After going spending three hectic and exciting days in Siena, Ryan and I took the a bus trip up to Florence. I have to say now, as much as everyone raves over Florence and how beautiful it is, I just don’t get it. Every time I have been to Florence it’s always been so busy, full of tourists (and I know I am one too), and I just haven’t been able to relax. I did warn Ryan of this before we went, so I think he was prepared.
In Florence we stayed in a B&B (no breakfast though) in a road right off the main Piazza del Duomo. It was incredibly cheap considering the location, but it did have a shared bathroom and no air con. You win some, you lose some! But in terms of value for money for the location and cleanliness, I definitely couldn’t fault it.
On Thursday we wondered around Florence to get a feel for the city and took the long walk up to Piazza Michelangelo. Although it wasn’t the clearest of days, the view was incredible, and definitely worth the long walk.
In the evening we went to a couple of bars my friend recommended away from the main centre, and indulged in some spritz and aperitivo – definitely a cheap way of eating out and very delicious. We bar hopped a bit and then took a long walk back through the city to our hotel.
Friday morning we were up bright and early to be first in the queue for the Uffizi, home to some of the most famous pieces of artwork, including Botticelli’s Venus, which I studied in my final year at University. It was my only stipulation for visiting Florence, and I’m so glad we made the effort to go and visit. There were plenty of other pieces of artwork I recognised from my studies and I couldn’t get over how beautiful Venus is, although a lot smaller than I imagined.
After spending a few hours wondering around Uffizi, we decided to make the journey to the Pisa to so Ryan could visit the leaning tower, or Torre pendente. Pisa was incredibly hot which made the walk to the tower slightly unpleasant, and we didn’t spend long there.
Eventually after seven long and not quite so relaxing days in travelling around Tuscany, we made our way to the airport. We did so much walking it felt like we needed another holiday afterwards, but it was a great time spent with a good friend.
Stripes and Snapshots 