My biggest regret of our trip is that we didn’t spend longer in Florence. Florence is a beautiful treasure trove of history and art. Two days was not enough.
We arrived in Florence mid-afternoon, tired and hungry. We stayed in a small hotel-like B&B; after splurging on our previous stays; this was a tiny, cheap, but comfortable room. It was managed by the more luxurious hotel across the street, which offered a rooftop buffet breakfast. At breakfast, we were joined by dozens of pigeons that were quick to swoop in to gobble up any unattended morsels, causing a ruckus in the process. Despite the pigeons, the views from the hotel rooftop were absolutely stunning.
The first evening, we did a ‘walk-about’ enjoying the night-time ‘vibe’ and street musicians on the main bridge across the Arno. That same bridge turns into a jewelry-store palooza during the day.
The next day, we did a walking tour with a guide that was extremely knowledgeable. We learned about the impact of the Medici family on the politics, economy and culture of Florence; we learned how the black plague enabled the rise of the Renaissance from the Dark ages; we learned about the architecture of the city and its many towers; we learned about the history of the Duomo and other major Cathedrals; we learned about the impacts of periodic flooding of the Arno, and we saw a vast array of amazing art, statues and paintings, without setting foot into either the Uffizi or Academia.
Our day in Florence was HOT, and we appreciated that many of the sidewalk cafes had ‘misters’ to help their patrons stay cool. I discovered a new favorite drink, a wine based-cocktail called a Hugo Spritz. Later in the trip I switched to an Aperol Spritz – both drinks are delicious and readily available throughout Italy. We also enjoyed wine frequently, and were never disappointed by ordering the house wines; since options by the glass were usually limited.
One of the differences we found at restaurants was the need to order water – in our case, ‘still’ water (as opposed to sparkling); which often arrived in a carafe or bottle and cost a few euros. While some restaurants we encountered had very attentive waitstaff, that was the exception. Most did not check back with us after delivering our food–we needed to take the initiative to flag someone down for refills, desserts, or to pay the bill. Waitstaff does not rely on tips, as tips are not assumed/expected the way they are in the states; although some restaurants or cafes would include a seating / cover charge instead.
We were sad to leave Florence and hope to be back… someday. Please see links to the other cities we visited on our trip. Our next step after Florence is Sorrento.