A little while ago Dan & I took a flight to not so far away Florence, to get away for his 30th birthday. Despite it being rather drizzly the entire trip, we were well prepared with umbrellas, raincoats and the determination to explore... I hope you enjoy my travel guide filled with plenty of places to eat as what else would you be going to Italy for?
What to do:
There's so many amazing sites to visit but walking around the city is the best way to explore things! It was this way I discovered a Sephora, a little sad I know but as we don't have them in the UK I always get so excited whenever I see one. Other things which are just as amazing (if not more hehe) are the stunning Bobbli Gardens, The Gucci Garden (I've done a full blog post on that here), Il Duomo di Firenze we didn't go in as the queue was huge but still amazing and discovering photobooths scattered across Florence. Mercarto Centrale is an indoor street food market and a wonderful place to try lots of food from all over Italy.
For the gram:
Not is it a tourist hotspot but the Il Duomo di Firenze makes for a wonderful photo, the combination of the green, white and pink stone is bound to fit with anyone's theme. Again The Gucci Garden is going to be getting you plenty of likes on the gram. Looking for the perfect coffee/lunch spot? Go to Ditta Artigianale for delicious latte's, cakes and food. The industrial vibe lends itself to certain vsco filters too. However I found some of my favourite shots from the city when I was just walking around, there's so many amazing buildings to snap and rows of Vespa's that are bound to give you the authentic Italian photo.
Where to eat:
You really are spoilt for choice in Florence, we were lucky enough to be in a foody hotspot. For breakfast try Finisterrae for fresh orange juice, and delicious but cheap pastries! On your way you might just find one of those photobooths I've been talking about too. For some of the best gelato, visit Gelataria Dei Neri, there's so many flavours you might need to take a few trips a day. My favourite was the yogurt and cherry combination, so refreshing. One evening we dined at Foody Farm, a restaurant using only organic and local ingredients, they even made their own ketchup. For such delicious food it's really reasonable and you can even gulp down authentic prosecco for €3 a glass. Finally, if you're looking for a pizza go to Gusto Pizza, it's probably the most popular in the city too. Oh and for those sandwiches you see all over the Florence location on instagram is All'Antico Vinaio. They didn't have any vegetarian ones on the menu they were happy to make one up for me.
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Essentially, it's a rather fabulous and (very overpriced) shop. It's divided up into three areas; an exhibition, a restaurant and a shop. The exhibition is free for if you're 18-25 and I think around €7-10 for everyone else, I'd really recommend checking this out. It's quite small but you get to see some really iconic pieces, plus learn lots more about the history of the brand. All of the staff are incredibly knowledgeable and will happily talk you through each piece. There's areas of the exhibition which features pieces from each designer/creative director including Tom Ford's infamous days there. My favourite room was the floral themed one, I loved the interactive projections and the pieces they had chosen for the room. I think would have been great to see more of the adverts and fashion imagery created by the brand as they've been some of the most controversial in the industry, especially during Tom Ford's reign there. I don't want to spoil it too much, but it's an Instagram haven, from quotes on the walls, to hand-painted illustrations by Jayde Fish, you're going to get very snap happy here.
Creative director Alessandro Michele said, "The garden is real, but it belongs above all to the mind, populated with plants and animals: like the snake, which slips in everywhere, and in a sense, symbolizes a perpetual beginning and a perpetual return."
Creative director Alessandro Michele said, "The garden is real, but it belongs above all to the mind, populated with plants and animals: like the snake, which slips in everywhere, and in a sense, symbolizes a perpetual beginning and a perpetual return."
After soaking up lots of fascinating stories about the company we walked back downstairs into the concept store which is like a mini museum in itself. It's not cheap in there, but I don't expect anyone is after some bargains. We're talking €15 for for one single postcard, €110 for a tote bag and POA on a tiny box of matches. It's pretty insane, but lots of fun none the less. They've displayed it all so beautifully, and it's truly an explosion of colour. Once you've felt depressed about your bank balance after seeing so many gorgeous candles, book and dresses. It's time to go back into the real world, however you do get to keep your Gucci pink and black ticket, so at least everyone can say they own something Gucci once they leave Florence.
Gucci Garden: Piazza della Signoria, 10, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy
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