Exploring Florence, Italy in a day
When you are traveling to Italy you are sure to go to Roam or Venice, you can easily reach Florence from either of these destinations by road and more certainly coverup Leaning tower of Pisa on the way to Florence.
We entered Italy through the French border and headed towards Pisa, the capital city in the province of Pisa in Tuscany. Crossing the coastal town with shores running along the road it was a beautiful ride to the marvelous Leaning Tower.
Leaning Tower of Pisa
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is an archetypal Italian structure known over the world. You can book tickets online or through receipt window to enter the top of the tower, as we halted for an hour, we didn’t have much time to explore the inner beauty. Clicking the weirdest pictures with the tower, we headed up straight towards the city of Florence.
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Florence start of the day
Starting our day with a typical Italian breakfast, we led toward the historic center of Florence, where the Renaissance structure, museums, and the streets, churches, and buildings setting an entirely different perception of the City. Rambling through the city, we started our morning with a Historic Walking Tour.
Walking Tour
The best way to visit Florence is walking through its beautiful streets and admiring the historic structure along the way. Our travel partner had pre-booked the guided walking tour in advance you can also get local guides when you reach the city center for the walking tour- the trip offers a great stroll across the magnificent city square and highlights the history across each gallery, museum or hall we cross.
Piazza della Signoria
Starting the walking tour with the outdoor art gallery called Piazza della Signoria by the locals. If you are a follower of Renaissance art history, this gallery is a must see. The lovely sculptures, tributes, and the fountain boost the historic center surrounding the Uffizi Gallery.
Ponte Vecchio
Moving ahead we walked through the Uffizi Gallery to one of Florence’s firstborn revolutions – the Ponte Vecchio. This bridge was the only one that survived the attack of World War II, and now it is known for its strong history. You will come across shops into the structure, selling jewelry and gold. The bridge resides right above the Arno river the best way place to capture the sun dawn.
Gelatos
No tour in Florence is complete without gelato, did you know that Gelato was born in this city? We tried many Gelatos while strolling through the streets. The first place we tried was- Venchi- a modern and friendly chocolate and gelato shop that offers the best artisanal tradition ice-cream with endless flavors, and other treats to linger on any time of the day. Situated just a minute walk from Piazza della Signoria and Ponte Vecchio.
Do not forget to try their chocolate flavor it is a must-have. I bet you wouldn’t have eaten such smooth melting chocolate flavored ice-cream in your life.
Santa Maria del Fiore’s Basilica (Florence Cathedral)
To get the best panoramic view of Florence city, one must climb up the Santa Maria del Fiore’s Basilica (Florence Cathedral). Getting the ticket to this place is difficult so ideally you should book it in advance online or start early morning to get it.
The church is known for its dome, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. Also, be ready to climb more than 450 steps and cross the tight spaces to the dome.
Hunt for lunch
Our walking tour had ended here, and we now were on a hunt for food and try some rich Italian cuisine for lunch. We walked into Piazza della Repubblica, a city square in Florence, Italy. We had some great pasta and pizza.
Leather Workshop Tour at Leonardo Leather
After the delicious lunch at the square, we headed out for a Leather Workshop Tour at Leonardo Leather. Leonardo’s workshop offers a variety of leather and gold products, made through Florentine tradition. You can also get your hands on the famous puzzle ring.
The story behind the ring is said that a Turkish Sultan, during a trip to Florence asked a jeweler to create a ring for all his wives. The ring falls apart when removed and the solution to which is only known to them. The clue was to keep him aware of his wife was cheating or not.
End of the day tour
As the day ended, we walked to Santa Croce where we had our tour manager waiting for us to pick up. We were heading back for the hotel where we can change ourselves for an excellent evening Tuscany Dinner accompanied by Live music and wines.
Space Electronic Discoteca
The day was about to end, but the energy level was still up, and we headed to the Space Electronic Disc located at the heart of the Santa Maria Novella, Space Electronic is one of the city’s known clubs and is popular among the locals and tourists. The club entrance seems to be small and narrow but once you get in it has a large area downstairs. We got 2 shots free which were included in our package.
Florence is the best compared to other cities of Italy to enjoy the nightlife, it is safe. You can grab a cocktail or a beer and hit the dance floor with some locals. Space electronic had the perfect atmosphere for fun and drinks.
If you are only for a day in Florence, you must pre-book a walking tour as it covers most of the sights in a frame of 2-3 hours and you can get rest of the day to explore on your own.
Generally, walking tours take off much of your stress from planning, booking, getting lost and save a lot of time. Also, don’t forget to try out the Gelatos and the Italian delicacies when in the city of Florence.
