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    Home » World Travel

    Birthday Weekend in Florence, Italy

    Published: Aug 21, 2022 by Jennifer Che

    Bryan half jokingly said “this year, we went to an Italian restaurant for Bryan’s birthday, and we went to Italy for Jen’s birthday.” Although technically true, of course our fall itinerary just worked out such that we were in Boston for his birthday (and got to celebrate with his best friend), while we were in Europe during my birthday.

    A few weeks before my birthday, Bryan said, "I can take a couple days' vacation the weekend surrounding your birthday. You decide where you want to go."

    After some contemplation (and also taking into account what was close by yet feasible), I chose to go back to Florence, a city we hadn't visited since our honeymoon in Italy (!).

    Honeymoon in Venice, Italy September 2001.

    [Note: we took FILM physical photos during our honeymoon. Most of these photos - including all of our Florence photos - are in storage in the US at the moment. Soooo, this Venice one will have to suffice for now]

    Florence

    Florence is a beautiful city that is richly abundant in history, art, and culture. It’s the heart of the Renaissance, after all, and there’s crazy amounts to see and learn. Two days were barely enough to scratch the surface.

    Ponte Vecchio
    Ponte Vecchio

    The first night after arriving we did a self-guided tour of Florence using Rick Steves' Renaissance Walk (free app, and this particular tour is also free). Although we had visited Florence 20 (!) years ago, we could hardly remember much, so it was helpful to have an overview of the city first.

    Florence government building
    Palazzo Vecchio -13th Century Palace

    The weather was crisp and cool, and the walk was pleasant. We followed the path laid out by the tour and just soaked in the city. The walking tour was great because it gave us some background history as well as pointed out interesting tidbits to notice.

    The Duomo di Firenze, Florence's massive cathedral, sits in the center of the city. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and boasts the largest brick dome in the world.
    The Baptistery of St. John, located right across from the cathedral, is one of the oldest buildings in Florence, built in 1128.

    Florence's Incredible Museums

    The Uffizi

    The Uffizi

    You could spend a week alone just exploring the museums in Florence. When we last visited Florence in 2001, the most famous museum, the Uffizi, was closed to visitors because it had been bombed by the mafia in a 1993 attack. Even though we visited 8 years after that, tenovations were still underway at that time and the museum was largely closed to the public. As such, it was extra special that we could finally see it this time!

    The renovations are now complete and the museum is open and bustling, though there are still remnants of the bombing.

    "The vault bears the mark of a window blown by the force of the mafia bomb on 27 May 1993."

    It's a sober reminder to really treasure the things that we see here.

    Some of the world's most famous paintings, such as Sandro Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" are here at the Uffizi.

    The Accademia - The Statue of David

    David at The Accademia in Florence

    The Accademia is the museum that houses the statue of David, one of the most incredible statues in Florence.

    We both have very clear memories of the first time we saw this statue during our honeymoon. Even though there's a copy of the statue outside in the square, it's nothing compared to the original.

    Bargello National Museum, housed in a former prison, includes numerous statues from Michelangelo, Donatello, and the like.

    We pre-booked tickets for a guided tour of the Duomo Terraces. The views from the top are stunning, and you get to learn some history about the building's various architectural features, which was really fun.

    The Food

    Florentine Steak at Buca Lapi in Florence

    For dinner the first night, we headed to Buca Lapi, recommended by Bryan's Italian co-worker for authentic Tuscan food, including delicious fresh pastas and their famous Florentine Steak!

    Florentine steaks are typically very thick-cut, bone-in T-bones or porterhouse steaks cooked with a lovely charred crust and a nice, rare interior.

    Lunch at the Central Market + Gelato!

    For lunch we visited the Central Market (Mercato Centrale / San Lorenzo) and wandered around. I enjoyed a fantastic artisanal gelato at My Sugar, which is located not too far from the Mercato.

    Birthday Dinner at Il Palagio in the Four Seasons

    After a long day of museum hopping and walking around, we celebrated my birthday at Il Palagio in the Four Seasons.

    white Alba truffle pasta
    beetroot tartcracker + herb?biscuit- cheese & gingergreen thing is mushroom flavored (Porcini)“mushroom” is potato

    The meal was lovely, and I'll write a separate post just on this elegant meal.

    Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens

    On the last day, we spent a morning exploring the beautiful Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens.

    This massive park is beautifully sculptured, and you can get lost meandering through the many tree-lined paths, perfectly shaped bushes, and art pieces spread throughout.

    It's a lovely place to spend a few hours.

    Last Lunch at Il Profeta

    On our last day for lunch, we asked our hotel for recommendations of places close by (since we had a train to catch that afternoon!). We enjoyed a delightful lunch at Il Profeta, a casual and rustic trattoria with a long history and phenomenal service.

    The prices were reasonable and the food was very nice. However, it was really the exceptionally warm and friendly service that made the whole experience unique and special.

    We loved their famous signature (vegetarian!) pasta that was also John Travolta's favorite (and is now named after him). The sauce is trade secret, and all they will say is that it's vegetarian.

    And that's a wrap! After our lunch we headed back to the hotel to grab our bags before catching our train back to Milan.

    It was indeed such a special birthday weekend to be able to wander around Florence, enjoy the Chianti region (more on that next!), and revisit a honeymoon spot after so many years.

    Hopefully we don't have to wait yet another 20 years to return to this beautiful place.

    Planning: 2-day Itinerary for a Weekend in Florence

    In case you find it useful, below is our itinerary for Florence. I tried to hit all of the "must see" places, plus added activities that I particularly enjoy, such as climbing buildings (e.g., Duomo Terraces), and incorporating plenty of walking and good food!

    During popular seasons (and certainly during times when there are Covid restrictions on absolute numbers of people), it is crucial to pre-book all of your entry tickets. Everything is available online and you can pay for the tickets using your credit card. The online tickets are typically QR codes, which are just emailed to you. It's so much easier and much less stressful if you have all your tickets lined up.

    DAY 1
    TRAIN FROM MILAN TO FLORENCE
    6PM - 7PM Renaissance Walk (get acquainted with city)
    7:15PM dinner at Buca Lapi

    DAY 2
    8:15AM - 11AM: Uffizi Gallery 
    11:00AM Bargello (statues)
    12:00PM Lunch at Mercato Centrale/San Lorenzo
    3:30: Duomo Terraces or Duomo Tower
    4:15 Duomo Museum
    5:30 PM: Accademia (David statue)
    7:00PM Dinner at Il Palagio

    DAY 3
    10:00AM Palazzo Vecchio, walk across Ponte Vecchio to see Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens
    12:30PM Casual Lunch in Oltrarno neighborhood or near hotel (Il Profeta)
    3:00PM TRAIN OUT OF FLORENCE

    Next up, our 1-day tour of the Chianti Wine region! (a day trip to Florence!)

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    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen
    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen

    Hi, my name's Jen and welcome to my cooking, eating, and travel site! I am an expat who moved from Boston to Hong Kong 5 years ago. Born and raised in Ohio to Taiwanese immigrant parents, I am a chemistry nerd, patent attorney by day, blogger by night, church musician on weekends, and food enthusiast always. Feel free to explore away, maybe starting with the Recipe Index or one of the travel pages! I hope you enjoy this site!

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