Honestly, this is up there with my favorite cities in Europe.
Definitely in my top three, anyway.
My trip over was to visit a mate and I wasn't expecting more than a piss up but I was really blown away by the beauty of this city.
I only had two and a half days to enjoy what the city of Firenze (yes, I am cultured) had to offer but it's such a small place that you'll have plenty of time to explore over a weekend.
Everything is in walking distance if you're feeling up for it and I genuinely didn't get in one taxi while I was there. Well, apart from getting to the airport, obv.
Although I didn't know a whole lot about the city, I had heard of the Ponte Vecchio bridge and you'll more than likely recognise a snap of this beauty.
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We actually passed by it a couple of times as it's located bang smack in the middle of the city, so you can pop here at any time.
The old bridge is famous for being kitted out in jewellery and boutique shops and you can even see some of the shops hanging over the back of it.
It really is beautiful to see but it's one of these things that is better to look at instead of actually being on.
One of the main reasons for that, is that it is bloody packed with tourists.
Actually, I'm going to take a quick break for a PSA: Florence is rammed with tourists, especially if you're there for the art.
Luckily, I was not but, that doesn't mean I couldn't see the crowds queuing for hours to get into the museums.
The Uffizi Gallery was by far the biggest joke. The queue must have been two days long and I'm not one to exaggerate.
I did manage to see Michelangelo's David which was incredible.
It's held in the Accademia Gallery and it's actually more impressive in real life, which isn't always the case with tourist attractions and art (cough, Mona Lisa, cough).
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Anyway, back to the beauty.
Next place you have to check out is Piazzale Michelangelo which is a viewpoint over the city.
Grab a bottle of wine and head up to the steps while watching the sun go down over the city.
Sitting there gazing, a little tipsy, while chatting sh*te was probably the highlight of my trip.
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The following morning we got up nice and early and hit Ditta Artigianale for some breakfast and a cortado.
This is honestly one of the nicest cafés I've been to. The food and coffee is unreal so make sure to check it out.
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We then ventured over to Giardino Di Boboli.
These gardens are kind of like Powerscourt Gardens if I'm going to be honest, but just a lot bigger.
If you get a nice day you'll spend hours walking around and taking in the history.
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByVaI-oD-LG/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
In my opinion, the beauty in Florence isn't one stand-out thing like an Eiffel Tower, it's more a collection of small things like quaint streets and nice food.
You'll walk by the Cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore and the Duomo, where you can actually climb around 300 steps to the top and look over the city.
I did not do this - massive queue, no apologies.
But I did admire the beauty from the ground.
At night, you can easily walk around for hours and stop at one of the many wine bars that have an open front.
Grab a glass of wine, some nibbles and watch the world go by.
Florence should definitely be on your bucket list for 2019.
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