Italian Adventure: Florence

Dress: ASOS//Sunnies: PERVERSE//Sandals: Franco Sarto

I was fortunate to be able to spend 10 days in Italy during the late part of June and early July. It was a dream. Italy had always been on bucket list so I was so excited that I was going! During the 10 days we visited Florence, Rome, Sorrento, Venice, and Milan. I was a little worried to squeeze so much in during the 10 days but looking back, there was no other way to see it all. I researched and planned as much as I could to absorb as much of the culture as possible. I planned to see every statue, all of the architecture, and drink as much wine as possible! It was truly a whirlwind adventure.

First stop on the adventure was Florence. I was meeting Sany.Delight and a friend in Florence because they were attending a wedding. So I flew in from LAX two days behind them. It was actually wonderful. If you've never traveled alone or flown alone, it is actually really relaxing to take quiet time to yourself and take in the realization that you are traveling to another country. Unfortunately my first flight was not great. My row mate was extremely rude and thought it was appropriate to put your feet in the chair as if you were at home lying on your couch! The second flight was fine. I had a 90 minute flight from Zurich Switzerland to Florence Italy. Once I landed in Florence I looked for a taxi and headed to the AirBnB. The AirBnB was Ok. I knew we weren't going to be there long so I sucked it up, showered and hit the town.

On my first night in Italy I didn't have much time to sight see because of the time difference and it was going to be dark soon. So I made sure I caught the sunset and walked over to the Ponte Vecchio Bridge. The Ponte Veccho Bridge is often referred to as the 'Old Bridge' and has roots dating back to 966. It has been rebuilt twice and survived World War II. Its beauty is something like you have never seen. When the sunset hits the water the sight of the bridge is breathtaking. I literally thought to myself when I looked at it, "Wow, this is so magical."

That night I had a pizza and a glass of wine at a small restaurant by the AirBnB. I wanted to soak up the energy of the city and enjoy being in a country I'd only dreamt of visiting.

The next day we walked through the city. We grabbed a quick breakfast of pastries and coffee. I quickly got used to the small Italian breakfast. I'm used to a traditional American breakfast with eggs and bacon, but the Italians don't spend too much time on breakfast. It's usually a fresh pastry with a cup of espresso. Or in my case, an Americano.

We explored the Galleria dell' Accademia and saw Michelangelo's David. We tried to get into the Duomo but unfortunately weren't able to get an appointment. In the end everything worked out because we spent the day exploring this beautiful city. We admired the architecture at every corner. The doors to the builds were so grandiose and breath taking and at times we would stop and stare. At a door I know but it was just so beautiful. To think that this amazing architecture was done without all of the technologies we have today is MIND BOGGLING.

A definite highlight of my short time in Florence was having lunch at Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura. Alongside the Gucci Garden, a unique museum dedicated to the iconic style of the Gucci label, there is a fabulous restaurant. The menu is designed by Michelin starred chef Massimo Bottura. The food was wonderful. My risotto dish was decadent and full of flavor. This fine dining experience was one that will definitely go down in the books.