After a few days in Venice, we were looking forward to going to Florence, where neither of us had been before. We took the train which took just over two hours (side note: the trains in Italy are fast, convenient and usually affordable. Highly recommend using this for easy travel around the country) and dropped us off right in the centre of the city.

Where We Stayed

As usual, we stayed in an AirBnB. This apartment is located on the other side of the river to all the main attractions in an area of town which is popular in the evenings. During the day there is not much to do, but at night when the numerous restaurants and bars open, the area comes alive. We liked being removed from the centre of the city, while the walk between them was short and easy.

Where We Ate

Fattoria Rossi Firenze: This restaurant specialises in charcuterie boards with a variety of salami, prosciutto and cheeses. The staff were very friendly and the design of the place is really nice, with brick walls and ceiling.

Trattoria Sabatino: Is a cheap, hole-in-the-wall restaurant which is run . While the food definitely isn’t a contender for the best meal in Italy, it was decent and tasty and the 4 euro pastas are perfect for a lunchtime meal if you’re trying to not spend all your money on food. The vibe is “Visiting Nonna’s house in the 1970s while all her friends are over”, which was part of the appeal. The staff did not speak much English but were very friendly. The only downfall is they don’t sell Coke Zero or Coke ‘Light’ and only full sugared, red canned, Coca Cola.

Perchè No: We have become experts in Pistachio gelato, as it has long been Todd’s go-to flavour, with Brodie recently getting on board with it as well. This is one of the best we have had, both in Italy and elsewhere and we can only assume the other flavours are good too!

What We Did

Shockingly, we did not go to any of the museums that Florence is famous for. As spectacular as some of the artwork would be, we’re hardly the type to appreciate an art museum and with the lines of people outside them at all hours of the day, it just wasn’t worth it.

Instead, we explored the city by foot, visited the Duomo and Piazzale Michelangelo which has views of the city from above.

We also took a day trip out to Pisa and the nearby coastal town of Castiglioncello for a day at the beach. The beach was not that impressive – especially after having just been in Croatia, but it was still a nice relief from the sweltering heat in Florence.

Favourite Things About Florence

Todd: The Duomo

Brodie: Piazzale Michelangelo