Florence, Italy

Buongiorno from Florence, Italy!

Florence. Oh Florence, Italy. Our sleeper city. This place surprised us the most out of any other country we have ever been to. Most likely because we did not know much about it. We knew it was where Machiavelli was from. The end. I’m not even sure I looked at a picture of it. (Keep in mind we researched and planned this entire 25+ country trip in about a month.. while working, and trying to figure out how to put our lives into a storage unit, and soaking up as much time with our family and friends as possible. So basically we did it in a matter of days).

We took a cab to our hotel. Praise Italian cab drivers. The roads are the size of one lane, but they are driving as if there are 2 lanes. The streets are cobblestone and uneven, and there are cars parked along the side. I cannot believe we didn’t hit anyone or anything. Just driving into the city center, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I have never seen architecture like this. It is absolutely breathtaking.  Our hotel is located smack dab in the middle of Florence, Italy. We unloaded our stuff as quickly as possible and headed out. As soon as we rounded a corner, it opened up into this huge square with the Florence Cathedral directly in front of us. I’m at a loss on how to describe it. Majestic? Magnificent? Awe inspiring? There are actually no words. 

Piazza del Duomo

Needing to sit for a while to soak it all in, nothing could have prepared me for what happened next. There are a ton of restaurants with outdoor seating surrounding the square (or the Piazza del Duomo), we were barely looking at the menus, just wanting to sit somewhere and process our emotions, and a waiter came out from one of them and asked if we were hungry. 

The Meal of a Lifetime

That was all it took. Call it fate. We sat outside and he brought us ice cold water and the wine menu. Hello best friend. I barely remember if he gave us menus, or if we just took his recommendations, but this ended up being the best meal of my life. Seriously. I have eaten a lot of food, in a lot of places, and this is definitely at the top of the list.

We had charcoal cooked cheese served with pears, honey and walnuts, and then I died and went to heaven. Our waiter brought us a bottle of the most refreshing wine I’ve ever had. It was cold and crisp, and exactly what was needed in that moment. Then we had a nicoise salad. I am not a huge seafood fan, but this was something else. The tuna was poached in olive oil and it was delicious. It just melted in your mouth and the zing from the olives and lemon cut right through it. YUM! Then our waiter placed in front of me the dish that my dreams are made of. Homemade tagliatelle pasta with bolognese sauce. This is such a classic comfort food dish for me, and when it’s done right, it is truly something special.

This moment will stay with me forever. When I stop and think about it, I go right back there. I can almost smell it, almost taste it. And then I wake up and cry a little. ‘Tis life.

Big Ol’ Tourists

The next day we were big ol’ tourists. We visited the Church of Santa Croce and went inside! It is 8 euro per person. This is where Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo Bruni, Galileo, and Machiavelli are buried. Basically all the ninja turtles. 

We explored the Piazza della Signoria which is home to Palazzo Vecchia (the town hall of Florence, which holds a copy of Michelangelo’s David statue. The original is located right down the street.), and the Fountain of Neptune. This looks like the perfect place to sit and enjoy some gelato! The gelateria here are unlike any I’ve ever seen before. Their displays just draw you in. Mountains of gelato in bright bold colors and every flavor you could imagine. So cold. So creamy. You have to eat fast though. I was a sticky mess within a minute of being handed my cone!

Then we went off to the Leonardo Da Vinci museum. It was another 8 euro to go in, and so worth it. It is an interactive museum, so everything is hands-on. We learned a lot, felt like kids getting to play with everything, and got to cool down. Money well spent.

The Sandwich of All Sandwiches

After looking at all the pretty things, I was famished. The friends we met in Spain had recommended a sandwich spot here, so we decided to check it out.

Here we go. Again. Florence has completely caught me off guard. How dare they make food this amazing. How am I ever supposed to leave?! We went to SandwiChic. If you ever visit, do yourself a favor and go here. It’s a very small, super hipster place. Everything is made in house or local. They slice your meats and cheeses to order. They put this “pepperoni” sauce on our sandwich (which is what our friends told us it what, so we had a completely wrong idea about what it was actually supposed to be). It was actually a spread made out of red bell peppers. It was so good. So good. This was the best sandwich I have ever had in my entire life. Ever. I’m starting to feel like I’m on repeat. 

I will never forget our time here in Florence. It honestly feels like a dream. I’m really starting to question reality. Leaving here I feel changed. I’ve unlocked a new level of beauty and history and food. This will be a hard city to top. It was so unexpected for us, which made it so much more grand. I hope to one day come back, and spend more than just a night here.

Cruise down the canals with us in Venice!..