Next stop – Firenze! At this point, I was no longer jet-lagged, and I was really excited for my first train ride, ever. Although, cranky at one point because we had no clue what we were doing, where to go, and our seating arrangements were totally off. But that scenic view through Northern to Central Italy was amazing, and we had some pretty interesting people sitting next to us. Join me as I show you our itinerary of exploring Florence in 3 days.
It was about a 2-hour ride into Florence, where getting off and into the city was an adventure in itself. All I blatantly remember was desperately looking for a bathroom since coming off the train, and discovering that in order to use the public restrooms – you had to pay! Like, a slot machine, that opens these metal gates. Key to remember when traveling and needing to use the restrooms: bring coin!
Our walk to the hotel was intense – the roads basically had no sidewalks getting to and fro – and people weren’t really adamant on “sharing the road”. We probably looked ridiculous strolling through the streets with our large suitcases. We realized we probably should have taken a cab, since we got entirely lost at one point and there was a constant mist-like rain off and on. Our hotel was just beyond the heart of Florence’s epicenter (where the very popular Duomo resides), thinking we were far enough away from the hustle and bustle.
Boy, did we later discover we were wrong.
The best stops to see and do in Florence, Italy
Day 1 (Arrival Day)
The San Giuliano Inn was nearly untraceable from the outside, as it was just a very large wood door along a narrow sidewalk. It was either taking a 4-story flight of stairs, or this tiny, tiny sketchy elevator to our floor. Our hotel was at the top, of course. I took the tiny elevator (too small to fit more than one person and a suitcase), while my husband took the stairs. Let’s just say, I never rode that elevator again.
But that view from our room – well worth the ups and downs of those stairs. The staff was very, very friendly, too – as our room was basically a step out from their main office area. But just down the hallway was a quaint kitchenette that was always stocked with beer, water, cookies, croissants, fruit and last but definitely not the least – an espresso machine. I was in heaven. And my husband was in heaven, as he sucked down a coke while I enjoyed a coffee. We couldn’t help but look out at this view from our window upon arrival.
The only downside we noticed after our first night at the Inn was the noise level. At the time, the windows were not sound-proof at all. And I’m a light sleeper, so I heard every creak and voice from outside our window, and about every 15 minutes an ambulance siren blared through the city streets all throughout the night.
BUT, latest we heard from the hotel (since our trip in 2016), is that they replaced and updated the windows! So with that – this hotel exceeded our expectations for being so close to the city’s epicenter. Immaculate bathrooms and a huge walk in shower, modernly renovated rooms and decor, big comfortable beds, and really – that view, I mean can you honestly beat that?
So after we sipped our drinks and settled in our room – hoping the overcast and stagnant showers would soon pass – we decided screw it, we’ll dodge the rain in order to get some of the things on our list accomplished. Plus, we were feeling good – hyped on sugar and caffeine – and our train ride was only about 2 hours earlier that morning.
What did we immediately do? Settled at our first gelato stop in Florence, looking straight up at the Duomo. No, of course that’s not all we did. But getting to the actual Piazza was a nightmare, and the line into the Duomo was almost wrapped around the entire building. There were so many people, and only a few hours left of daylight, we weren’t sure if we we’re going to get in.
That’s when it dawned on my husband to start looking around to find the Firenze Card, which is basically our fast passes into all of the museums and into the Duomo without waiting in line. And you wouldn’t believe how long it took us to find those cards. They were bright red, and generally would be hanging about people’s necks walking around – so why should it be THIS DIFFICULT? Every tourist kiosk in the city was closed, which is where everywhere online said these cards were being sold (and were closed our ENTIRE time in Florence).
After about an hour of circling that Duomo, we spotted a middle aged couple (somehow recognizing they were for sure American tourists like us). And we were right. It was oddly so comforting talking to what felt like “home” again, and figuring out how and where they had bought their passes. Now I feel for those who visit America and who’s native language isn’t English. Total outcast feeling!
Bottomline: we finally got those passes, end of story. After about a lousy two hours in and out of buildings asking questions and getting fingers pointed into which odd direction, they were in our hands.
The first thing we did was trek the thousands of steps up the Duomo, to the very top of the cupola. It was crazy crowded there and back, as a stagnant line just to get to the actual top kept people from being able to get back down a “one way” climb, but the views were stunning – a must do when you visit Florence. There is also the clock tower adjacent to the Duomo that you can climb, but the cupola is much taller.
After, we decided to head over to one of the museums – the Uffizi Gallery. Am I a big art freak? Yes. Do I know much about art? Eh. To my husband, he said many, many times on this trip, “It’s crazy these people were famous for stuff like this – I could paint that, I could do that…”
Deep down I thought the same thing.
And if you’re one who just likes to see the famous works, such as the Birth of Venus, the alterpiece of Madonna by Giotto, the Battle of San Romano, Judith and Holofernes or The Primavera, then you’re going to enjoy yourself – as long as you go early in the morning or in the off season.
In April, it was on and off crowded, being the shoulder-season. Moreover, there were works of art I’d never seen or heard of – rooms in which were nearly empty, and then there were areas you were neck and neck with people. I couldn’t get that close to the Birth of Venus, for one thing. But the halls of Leonardo, Botticelli, Michelangelo and Raffaello (obviously) – out of the Uffizi’s 45+ hall gallery – were the most crowded.
My husband and I are swift walkers – we’re not one to stand in front of each painting, read every description and stare blankly into the abyss. We came, we saw, took some pictures of our favorites, and moved on out in a little over an hour or two.
But here it is – some eye candy for your liking.
Day One “Itinerary”: Skip the nap
- Settle in/grab some espresso, gelato and a panini
- Purchase the Firenze Card (fast pass to all museums)
- Climb to the cupola of the Duomo
- End the day with the Uffizi Gallery
Day 2 (Wine Tour)
Day 2 was entirely booked and blocked off specifically for our wine tour by Grape Tours. We chose the Super Chianti wine tour. It started at 9am (trust me, I was fully ready for drinking wine at 9am) and the tour ranged about 8-hours. Might I add, this was supposed to be a group tour (about 8-10 people), and because we were the only ones who chose the earlier morning session instead of the 10am session – we got a PRIVATE tour just ourselves! It was awesome.
All the cheese, food and wine to ourselves. I’m not complaining there!
The tour in itself was amazing – our tour guide, Matteo, was probably one of the main reasons since he made it entirely comfortable as just the three of us, and was very knowledgeable. He was our age, so it was like hanging out with a local friend, which we enjoyed most. It was well worth being able to get to know one of the locals of Florence on a personal level, and not have to talk about strictly wine the whole 8-hours.
Although, it was mostly overcast and rainy this day – with fog covering most of the vineyards (that we were unable to tour physically, unfortunately) – getting that completely private “honeymoon” tour made up for every drop. And with the amount of wine we received – we warmed right up.
The tour included 2 vineyards – that I can remember. No, I wasn’t drunk, but let’s just say the wine may have made my mind in a much relaxed state, if you know what I mean.
We were drinking at 10am – give me a break!
I do remember we stopped for lunch – at this amazing restaurant/butchery in the small town of Panzano. The lunch was served enough for 8-10 people, but we had it all to ourselves, so we stuffed our faces. You can see part of our menu featured below.
We received a small recognition at the butchery as well. This is where I was handed my first shot of Grappa. The butchery was the place to be – to say the least – as it was full of locals gathering for appetizers and Grappa. Everyone knew everybody. I didn’t want to leave.
By the time we made it back to Florence – it was just before dinnertime. It was sort of saddening that the tour was over. Yet we were exhausted! So if you ever visit Florence and plan a wine tour – choose Grape Tours, ask for Matteo, and don’t plan anything else the rest of that day.
We also ended up purchasing wine (Il Corzano 2013) and olive oil (the best olive oil I’ve had) from our favorite winery choice – Fattoria Corzano e Paterno – to have shipped back home to the States. HIGHLY RECOMMEND. If you’re interested, you can contact the winery here and they will send you an order form. A minimum purchase of 6 or 12 is required, but you can mix up between wine and OO.
For dinner, we chose a restaurant not too far from our place. It was one of our Trip Advisor list places – known for their steak – called Mangiafuoco Bracerie. There weren’t many people in the restaurant when we went – as it was still quite early. But one other couple happened to get this steak, as it came out still moo’ing and sizzling on a platter. It was the biggest steak I’d ever seen. We watched in awe to see if this couple could even finish it.
We ended up getting the bruschetta and ravioli as appetizers. My husband had a steak dish while I had a pasta dish with wild boar sauce. It was absolutely delicious to end a wine-filled day.
Day Two “Itinerary”:
- Rise early for all day wine tour in Tuscany
- Low key for dinner
- Get early night’s rest for all day museums on day 3
Day 3 – (Museum Day)
Our last and final day at Florence we dedicated to our “must-sees” and “must-dos”. Our first stop, in another misty, rainy morning, was the Accademia Gallery. We waited in line, outside, for nearly an hour – with our fast passes – but luckily we did not wait as long as those without (the other line wrapped around the enormous building). So, again, get the fast passes your first day or beforehand (well worth it).
Obviously, the Accademia is one of the musts as far as museums goes, as you are able to walk freely about into all the galleries (unless you want a guided tour, but I think this is one to do without). At best, we reached about 150 feet from the statue of David (it was packed, yes, that early in the morning), but never made it for a picture up close. It just wasn’t worth the push and shove. But we thoroughly enjoyed walking through the halls taking pictures.
After, we stumbled into the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, which was particularly one of my favorite museums (no idea why). But it was the Duomo Museum and gallery, which was surprisingly interesting, as you can see how the Duomo was built and structured, and the changes it endured over the years. Inside they have original statues that once stood on the outside of the Duomo.
From there, the rest of the day took place just exploring the streets of the city – stopping into some of the available chapels to walk through (some the most beautiful churches we’ve ever seen), although couldn’t take pictures. But a word to the wise: do take the time to walk around and “get lost”, as you will find some of the best treasures are the ones nobody tells you about!
This was at the time we discovered The Queen’s Chips during our “lost ventures”- unfortunately, not an Americanized place, but one that originated in Amsterdam. Think of it as simply a cone filled with french fries, but topped with some of the most unique sauces you can think of (rather than ketchup). And you eat them with a stick.
I kid you not, we ended up having this as our lunch, and a late night snack later on when we realized there was one right across from our hotel.
At nightfall, we stopped for a few drinks at a place called Smalzi Firenze along the Piazza del Duomo, which was definitely needed after being on our feet that entire day. It was surreal just being able to sit in front of the largest structure in the city while enjoying a beer and Limoncello. To cap off our last night in Florence, we ended up grabbing a pizza from a local indoor market and taking it back to our hotel to enjoy – as well as enjoying this view from our hotel for the last time.
Day Three “Itinerary”:
- Rise early for museums (Accademia, Duomo, etc.)
- Visit some of the hidden gems (Chapels, piazzas, etc.) around the city
- Have early evening drinks at Smalzi Firenze bar by the Duomo
TIP: Exploring all of the city of Firenze can be done in one day, so if you’re one for enjoying the hills of Tuscany, it’s your best option to find accommodations on the outskirts and make the day-trip to the hustle and bustle of Florence by cab.
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