Roam Free with M&G

Step into the heart of Florence, where history and art intertwine at every corner. From the iconic Duomo to the bustling cobblestone streets, our week in this Renaissance city was filled with breathtaking sights and unforgettable moments. Join us as we share the highlights of our Florentine adventure.

After arriving at Pisa International Airport, we caught the Pisamover from the airport to Central station. From there we boarded a train and travelled to Firenze Santa Maria Novella, which is the main train station for Florence. The hotel we booked, Hotel Albani Firenze, was only a short walk from the train station so we didn’t need to worry about booking a taxi. We checked into our hotel and had a little rest before we set out for the afternoon. After refreshing ourselves from the flight we stepped out of our hotel full of anticipation to explore this charming city. With no plans for the afternoon, we let our feet guide us through the city, and ended up walking to multiple places with the main one being Piazza della Signoria. This square is surrounded by some of the most famous buildings in the city as well as its famous group of sculptures, including Perseus with the Head of Medusa in bronze and the Abduction of a Sabine Woman. Make sure to keep an eye out for Clet Abraham’s playful & whimsical sticker art on Florence’s street signs. In the evening we enjoyed a lovely dinner served at our hotel.

Day two in Florence, our morning started with a stroll across the Ponte Vecchio, a famous bridge that is lined with buildings, followed by a walk up to Piazzale Michelangelo, an incredible spot that offers breathtaking panoramic views of the city. On our walk back down we went through Giardino delle Rose, a beautiful and fragrant garden with 400 varieties of roses overlooking Florence. After a charming walk through the gardens, we returned to our hotel to freshen up. Later, we headed to the Uffizi Galleries, a historic and renowned art museum. We discovered that the Uffizi offers an immersive journey through the history of art, and spent more than two hours taking it all in. I would definitely recommend Uffizi as a must-visit destination, especially if you love art.

For an afternoon treat we made our way to Vivoli Ice Cream Shop. Since 1930, Vivoli has been crafting homemade ice cream with great flavours and ingredients that have now been passed down through four generations. If you love ice cream then you definitely need to make a stop here. As we enjoyed our delicious ice cream we made our way back to our hotel to cool off again after walking in the warm summer sun.

After a nice little rest we headed off again and stopped by ‘Officina profumo-farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella’ which is an old pharmacy dating back to 1221. It is filled with high-end creams and fragrances, but you can also enjoy all the intricate details of the building. For dinner this evening we enjoyed traditional meals of wild boar pasta and osso bucco, and these dishes were just divine!

The following day we had booked a guided day trip with CityWonders. We met our tour guide at Piazza Unità d’Italia, boarded our minivan and headed towards our first stop of the day, Siena Cathedral. Our guide led us through this incredible Cathedral teaching us about the little special details of the artwork inside it’s history. After spending some time exploring the Cathedral and surrounding area, we enjoyed some local coffee and a walk around the city centre as our guide explained the history of ‘Palio’ a traditional horse race that happens twice a year in Siena. Later we jumped back in the minivan and, before we got to our next destination, our driver pulled over to see some vineyards and get photos. Next stop was San Gimignano, a beautiful old hilltop town with medieval towers. As we made the walk up to the town centre we stopped into a local store and tried some locally produced cheese, wine and salami. As we had free time in town we strolled through the streets, walked up to Parco della Rocca which is a ruined fortress that offers stunning views of the rolling countryside. Made a few stops in the local shops and bought some amazing handmade cups. Back in the van for the last stop of the day, Pisa! We had a couple of hours to roam freely through the town centre, but unfortunately didn’t have time to go into the Cathedral. However, it was absolutely wonderful just to walk around and enjoy the atmosphere. Now we didn’t pose for ‘those’ holding the tower photos, but I did go around and high five a few people posing for photos. It was fun; I highly recommend!

Our fourth day in Florence we didn’t have any plans; if possible, I like to leave at least one day during our holidays where we can just do what we feel like and soak up the local culture. We started our day strolling through the markets in the city centre and kept walking around until we ended up at Mercato Centrale, which is an indoor food market. Food lovers will want to stop here to sample the wide variety of foods on offer. It has two floors; the bottom floor is mainly stalls that sell fresh food, including cheese, salami, fruit & veg, and the top floor is where you will find a large open area with multiple shops cooking and serving their special dishes. After filling our bellies, we continued our walk around the town and headed towards Basilica of Santa Croce, which is a beautifully crafted church, we didn’t go inside as the line to get in was quite long, but we enjoyed the looking at all the details from the outside.

From Santa Croce we started to make our way back over the river towards the city centre, and on our way stopped into nice gelato place called Gelateria La Carraia. If you want a place that the locals go, this is it, plus what’s a better way to enjoy the sites of Florence then with a refreshing treat? Following our delicious gelato, we decided to head back to our hotel to cool off and relax from the summer heat. Later that afternoon we decided to hit the road again and made our way past Piazzale Michelangelo, and visited an 11th century church. Basilica di San Miniato al Monte is a beautiful Romanesque church situated atop a hill. It’s known for its stunning architecture, intricate marble facade, breathtaking views of the city, and as a bonus it’s free to go inside and have look. There is also a grave yard you can walk through, but unfortunately it was closed when we arrived. After some time we made our way back to the Piazzale, enjoyed a few drinks and pizza, and waited for the sun to begin setting. As the sun started to set we decided to find another location where we could watch the sun set over Florence. This would be one of my favourite moments of this trip, even though everyone else had the same idea.

Day 5 and we’re off again with a busy day of sightseeing. After a filling breakfast at the hotel, our first activity of the day was to climb the gruelling 463 steps up the steep and narrow staircase of the Duomo. The view from the top was 100% worth the effort, but if you have mobility issues or have claustrophobia you may want to sit this one out. Now if this wasn’t enough of a workout, we also did the climb up the bell tower which was another 414 steps. We both really started to feel the burn in our legs, but again the top was just incredible! After a morning full of climbing, we treated ourselves with more gelato from La Carraia. Later, we decided to pop into Baptistery of St. John. It’s one of the oldest buildings in Florence and its striking octagonal shape definitely catches your eye. Not only is the outside of this building beautiful but inside is also amazing, with stunning mosaic ceilings that date back to the 13th century. We then joined the queue to get inside the Cathedral. The wait to get in was about an hour, though thankfully by now the temperature had cooled slightly, so it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. The Dome had amazing paintings all over.

After exploring inside, we ventured down into the crypt located below the church which is actually the original church. Once we’d finished exploring the crypt, we set off the Opera del Duomo Museum, which holds many of the original works of art created for the Florence Cathedral, Baptistery and Giotto’s Campanile. It also has a large collection of sculptures and artworks by renowned artists such as Michelangelo, Donatello, Brunelleschi, and Ghiberti. It’s a must-visit for anyone interested in Renaissance art and history. Photo Tip: If you make it onto the roof of the museum you can get some nice close up shots of the Duomo. That evening we sat down to a lovely traditional Tuscan meal at Perseus. I recommend adding this restaurant to your travel list, as it serves the most delicious steak and rissotto dishes.

Day 6! We planned another guided tour out of Florence to Le Cinque Terre – my wish list location. It was a surprise to find that our tour guide from Siena was heading up today’s tour as well. We got in our minivan and headed towards La Spezia where we caught a ferry that took us to our first destination of the day, Portovenere. We had some time to ourselves to walk around the village. One of the major things to see in this picturesque village is The Chiesa di San Pietro, which is a beautiful church located right on a cliff edge of the island. There is also plenty to see, plus shopping, swimming and eating! We found this hidden gem that served freshly made focaccia with locally produced pesto – it was to die for.

We re-boarded our boat and headed towards the town of Vernazza. On our way over we sailed past the village of Riomaggiore, which is the first town you past that has a burst of colour from the painted houses. We stopped in Vernazza, soaked up the sun and beach atmosphere, and bought a few handmade souvenirs from the local shops. We continued our trip by catching the local train to Monterosso, the perfect spot to enjoy a swim and some fresh food. We left our guide to explore and enjoyed a few different dishes including squid and gnocchi. Later we met up with our guide once more and made the trip back to Florence.

Once we got back to Florence, we had a quick freshen up before we headed out for a meal. I tried a something a little different, a rabbit pasta dish and it was delicious, would 100% recommend.

For the last day of our Florence adventure we had an early start and we set out for Boboli Gardens. Spanning 111 acres, the Boboli Gardens offer a mix of manicured lawns, elaborate sculptures, fountains, and grottos, making it a paradise for both nature lovers and history buffs. Highlights include the Amphitheatre, the Grotta del Buontalenti, and the panoramic views from the hilltop. After a little gelato treat, we made it to Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze, which is best known for housing Michelangelo’s iconic statue of David. Visiting the Galleria dell’Accademia lets you enjoy Renaissance art up close. It’s a must for any art lover in Florence. For the afternoon we just walked around the city centre with no plans, we did come across the ‘hidden portrait’ which legend has it, was carved by Michelangelo.

For our last meal of the trip we decided to eat at Hard Rock Cafe, it’s a safe and fun place to eat out. Even though it does tend to be for the tourist, we make it a bit of a tradition to eat at one if we can during our holidays, but only if they are nearby. Can’t go wrong with a big juicy burger with great music memorabilia. After a busy week exploring Florence it was nice to have a relaxing evening.

Our week in Florence was incredible. From visiting museums and wandering through the Boboli Gardens, to seeing Pisa and exploring Cinque Terre, every moment was unforgettable. We admired the majestic cathedrals, enjoyed delicious meals, and soaked in the rich art and history. As we leave, we carry wonderful memories and a deep appreciation for this beautiful city. It’s somewhere we both hope to return one day.

Planning a trip to Florence? Feel free to get in touch with any queries — whether big or small. We might be able to help you with your travel plans and make sure you discover all the magic Florence has to offer!