TRAVEL: Florence - part 2

Zoals jullie allicht al hadden meegekregen, verbleef ik vorig weekend weer in Firenze. Ik kan niet genoeg benadrukken aan iedereen hoe prachtig deze stad is. Firenze is behoorlijk ondergewaardeerd in vergelijking met andere steden zoals Rome of Milaan. Persoonlijk zou ik nochtans eerder Milaan laten links liggen. Mijn vorige tips kan je hier nog eens lezen. Deze blogpost is eigenlijk een aanvulling op de vorige.

Ik ben nu tweemaal in de zomer geweest (juni en juli) en één keertje in de winter (januari). Firenze heeft natuurlijk het hele jaar door zijn charmes en het is moeilijk om een favoriet moment te kiezen. In januari en juli zijn er natuurlijk solden, in juni niet. Verder is het in januari natuurlijk veel leuker om naar bezienswaardigheden te gaan vermits het een heel stuk rustiger is. Ook plaatsjes bemachtigen in restaurants gaat zonder probleem in de winter. Daartegenover staat dat in de zomer dat het langer licht is en je dus langer kunt genieten van alle pracht en praal en de ambiance.

As you've probably gathered by now, I stayed in Florence last week. I can't emphasise enough how gorgeous this city really is. Florence is definitely underrated in comparison to Milan and Rome. Personally Milan is my least favourite amongst them. My previous tips about Florence can be reread here. This blogpost completes the prevous one. 

I've been to Florence twice in the summer (June and July) and once in the winter (January). The city has its charms all year long and it's hard to choose a favourite time of year to go to it. In January and July there are sales in shops, in June not. In January it's nicer to visit the sights because you don't have to queue at all. Getting seats in your favourite restaurant is also less hard. On the other hand Florence has more a more active night life in summer and you can enjoy everything until a later hour. 

Piazza della Repubblica

Doorheen de Florentijnse geschiedenis is het Piazza della Repubblica vaak van functie veranderd maar tegenwoordig vormt het plein het gezellige hart van Firenze. Je bent er veel kunstenaars en muzikanten die hun talenten ten toon spreiden, er bevinden zich heerlijke restaurants en iedereen stopt er om even naar de antieke draaimolen te kijken.

Throughout the Florentine history, Piazza della Repubblica has often changed in function but nowadays this square is the cosy heart of Florence. At night a lot of artists and musicians gather here to show off their talents. The best restaurants are situated here as well and everybody passes here for a minute to admire the antique carrousel. 

Palazzo Pitti

Het Palazzo Pitti is een paleis dat nu als museum fungeert. Voor elke renaissance liefhebber, is een bezoekje aan dit paleis een must. Dit gebouw ademt de pracht en praal van het oude Italië en typeert ook de rijke geschiedenis van Firenze. 

In 1458 werd de bouw van het paleis gestart door de rijke familie Pitti. Daarna kwam het paleis in handen van nog zo een beroemde familie: de Medici. De plafondschilderingen zijn werkelijk adembenemend. Sommige tekeningen zijn zelfs zo geschilderd dat er leven lijkt in te zetten, kunst met een hoofdletter K. Zelfs als je geen geschiedenisliefhebber bent, zal je hier zeker je ogen uitkijken.

The Palazzo Pitti is a palace and museum. A visit to this place is a must for every renaissance lover. The palace breaths the grandeur of ancient Italy and is typical for the rich history of Florence.

In 1458 the construction started by the rich family Pitti. Next that other famous family, the Medici, got hold of  Palazzo Pitti. The ceiling paintings are really breath taking. Some drawings even seem to come to life, this is what I call art. Even if you're not an art lover, you will have an amazing time here. 

Boboli gardens

De Boboli tuinen horen eigenlijk bij het Palazzo Pitti maar je moet er wel apart een ticket voor kopen. De combinatie van beide kost € 23,00. Misschien behoorlijk prijzig maar zeker de moeite waard. Daar de tuin op een heuvel ligt, loopt deze naar boven en bestaat de tuin eigenlijk uit verschillende etages. Vanuit de diverse punten heb je een impressionant uitzicht op het Palazzo Pitti en Firenze.

The Boboli gardens are part of Palazzo Pitti but you have to buy separate entrance tickets. Both combined costs €23,00. This might be a bit pricy but definitely worth it. Because the garden is situated on a hill, you walk up-hill while passing through the garden. From each different storey so to speak, you get an impressive view of the Palazzo Pitti and Florence. 

Piazzale Michelangelo

Als je vanuit de Boboli tuinen terug wilt wandelen naar het centrum, kan je dit best doen door te passeren langs het Piazzale Michelangelo. Dit plein ligt op een heuvel en biedt ook weer een prachtig uitzicht over de Arno en de belangrijkste gebouwen van Firenze. Centraal op het plein staat een gedenkteken aan Michelangelo en kopieën van zijn belangrijkste kunstwerken.

If you want to walk back from the Boboli gardens to the city centre, you should pass by the Piazzale Michelangelo. This square is situated on a hill and again offers a gorgeous view of the Arno river and the most important buildings of Florence. In the middle of the square there's a statue of Michelangelo and a few copies of his most important works. 

Caffé La Terrazza - la Rinascente

Van al dat shoppen en bezichtigen, krijgt een mens natuurlijk dorst. Als je in stijl wilt genieten van een drankje moet je op het dakterras van het modewarenhuis la Rinascente zijn. Je hebt er een prachtig uitzicht op het Piazza della Repubblica en de doom.

After all that shopping and sightseeing, it's time for a well-deserved break. If you want to enjoy a drink in style, you have to go to Caffé La Terrazza  on top of the fashion warehouse la Rinascente. The roof terrace offers a stunning view over Piazza della Repubblica and the Duomo.

Gucci Museo

Om te eindigen, vertel ik jullie nog over het Gucci museum want Firenze is de bakermat van dit luxemerk. Iedereen kent natuurlijk het "GG" icoon maar dit museum toont zoveel meer. Unieke stuks uit het verleden, leuke lifestyle items en prachtige galajurken die door de grootten ter aarde werden gedragen. Een must voor elke modeliefhebber. 

Last but not least: the Gucci museum because Florence is the birthplace of this luxurious brand. Everybody knows of course the "GG" icon but this museum shows a lot more. Unique pieces from the brand, lovely lifestyle items and gorgeous evening gowns worn by the most famous people on earth. A must-visit for every fashion lover. 

TRAVEL: Florence

As you probably know by now I've been to Florence to attend the Firenze4Ever party from Luisa via Roma. Kevin and I stayed two days and in today's blogpost I will show you what to see, do and eat in Florence. We booked our plane ticket on the booking.com website, we flew with Ryanair. Booking.com is a very easy website and offers the best prices.

We arrived on Sunday morning at Pisa airport. Florence has its own airport as well but not many flights from Belgium are arriving there. At Pisa Airport you can arrange a bus ticket, the bus ride to Florence took about an hour. From the train station in Florence you can take a cab or bus to your hotel.

We stayed at hotel Il Granduca. This hotel is situated in the midclass price range and was definitely worth every penny (or euro). We were welcomed by the charming receptionist with some free drinks. The hotel is a bit outdated but clean and cosy which is very important for me. We got a nice room with our own small garden. The rooms were very clean as well, perfect wifi and airco.
The receptionist from this hotel is the number one reason why you should go there. She helped us out with arranging taxis,... We also got a free breakfast and the city centre was only a 15 minutes' walk on foot.

This was my second time in Florence and I absolutely love the city. It's so gorgeous and upon arrival you immediately feel like you're transported to another time. Although so many tourists pass through the city each day, it's so clean. Of course Italian food is another reason why I love going to Florence.

Tavernette del Battistero

Right after having arrived at the hotel, Kevin and I hit the city centre. But first we had lunch on a side street of the Duomo. The pizza's in Italy are to die for. They are not even comparable to freezed pizza's you buy in your local store. The pizza in Florence are freshly made with the most delicious ingredients. A lot of people asked me whether eating in Florence is expensive but it's not all. Most meals are about 8 or 10 euro which is the same price you would pay overhere.

The Duomo

From basically every point in the city, the Duomo is visible. So how you can you not be drawn to this building!? I definitely love the design on front which is neo gothic. This is quite unusual for cathedrals. The Duomo is literally the centre of the city so you will pass by it a dozen times while you are in Florence.

Hardrock Café

Each time I'm going abroad, eating at the local Hardrock café is a must. The vibe is always amazing at these restaurants. We started the evening with a cocktail, the list of cocktails to choose from is endless. Afterwards I ate a spicy hamburger and some onion rings. If you still have some room left, which you probably won't btw, there are still some delicious desserts to choose from.

Shopping

Shopping in Florence isn't exactly cheap. Sure they offer H&M and Zara as well but most stores are either Italian brands from the mid class price range such as Liu Jo or luxurious designer stores. You can't leave without a Gucci item since the brand was founded in Florence.

La Rinascente, a huge shopping mall, is also a must-go although the range is remarkably smaller than the shop in Milan. While you are at La Rinascente, make sure you go all the way to the roof where you can have drinks with the most amazing view over Florence.

Magnum Store

For over a year I have been dreaming about eating a personalised Magnum and finally the Magnum Store in Florence made my dream come true. The store is located on the Piazza del Duomo.

Climb the cupola

As mentioned before, I visited Florence last year as well. I wanted to climb the cupola from the Duomo so badly but it was so hot that day and the queue seemed endless. So this time around climbing the cupola was a must-do.  You can buy a ticket at the ticket shop on Piazza del Duomo, which is € 10. With this ticket you can climb the Bell tower as well and visit the Baptistery, which I did last year. I went very early to avoid long queues and I'm glad I did the extra effort of getting up early. It saves you a lot of time later on and I enjoyed the view so much.

Caffé Donnini 1894

Situated on Piazza della Republica, Caffé Donnini is perfectly located for a nice lunch with a view. The terrace is semi-covered which gives you some relief from the sun. The pizza was freshly made and once again super delicious.

Ponte Vecchio

Ponte Vecchio is one of the most famous bridges in the world covered with shops which sell very exclusive jewellery. The stores remind me kind of Harry Potter which is super cute. All day long this bridge is extremely crowded but if you want a nice view on Ponte Vecchio, walk down next to the river up until the next bridge. This will give you a gorgeous view on the outside of the shops.

Farina 00

Farina 00 was very close to our hotel and again a great place to eat. I looked up this restaurant on Foursquare and so far Foursquare hasn't disappointed me yet with their suggestions. The menu is rather small and the kitchen offers a lot of daily menus. Again I opted for pizza and cheesecake as dessert, which was to die for. 

Q: Did you enjoy reading this? Have you ever been to Florence? Which is your must-see?