Europe is rich in art architecture and also has a vivid past. It comprises of vibrant scenery, beautiful cities and authentic food and wine.
One such place is Florence , the heart and soul of Italy. The best way to visit this city is by a beautiful drive ,which doesn't take long (about three to four hours) .This drive through the wine country is a blend of landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its influence is on high culture.
Unfortunately I was not able to drive so I chose the bus instead which took about 3 hours.
1. Piazza della signoria
This is like people's place where everyone meet chit- chat over some delicious aperitivo in some historic Cafe .This is a kind open art gallery with some really important and beautiful sculptures.
2. Museo Galileo
Look for sundial telling the time on the pavement outside the place. This was named after the Pisa born scientist Galileo Galilei.
3. Piazza del Duomo
This square is the main attraction of the city. Try coming early if you don't want to stand in a line that wraps the whole piazza.The ticket is about 15 euros which includes the bell Tower ,the Baptistry, Museum of the work of the cathedral ,the crypt and the Dome itself.
After all the walking,we stopped at a Gelato shop because we feel we deserve a little treat. My favourite flavour was pistachio with caramel and also lemonCello too because one Gelato is not enough.
4.Uffizi gallery
This is one of the most beautiful art gallery in Florence but unfortunately we couldn't visit this because it was closed due to some construction work. The entry is €8 and try coming 15 min before it opens to avoid the line. You can book your ticket online by paying €4 more and skip the line.
5. Ponte vecchio
This is also called as Old Bridge . It has a lot of jewellery shops now ,this tradition still continues from the day of medici .Before that there were all the butcher shops who toss unwanted leftovers into the river ,then during 16th century ,the butcher shop was shut down because it was destroying the river .
6.Piazzale Michelangelo
When it comes to catching beautiful sunsets there is no other place than this .This square sits on the hill which is about 2Km walk from the centre ie piazza Del duomo .From here you can see the whole city a Florence.
7. Arno river
Stand on the bridge over Arno river anytime of the day and you will see and feel different every time. I probably crossed the bridge like 10 times as my hostel(Santa Monaca) was on the other side of the river.
8.Piazza della republica
The heart of mediaeval Florence,this busy space was created as a part of "Civic improvement" involving the removal of old market and slums leading to Relocation of 6000 residents.
9. Now let's talk about food
CENTRAL MARKET --
This Indoor market is a one stop destination for your cravings of Italian food. visiting this place once will not be satisfactory ,you'll end up coming again and again. The ground floor of this market is where you can buy all the local wines and confectioneries and also all the local raw products and meats which you can take to your hostel and cook yourself a feast . On the contrary one the first floor you can try all the Italian cuisine made for you . some of the must tries were Gelato , trapeziono (which is basically a Pizza Dough in triangle shape stuffed with feelings 😉) , but my favourite place was called ' Nerone' which is on the ground floor ,they serve the best pork sandwich ever.
10. Pisa
This place is best known for an architectural project gone terribly wrong--The Leaning tower. It's another must see if you are in Florence . It takes about an hour by train and about half a day to explore this place.
Florence is not a very big city (you can cover the whole city on foot) but is still one of the most loved place in italy. Beautiful art, history everywhere, and architectural masterpieces at every turn, Florence, is a magical place!
I hope you enjoyed 😊
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