Find me in Firenze

Ahh Florence. As I’m writing, I find myself daydreaming about all the incredible pizza, pasta, and bread. This was one of my favorite weekends of my time studying abroad because it was so fun to have our friends from Penn State show us around their new city! Florence is absolutely breathtaking and I definitely did not go hungry during my visit.

Something people really fail to mention about planning a trip to Florence is that its pretty inconvenient to get there. My friends and I metro-ed to the airport, flew into Rome, took two trains, and a cab to finally end up at my friend Meg’s apartment. A lot of students studying abroad choose not to fly directly into Florence’s airport because it tends to be more expensive. Making the trip is completely worth it, but just account for the extra travel time!

We arrived late on Thursday and headed out to Bamboo, a night club to meet up with a bunch of friends. We had so much fun and the going out scene is really cool in Florence. Although the clubs and bars are a lot smaller than they are in Barcelona, it was nice to experience another nightlife that was made up predominantly of students from the US. One thing I did not anticipate was the long walk home from the club. Taxis really are not a thing in Florence and I found that out the hard way.

On Friday afternoon, we walked around the entire city making stops at quaint little gelato shops, the leather market, and Mercato Centrale. We ate personal pizzas at Ristorante Buca Niccolini for lunch. This restaurant is right near the Duomo and we got a really nice view of it from where we were sitting. After lunch, we wandered through the Gucci Garden. I loved seeing all the vintage Gucci dresses, bags, and accessories. We even got free entry with our friends’ student id cards.

For dinner, we went to Trattoria Zá Zá. The food in Florence is pretty much unmatched. We ordered bruschetta Florentine style and goat cheese with tangerine jam as an appetizer. The pasta options were amazing. Spaghetti alla carbonara with truffle sauce, gnocchi with gorgonzola cheese, pappardelle in duck sauce; my mouth is watering just thinking about it all! Stuffed and so very satisfied, we made our way to Babylon, another night club.

For lunch on Saturday, we ate at Osteria Santo Spirito. This place is famous for its Truffle Gnocchi. It also came highly recommended by multiple friends and family, so I was thrilled when so many people at the table ordered this dish and gave me a few bites. I ordered a seafood pasta that was simply delicious.

For the remainder of the day, we walked all around Florence. We went to a great wine bar, Enoteca Alla Sosta dei Papi. They serve you delicious appetizers when you order a glass of wine. After, we took in the beautiful views from the Ponte Vecchio and trekked up the long stairway to the Piazzale Michelangelo. The view is stunning and it was the perfect setting for sharing a bottle of wine at sunset.

For dinner, we went to Trattoria 13 Gobbi. My friends were raving about the rigatoni at this restaurant and absolutely insisted that we all order it. It did not disappoint. This heaping bowl of cheesy pasta its to die for. The whole restaurant has a wonderful ambiance and is very intimate. It was the perfect last meal in Florence. After dinner, we went to Space, a night club that bears a lot of similarities to the clubs in Barcelona.

My friends and I woke up very early to take a train back to Rome. We strategically planned it out so that we would have a few hours to walk around. We dropped our bags and quickly saw a few of the main attractions. Our first stop, the Colosseum left me completely in awe. After, we made our way through the town to take those classic pictures in front of the Trevi fountain and on the Spanish steps. We had an amazing lunch at Ristorante Abruzzi right near the Pantheon. My friends and I still reminisce on how delicious the bruschetta was. We didn’t get to see the Vatican while we were there, but I guess that just means I am going to have to come back!

This weekend was 100% worth the 5 pounds I probably put on. I can already see myself coming back to Florence for another food tour. I’m also really excited to come back to Rome one day and more fully experience all the city has to offer.