiest gelato of all time. For a slight Rodeo Drive vibe, make sure to visit the Piazza de Michelangelo district. The people watching is amazing here and the shops are stunning.
We obviously had to visit wine country and loved our tour through Tuscan Wine Time. We visited three wineries in the Chianti Region and it was one of the best days of my life. Each winery shipped wine back to the US which was so helpful.
As far as monuments/landmarks go, we didn’t get a ton of time to explore ut we did visit the Giardino di Bobol and the Ponte Vecchio bridge. My suggestion: grab a pizza and a bottle of wine and take in the sunset here. It’s breathtaking.
What I Wore…
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So much envy!! I also need that manicure, so pretty!
xo Jessica
My Style Vita
Great post! Italy is one my dream spots! All your photos and videos are gorgeous, and I want to go more than ever now. Most importantly, how did you get those roundtrip ticket prices??
Tabitha
https://shopsiloe.com/