Travel Diary: 72 Hours in Florence

It’s hard to believe I’ve been back in LA for over a week already…. every trip abroad is always incredible, but this last trip in Europe was one of my favorite trips to date. Every destination was incredibly magical, and the trip could not have come at a better time. I came back from two weeks abroad feeling so energized, refreshed, and inspired. I’ve been a little MIA on the blog because I actually started a new job last month! I’ve been putting most of my time and energy there (it feels so good to start something new that excites you!), but I wanted to recap all of the destinations we visited on our trip.

Although we ended our trip in Florence, it was definitely a highlight of our vacation. Florence is beyond picturesque and romantic, there is so much history and culture in the city, and the food (and wine!) is just to die for. We went for the wedding of one of my close friends from college (which was absolutely stunning, at the beautiful Villa Gamberaia outside the city! – see photos below), but fell in love with the city at the same time.

Here’s a quick snapshot of our 72 hours in Florence.

How to get there:

Florence can be a little tricky to get to – but it’s oh so worth it. There aren’t direct flights into Firenze but you can fly into one of Europe’s larger airports and then take a connecting flight. If you’re already in Italy, there are plenty of high speed trains that will take you to the city. We took a quick 2 hour train from Milan to Florence – the experience couldn’t have been better!

When to visit:

You can’t go wrong any time of year! The summers can be a little hot, so the most popular months to visit are May, June, September, and October. Apparently it’s lovely over the holidays as well. We were only in the city for 3 days but are already planning our next trip back. We fell in love with the charming town instantly, despite how many tourists there are. It still manages to feel quaint and filled with hidden gems. If you have more time, I would suggest staying longer. There are so many little day trips you can take from Florence – or if you’re up for it, you can rent a car and drive around Tuscany, exploring all of the little villages and towns. This is next on our list!

Where to stay:

We stayed at a hotel in the middle of the city a block away from the Duomo, but there are so many quaint (and affordable) Airbnbs in the city. If you’re looking for a more upscale experience, there are many luxury hotels in the city.

What to do:

Despite being an extremely manageable city in terms of size, there is SO much to do in Florence. The city is filled with museums, art, shopping, food, culture – in fact, so many of my friends studied abroad in Florence or have spent extended time in the city, we couldn’t get through even half of all of the recommendations we received.

+ Sightseeing – Florence is filled with incredible architecture and art. The Duomo and Uffizi Gallery are musts, but if you have more time you need to see Accademia Gallery, Basilica di Santa Croce, and Museo Nazionale del Bargello. You could easily spend a week in Florence visiting all of the museums and galleries.

+ Walk everywhere – One thing I really loved about the city is how walkable it is – it only took about 30 minutes to walk from one end of the city to another. If you’re looking for a small hike, be sure to catch the views from Piazza Michelangelo. There are taxis available, but the streets are narrow and you’ll honestly get there faster by walking. Plus, you’ll want to burn off some of the amazing food you’re eating (more on that later).

+ Shopping – I’ll go into this in my next post, but the shopping in Florence was amazing. If you’re a non EU citizen, you can get the value added tax – VAT – back as a refund when you leave the EU. If you’ve never done it before, it can be a little complicated – I’ll go over the details in my next post. But if you’re looking to do some shopping, Italy is not a bad place to do it!

+ Aperitivo – be sure to catch the sunset from one of the rooftop bars in Florence (the view from the Westin is unreal) or any of the little aperitivo spots along the narrow streets. One of my favorites was the spritz at La Menagere.

+ Eat! When I’m in Italy, all bets are off. The word “diet” doesn’t exist, and I enjoyed pasta and wine every. single. day. It was so worth it, and I’ve sworn off all pasta in LA for the foreseeable future. See below for some of the best meals I had in Florence.

Where to eat

+ Gusta Pizza – for 7 euros or less, you can get your own personal neopolitan pizza. This is the real deal. They even make the pizzas in a heart shape, which is just the absolute cutest.

+ Il Profeta – come here for pasta – specifically, the “John Travolta” pasta. Think – vodka sauce on crack.

+ Cantinetta Antinori – this was a girlfriend’s recommendation and it could not have been a more lovely spot. Filled with locals and regulars, we felt so at home. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but the fresh local vegetables were a much needed change from all of the carbs (why does everything taste better in Europe?!)

+ Trattoria da Mario – another recommendation from a friend. Come here hungry and ready to eat meat! They’re known for their Florentine steak. Best to brush up on your Italian a bit before you come as well – the menu is hand written every day in Italian. They’re open for lunch only, so try to get there before they open or expect to wait.

+ Gelateria Santa Trinita – I ate gelato every day (for the sake of “research”) and this spot was by far my favorite. It’s right across the bridge and always has a long line out the door. The black sesame gelato came highly recommended, but you can’t go wrong with any of the flavors.

+ Le Volpi e’Luva – the cutest wine bar with the most delicious crostinis and small bites. We loved stopping by and sampling local wines (they were so affordable as well!) and splitting a sausage & truffle crostini.

And of course, there’s nothing better than seeing one of your oldest friends so happy and in love, marrying her perfect match. Congratulations Felicia!!