Our visit to Florence, Italy
For the longest time, I couldn’t bring myself to write down my thoughts about our experience in Florence, Italy. It’s not because it was a bad one, or that I didn’t have what to share, it’s because our stay in this incredible city has been idyllic… really, just that, and I wanted to relish in those memories.
Florence was the last city we visited on our 4-month trip through Europe. Maybe it was the inevitable return home to the United States or the exhaustion that has accumulated over the course of those months, but, for the first time in our trip, we allowed ourselves to slow down and soak in the days spent there. We didn’t rush to museums or other important landmarks like we did in any other city we visited so far… instead, we strolled endlessly through the small streets, discovering the city one place and/or monument at a time.
I’ll never forget the feelings this city has awakened in me: a bit of a sweet and painful nostalgia over what has been a changing point in our lives; a feeling of content and peace that I have not experienced in a long time, along with the fear of an impending end to what has been like a dream, and what was to come next. I have shared the exact feelings I had on our last morning in Florence, and they have been true throughout our stay there.
I have heard so many people sharing feelings of infatuation for this city, and prior to visiting it, I wasn’t so sure I believed them. It wasn’t until we got there ourselves that we understood - there really is something about Florence that makes it unforgettable.
This is not to say that Florence is a perfect city. In fact, from the moment we arrived there, and the time it took us to get from the train station to our B&B, I wasn’t so thrilled about it. As we got off the train and proceeded to what would be our “home” for the next 7 days, some dark clouds were quickly covering the sky. We were fairly close, so we decided to walk that distance, and regretted it shortly after.
Florence has some tiny and uneven sidewalks, not to mention the fact that they’re packed with people, so dragging a suitcase, even if as small as our carry-ons was a pain. With all that, we still arrived at our B&B a little before the 3pm check-in.
Since our B&B stated clearly that there is no check-in prior to that time, we decided to wait by the entrance. We were very lucky to be sheltered; as soon as we arrived there, it began pouring, and the rain and thunder didn’t stop for about two hours.
In Florence, we decided to book our stay with Pallazo Graziani, a traditional B&B, keyword being “traditional”; given that we booked in May, for September, I think we did pretty well, as we chose this place due to the proximity to everything. However, what made us not hesitate on it was the rooftop, and its incredible views - we spent a lot of time on that rooftop.
A little after 5pm the rain stopped and we went out in search of food, as we were hungry.
In Florence, like in many other places in Italy, and Europe, restaurants open usually after 7pm, but you can find some here and there that open earlier.
As we were walking, we came across Corte dei Pazzi restaurant and seeing that it was open, and after a quick search for reviews, we decided to dine there. We did not regret our choice. Apart from the staff being very nice and accommodating, the food was incredible. It was also nice reading all the messages on the walls left by people from all over the world who dined there.
Happy after a good meal, we walked towards the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as The Duomo, which to me was one of the most impressive buildings I’ve seen in our entire trip. There really isn’t anything else quite like it: it is massive and breathtakingly beautiful, but what made me fall in love with it was its facade and the way the light fell on it at sunset.
The Duomo is the third-largest church in the world and has been standing tall since 1436. With its exterior covered in green, red, and white marble (also the colors of Italy’s flag), it is the most important landmark in Florence and is visible from any high point in the city (and what a view that is!).
Piazza del Duomo, the square where the Cathedral is located, is the busiest and liveliest place in Florence. With everything you can wish for, from restaurants to cafes and shops, the piazza is buzzing. However, what left me teary while there were the artists who sang in the square; each of their voices, along with the acoustics of the Cathedral formed a powerful and emotional duo. I could stand there for hours listening to them, or just simply watching the crowd in a constant “come and go”.
The Duomo
Walking through Florence sure felt like going back in time; the city has maintained many building elements and architecture dating from the medieval times.
It is known that Florence, apart from being the capital of the Tuscany region in Italy, is also considered the birthplace of Renaissance. Once the official capital of Italy, even if for a short time, it boasts of rich culture, numerous museums, galleries, monuments, and architecture. However, I’m sure I’m not the only one saying that Florence is best viewed from above; its streets are tiny, and many look unimpressive. The buildings are close to each other, and so you could miss important architectural details because of that. Even so, you’re bound to stumble upon something beautiful when walking.
Fontana del Nettuno, Firenze
There truly is such a thing as “travel fatigue”, and even “museum fatigue”, because at that point in time I couldn’t bear the thought of going to museums (spoiler alert: we still did). The weather was finally cooling down a bit, and there was no need to stay indoors. For that reason, we walked and walked, trying to absorb a completely different city than what we’ve visited before.
We walked to and from monuments and buildings that caught our attention, never in a rush or need to “be somewhere”. That way, we’ve found and seen incredibly beautiful places, about which, I’ll share in the next post. Stay tuned…
xoxo,
Em
