Our Quick Italian Getaway : Florence
Ready for another day in Italy? Today, I’m sharing a quick recap of our time spent in Florence. Florence is a city I will never tire of. Sadly, we only had two days there this trip. Click through for a peek at our charming hotel, favorite food stops, and how we celebrated our anniversary with a little shopping.
Once arriving in Florence, we immediately dropped our bags at Hotel Pendini (pictured below). This charming historic hotel is filled with antiques, old photos, and the location can’t be beat. It overlooks Piazza della Repubblica and is very central, making it the ideal location for walking and exploring the city.
Our first matter of business? A highly anticipated lunch… we made our way to wait in line for sandwiches at All’ Antico Vinaoio. This place has certainly gained popularity over the years with over 30k five-star reviews. It’s just a little panini shop, and the line for food is a mile long… but it goes quickly. Know what you what before you get to the counter because it’s a little chaotic! We took our giant sandwiches to-go and enjoyed lunch with a view overlooking the city.
Next we walked over to my old apartment to see how things had changed, which oddly have not. It was fun to reminisce and share my old daily walk and favorite spots with Emmett. We then crossed the Arno to get my favorite gelato in the city, from Gelataria La Carraia. It is (and remains) the best gelato I’ve ever had. We went back a few times during the course of our two-day stay in Florence…
After that, it was onto leather shopping. Emmett has been wanting a nice leather jacket for quite some time now. I decided for our anniversary, I was going to gift him one. Florence is known for their leather markets. We popped into Ben Heart (a very cool and reputable company) and he immediately found one he liked.
After more leisurely strolling and another spritz, it was back to our hotel to get cleaned up for dinner. We celebrated our anniversary dinner at Irene, which was outstanding! We made friends with another American couple seated next to us (also celebrating their anniversary), had some delicious tiramisu, gelato, and cocktails, then made our way back to our hotel… just across the piazza.
Our next day in beautiful Florence began with breakfast at our hotel, immediately followed by hours browsing at one of my favorite art galleries in the world, Uffizzi. The building itself is stunning, but the artwork housed inside is magnificent. You can see works from all the Renaissance greats. I used to spend hours here sketching and learning.
I played gallery guide for Emmett, then we headed to a favorite lunch spot…. Conquinarius. The pear ravioli, pictured below, is not to be missed! After some local rosé, plenty of good food, and great conversation, we meandered along to do some shopping.
We ducked into one of my favorite paper & stationery shops in Florence, Il Papiro. We bought some gorgeous artwork to bring home with us, that I recently installed in our kitchen.
Next, Emmett surprised me with my own leather anniversary gift (our unintentional theme this year, I suppose). We headed to Cellerini, where I was able to customize or choose a local handbag. I’m not one to splurge on fashion, but bags are my weakness. This was such a fun experience! It’s kind a well-kept secret in Florence… once arriving at two unmarked doors, we were buzzed into the entry and taken to the second floor. I knew exactly what bag I wanted (it’s the black one in the lower left corner)! It’s practical, timeless, very high quality, handmade by local artisans, and one that I’ll keep, carry, and cherish forever.
After that, it was time for more gelato, a peek at Santa Croce, and another spritz… when in Italy, you must eat & drink your way through the city!
We ended our time in Florence with dinner, drinks, & gelato while listening to the live orchestra (I love the city at night), ready to move along to the Amalfi coast… that post is coming tomorrow!
Have a wonderful day! I hope you’re enjoying this little travel series. It has certainly been fun to sort through our photos and relive our anniversary trip.