In my last post I covered my top recommendations for things to do and places to see in Venice. I also covered my favorite part – the fashion of what to wear to fit in amongst the beautiful Italians! In this installment, I’ll cover the gorgeous terrain of the Cinque Terre and Florence.
ITALIAN VACATION, PART II: FLORENCE AND CINQUE TERRE CITY AND STYLE GUIDE
When I was in grad school in France, one of the greatest benefits is that I was able to travel to other cities and countries. This was the weekends while I wasn’t in class. I explored tons of picturesque places in Italy, France and Switzerland. Then, my family came overseas and we toured from Genoa. Also, down to the gorgeous Amalfi Coast, and left after seeing Rome.
We never made it to Florence. When my mom and I were planning our trip last year we knew we wanted to spend a few days there to see all it had to offer.
Hotel Grand Minerva
We stayed at the Hotel Grand Minerva right off of the Piazza Santa Maria Novella which was super close to the train station – just a quick walk away when we arrived. They upgraded our room when we checked in to a larger suite. My only complaint is that it was directly on the plaza, so it could be a little noisy at night.
Though, after all of our activities of the day, I never had trouble falling asleep! The view from the rooftop pool and sundeck was fabulous. We made sure to enjoy a few hours up there our first night relaxing and taking in the sounds of the city (and amazing view of the Duomo).
Again, we pre-booked nearly everything we did, from the Accademia to see the great statue of David, to the Uffizi Gallery. Getting tickets ahead of time saved us money, and it helped ensure we saw all the major sites. If you don’t pre-book, I recommend at least checking the schedules in advance.
I remember being really surprised about the days each museum was open and the changes throughout the Summer. We happened to book our tours on the free day of the week (or maybe it was the month). When we got to the Uffizi, the line was 3 hours long, but we simply skipped the line with our pre-bought tickets.
Boboli Gardens
The only ones we didn’t buy ahead were for the Boboli Gardens. I loved the garden and could’ve stayed for hours on end (see first photo in this post). If I ever go back, I’d be sure to go in the early morning when it’s less crowded and not as hot out.
One of the best things we did while in we were in Florence was the ‘Florence for Foodies‘ tour. The tour starts at the Mercato Centrale (Central Market) and you taste the most delicious sandwiches from one of the oldest booths before moving on to taste decadent cheeses and meats from another.
My favorites were the cheeses infused with truffle oil. From there you go to a never-ending arrangement of local olive oils and balsamic vinegars at Conti Stefano. They also had the most colorful display of fruits and vegetables (see picture above). By that time were were all stuffed! A word of caution – we thought we’d be smart and eat a light breakfast before the 10 a.m. tour. We really didn’t need to eat anything at all.
You wrap up the tour with a wine and grappa tasting (so much fun – they call it an “immersion”) and end the day with a sampling of Florence’s best gelato. We seriously had gelato at least once a day while we were in Italy. It was the guilty pleasure that we justified with all the walking we did in town that day.
Florence
We booked three nights in Florence specifically so we could do a day tour and take in more of the Tuscan countryside. We were torn between visiting a local winery or going to another little town about an hour away that a family friend frequents.
It wasn’t until a friend at work suggested the Cinque Terre that I noticed how close it is to Florence. She and her fiance had been on a beautiful hike through the five little towns that make up the cliffside villages and ranted and raved about how it was a “must-do.” They were right.
Cinque Terre Trek
The Cinque Terre Trek literally takes you along the edge of the mountains as you make your way from Manarola to Corniglia. You definitely need to bring strong walking shoes! You then take a train to Vernazza and again to Monterosso before hopping on a short ferry ride over to Riomaggiore. Also, you spend about forty-five minutes to an hour in each spot before heading on to the next. The town of Riomaggiore was my favorite (and the most anticipated). We were pretty tired by the time we got there, so we decided to enjoy a wine tasting at one of the local bars with a view of the central street in the town.
I remember thinking how beautiful the view was and taking a picture of the sign for the famed Via dell’Amore on our way back to the bus that would take us to Florence. I would recommend this tour over and over again to anyone headed to Florence. For those that don’t want to hike – I have heard that their Best of Tuscany tour is fabulous too.
I traveled out of my normal carry-on suitcase because I’m always worried about losing my luggage. Since it was the tail end of Summer, most of my clothes were light anyways and I was able to make it work.
Luisa Via Roma
I stepped up my fashion game a bit while we were in Florence. It’s much less touristy than Venice and the well-known luxury shopping destination, Luisa Via Roma has several stores in the city. It was only September, but I noticed that nearly all the women sport stylish black ankle boots. Was it maybe they do that all the time? They’re also very well-coordinated and I’m pretty sure they have the most beautiful negligee too. I found the look to be tailored, yet feminine.
On the day we visited the museums, I paired my chambray blouse with chic leather shorts (similar here) and a leopard belt like this one from Target. I wore my PF Flyer sneakers nearly every other day and my feet thanked me for it!
On the day we trekked through the Cinque Terre, I wore a light, silk tank top by Joie (love this one) and white shorts with my sneakers again. I had brought a sweater but didn’t end up carrying it on me. I used my Tory Burch Crossbody bag almost the entire time I was there because it was so easy (and perfect to go hands-free while we were shopping!).
Also, I chose a fitted romped by LOFT (no longer available) on our last day in town when we went on the Florence for Foodies tour before heading to Milan. This green, floral jumpsuit by H&M is really similar and I’ve included a few other favorites here below.
Look 1:
Top: Joie (also love this) // Shorts: Vince (TJMaxx find, love this affordable option and this luxury pick here) // Belt: JCrew (similar here) // Sneakers: PF Flyers (old, like this “Euro” inspired pair and these are always classic) // Bag: Tory Burch (similar here)
Look 2:
Romper: LOFT (old, this is the most similar and I also love this one, this one and this one) //
Look 3:
Top: Joie (old, this would be my pick now and similar plain option here) // Shorts: Banana Republic (old, similar here and absolutely love these) // Hat: BCBG (old, similar here)
Venice and Florence are must-see cities when in Italy. Hopefully my style and city guide will help you plan your next trip! If you have any questions on the local sites or tips for planning – be sure to comment below!
