Falling for Florence

Tags

Firenze, Florence, Florence Cathedral, Galleria dell'Accademia, Ponte Vecchio, San Lorenzo Leather Market, Uffizi Museum

As I mentioned last week in a post about Rome, my time during that trip was also spent visiting another historically significant city known as Florence, Italy. Recognized by the Italians as Firenze, Florence is the capital city of the Tuscany region and is considered to be the birthplace of the Renaissance during the middle ages. Countless famous artists studied here including greats like Michelangelo, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Dante Alighieri (my all-time favorites). I cannot even begin to tell you just how excited I was about getting the chance to go here! Florence is every art-lover’s dream, and seeing and discovering it for myself truly felt like stepping back in time to the magical era of the Renaissance.

Starting from Rome, My husband and I together travelled by speed train on Trenitalia (highly recommended) about an hour north to Florence. We always enjoy taking the train to fully appreciate the lovely views of the countryside when traveling, and Tuscany was particularly beautiful to see. As we arrived at the train station we checked in to our hotel and immediately set out to explore the most prominent building that dominates the Florentine skyline…  The Florence Cathedral. More commonly called “Il Duomo”, the cathedral incorporates a series of structures including the main Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Brunelleschi’s Dome, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry, the Crypt, and the Gallery of the Opera del Duomo (museum). It was absolutely incredible to see every inch of these buildings both inside and out. I feel like it would be a crime to ever skip out on doing this, even the website says “If you haven’t seen this, you haven’t seen Florence” and I couldn’t agree more! There is plenty of ground to cover here and I strongly suggest to plan on saving an entire day to look at it all. We spent a good few hours going through every part because there really is just so much to see. The ticket office is located in Giotto’s Bell Tower and costs only 10 Euro per person which is quite the steal when you consider all that is included.

First, we hiked up the Duomo to see Vasari’s massive fresco (inside), and views from on top of the dome. Both were breathtaking.

   

If your legs aren’t completely numb then you can also climb Giotto’s Tower which offers fantastic views of the dome itself. 

  

   

Experiencing the Cathedral that day was utterly exhausting but completely worth it. That evening we somehow managed to find the energy to head around the corner to the famous San Lorenzo Leather Market. If this market hadn’t been so fantastic we probably wouldn’t have had the strength to walk up and down the streets. But the San Lorenzo Market is literally the BEST market shopping I have seen in Europe! We are usually too busy seeing the sites to really shop at the cities we go to, but here? We definitely shopped until we dropped. They have some of the best quality-made leather goods for the most reasonable prices. Leather purses, jackets, belts, and wallets, they really do have it all. I almost think that it would be impossible to go through the market without wanting to buy something. Be sure to barter with the salesmen to get even better deals. We ended our fun-filled day that evening with delicious authentic pizza from a tasty little restaurant La Bottega del Pizzaiolo. In Florence, we literally ate pizza for every meal! There are plenty of great pizza places around and I’m pretty sure that you can’t go wrong no matter where you go. Don’t forget to have gelato for dessert.

 

Knock off Celine bags anyone?

The following morning for us was museum day, and we couldn’t think of a better way to start it off than by seeing Michelangelo’s iconic masterpiece, The David. You can see the sculpture by visiting the Galleria dell’Accademia just north from the Duomo. My husband and I were both completely blown away by the sheer size and beauty of the David. We stood there for almost an hour just observing the pure perfection of one of the world’s most incredible works of art. The David is by far the most amazing sculpture I have ever seen. Photos are not allowed in the museum, but it doesn’t matter because no pictures could ever do the David justice! There is nothing like seeing it in person for yourself and viewing that statue for the first time was probably my favorite moment in Florence.

From there we continued with the artistic theme of the day by heading next to the Uffizi Gallery which is the centerpiece museum of the city. Various historic works of art are shown including well-known paintings like The Birth of Venus (Botticelli), The Annunciation (Da Vinci), and Madonna of the Goldfinch (Raphael). These are just a few standouts from an impressive collection of some of the world’s oldest pieces of art. The price for both the Uffizi and Accademia were not ideal, but we have found that most museums/sites in Italy are this way (not much you can do about that). Seeing this museum left us feeling super cultured but super tired. Huge museums can often be a little overwhelming so be sure to check out the highlights so you aren’t just wandering around aimlessly. As we finished the tour we stepped right out to the Arno River to relax and enjoy some great views of Florence’s most famous bridge, The Ponte Vecchio.

Going across Ponte Vecchio was a little crazy due to the fact that the Florence Marathon was happening throughout all the main streets of the city. We still managed to see some gorgeous views from the bridge and go through all the little jewelry shops on our way over to the other side. I really liked seeing the other side of town which included more main attractions including Pitti Palace and the beautiful The Boboli Gardens. I have to admit that before going to Florence I read Dan Brown’s latest book Inferno, which takes place in Florence and covers all the different landmarks. It’s a little nerdy, but I learned all about the city before going which made exploring around even more enjoyable.

 

Our evening was spent watching the most beautiful sunset go down over The Ponte, Vecchio.

You know that moment when you arrive somewhere and you feel instantly connected? That was exactly how Florence was for me. It was love at first sight, and everything about this city spoke to me. From the architecture and art, to the history and scenery. Florence was perfection in my eyes. I do hope that I get the chance to go back again to visit one of my most favorite places I have ever been.

                                     The Savvy Suitcase Top 3 Picks:

                           1. Michelangelo’s David. A masterpiece.

                           2. Florence Cathedral. Crown jewel of the city.

                           3. San Lorenzo Leather Market. Such fun shopping.

xoxo

*We recently went to Portugal and I will be covering all about that soon!

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When in Rome

Tags

Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Pantheon, Rome, Sistine Chapel, Spanish Steps, St. Peter's Basilica, The Forum, Trevi Fountain, Vatican City

I think everyone can agree that a long stay in Europe would not be complete without a visit to the beautiful country of Italia! There are so many must-see cities that I wanted to check out in Italy, but naturally Rome was my very first pick. Having never been before, my husband and I made a lengthy list of the classic Roman ruins and sites that we needed to see during our stay. In other words, we were on a mission to be the ultimate tourists in Rome! You name it, we wanted to see it. Although it definitely was no easy task to cover in just a few days, we thoroughly enjoyed our busy time spent “Rome”ing around The Eternal City.

Our very first day in Rome was quite the whirlwind. Our itinerary included seeing what seemed like everything under the sun within the central area of Rome. Fortunately we booked a hotel right by the Spanish Steps, which was close to the Metro and in the middle of all the action. I highly recommend getting a room within the heart of Rome like we did. It may take a lot of researching to find a good one, but it is completely worth being situated within walking distance from all the major sites.

The first area of the city that we wanted to discover were the iconic Roman ruins including the Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill. If there is one part of Rome that you need to see, then this is the one! We took an easy Metro ride over and got off at the “Colosseo” stop. As soon as we walked out of the station we were met with the most incredible view of the Colosseum. Currently ranked as one the 7 new wonders of the world, the Colosseum is one of the most magnificent structures ever created. Because we came during the off-season, there was hardly any wait at all to purchase our tickets from the Colosseum booth to tour the landmark. We each paid 12 euros per ticket, which included entrance into the Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill. Apparently there are a bunch of ways to do it, but we found this to be the easiest and most convenient. We noticed a lot of scammers out front trying to offer overpriced tours, faster ways to get in, etc. so I would advise to avoid those if you can. If you do happen to find yourself visiting during the busy season and want to avoid the long line, then I would suggest buying them from the Palatine Hill Office which is a short walk from the Colosseum and a lot less crowded.

For me, seeing and experiencing the Colosseum was such an amazing spectacle. It is so much more impressive than portrayed in photos, and I couldn’t help but day-dream about what it must have been like to be there during the height of its glory…

   

“Are you not entertained?!”

After the Colosseum we walked through The Arch of Constantine and into what remains of the Forum that once served as the imperial city center for the ancient Romans long ago. I was expecting to see just a few columns or fallen over rocks, but was astonished to witness what seemed like an entire city of ruins covering every inch of the vast space. It was so amazing, and one of my favorite things that we did that day. We had so much fun exploring all through the ruins and overlooking the remains from the top of Palatine Hill. One tip I recommend doing before entering is to check out before and after renderings of what the Forum used to look like, and what is left today. You can truly get a greater sense for how glorious the Forum and its surroundings were meant to be during that time.

   

If you feel like walking a little further, be sure to check out the Italian Capitol Building. It is really beautiful and offers great views of the Forum. 

We were pretty much starving after that point, so we went back to the Spanish Steps to try out some freshly made pasta off the street. This place was called Pastifico and they had the tastiest homemade pesto and garlic pasta for just only 4 Euros! It was the perfect amount for lunch and gave us more energy to walk down to see the Trevi Fountain and get some gelato. We wanted to experience Trevi Fountain both during the day, and at night. We often do this when sight-seeing because it is magical to see landmarks both ways (don’t forget to throw a coin and make a wish)! Also not too far from the fountain is the incredible Pantheon. It is completely free to tour inside and is one of the most perfectly built structures I have ever seen. The fact that it is still in such good condition today is simply amazing!!!

We spent a lot of time by the Pantheon strolling along the different streets and alley ways finding some fun shopping. Close to this area is another must-see in Rome which is the Piazza Navona. There are many city squares, but this is the main one complete with pretty fountains and lots of great restaurant options. We decided to eat dinner around the square and dined at the most authentic place, Da Francesco. Our dinner we had here was probably the best meal of our trip. For an appetizer we had a golf ball-sized piece of fresh mozzarella with carbonara and Bolognese for the main courses. All of the ingredients were handmade including the pasta and our waiter was the sweetest little Italian man ever. This place was also super reasonable and it would be such a shame to miss while visiting Rome. We absolutely loved eating REAL Italian food here!

  

Italians really do have the most delicious food. Mmmmm…

It never ceases to amaze me how much ground we can cover in just one day sometimes. We were so exhausted by the end of our first day, but it was just the beginning of our little tour of Italy. During the middle of our trip we took the train to spend some time in Florence (which I will be covering in another post soon). After Florence, the last half of our time in Rome was spent visiting the world’s smallest country and heart of the Catholic Church.. Vatican City. This definitely had to be one of the major highlights of our trip as it was so magnificent to experience in person.

We took the Metro and started our tour at the Vatican Museum. This museum showcases great works of art including Michelangelo’s famous masterpiece, The Sistine Chapel. The only way to actually see the chapel is through the museum and by purchasing tickets to get in. I personally thought the price was a little high, even with our student discount, but it was just one of those things that you have to do whatever it takes to see. I had no clue that Michelangelo actually painted every inch inside the Sistine Chapel. From The Last Judgement, to the Book of Genesis, every fresco he created was painted to perfection. Our necks got sore from looking up at the ceiling because it was so incredible and we could not stop staring! Unfortunately no photos were allowed inside.

Since the museum was located separate from St. Peter’s Square, we had to walk pretty far to get to the center of it all because we had no idea just how big Vatican City really was! As we made it to the center we got right in line to see the massive and ornate St. Peter’s Basilica (free admission). Again, we were in the off-season so this made the lines move really fast and efficiently. St. Peter’s Basilica was by far the biggest and most grand of all the major cathedrals that we have seen in Europe. I absolutely loved seeing the gorgeous Pieta, and my husband really enjoyed seeing the burial crypts below and in particular the tomb of Peter himself. St. Peter’s was just so stunning, and so was the rest of the square and city. No matter what religion you are, Vatican City is something that cannot be missed when in Rome.

   

Phew! I think I covered just about everything that we did during our busy, yet amazing time spent in the city of Rome. Out of all the cities we have seen in Europe, Rome has had the most historic sites and attractions to visit making it one of our favorites. This one is really tough to narrow down, but here is my list of absolute must-sees/do’s when visiting lovely Roma.

                                      The Savvy Suitcase Top 3 Picks:

                       1. Colosseum. A famous world wonder for a reason.

                       2. Food. Pasta, Pizza, Gelato, it is all GOOD!

                       3. Vatican City. Spectacular.

                       4. Pantheon. I had to throw it in, it was so amazing!

Ciao! 🙂

xoxo

*Our next european destination includes a beach! YAY!