list – The Wknd Travel

P’s List: 7 Food Places to Check Out in Florence

Hello and welcome to another P’s List! It has been a while since I shared a travel-related list. In case you missed it in the past, I shared with you some of my favorites: 5 must-try Belgian treats, 6 budget-friendly and personal favorite to-do’s when in Japan, 6 Dutch delis I enjoyed, 4 Czech food I enjoyed, 12 Taiwanese treats worth lining-up for and 7 Danish delicacies not to miss.

You will notice that most of them are about food. Yes – I love to eat and explore the local cuisine while traveling! Today’s list is not an exception. My friend and I explored the beautiful Italian city of Florence back in November 2022 and we want to recommend the following food places.

Pizza Napoli 1955

Pizza Napoli 1955 is an authentic Neapolitan pizza restaurant in the center of Florence. The pizza parlor is located along the famous Via del Neri and is open from 12 noon to around 10:30 in the evening. It serves great pizza for an affordable price.

I got a Margherita Pizza for myself and only paid less than €10. Please note that they only accepted cash during our visit in November 2022.

Osteria e Vinaino Cicalone

My friend randomly came across Osteria e Vinaino Cicalone in our search for a nice place to have lunch. We just arrived from Rome; we were so hungry and we decided to eat at the first restaurant we find appealing.

Little did we know that this small, cozy and authentic restaurant served one of the best local dishes we had during our time in Florence. I ordered Peposo – a local red wine beef stew and a glass of house wine for drink. We also had tiramisu for dessert and oh boy, we had one of the best tiramisus of our trip.

The beef stew, glass of house red wine, tiramisu (shared) cost around €25 including the table charge. The food prices are usual – not affordable and not too expensive. The restaurant is worth a try!

Trattoria dall’Oste

A trip to Florence is incomplete without trying the world-famous Florentine steak. We had our first Florentine steak experience at a popular steak place – Trattoria Osteria dall’Oste Santa Maria Novella Branch.

We met with our friends for dinner and we ordered the grilled Florentine T-Bone steak (Italian: Bistecca alla Fiorentina “scottona”), Homemade pappardelle pasta with wild boar sauce (Italian: Pappardelle al sugo di cinghiale), Pasta with sausage, burrata cheese and fresh truffle (Italian: Pasta salsiccia, burrata e tartufo) and a bottle of red wine. We paid a little over €120 for all dishes including table charge for 4 people.

It was not a cheap dinner but it was good for the experience. The restaurants under this group can get busy at times. Be sure to arrive early for dinner to immediately get a seat.

La Fettunta

La Fettunta was hands-down the best Tuscan restaurant we have been to in this trip. This authentic and rustic restaurant was recommended to us by our walking tour guide. It served the best Florentine steak for an affordable price. Located along Via del Neri, the restaurant also served other Italian dishes and traditional Tuscan food.

My friend and I ordered 1.2-kilograms of rare Florentine steak and a bottle of in-house wine and paid only €70; we paid €35 each. Affordable, isn’t it?

La Strega Nocciola Gelateria Artigianale

After having dinner at Pizza Napoli 1955, my friend and I walked to La Strega Nocciola Gelateria Artigianale between Duomo & Accademia for our gelato fix. We ordered their signature flavors and enjoyed the gelato’s rich taste.

Gelateria Edoardo il Gelato Biologico

After our steak lunch at La Fettunta, we walked to Gelateria Edoardo il Gelato Biologico for dessert. We ordered their signature organic flavors (sorry – I totally forgot the specifics) and enjoyed the fresh and creamy taste.

This gelateria is located near Duomo di Firenze and has beautiful views of the duomo as the background. They also serve vegan gelato.

All’Antico Vinaio

I refused to fall in line for this panini shop but I thought I will include this in the list for you to check out.

All’Antico Vinaio is famous for their paninis served using traditional Tuscan flat bread schiacciata. The shop has a few branches along Via del Neri. Do not forget to bring a lot of patience because lines can get crazy long for all these branches.

One more thing – please do not forget to spoil yourself with Tuscan wines while in Florence. The region is known for producing Sangiovese-based dry red wines. The usual recommendations include Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.

In my opinion, La Fettunta is one that should not be missed from the list above. The Florentine steak they served was one of the best steaks I have had in my entire life. I would not hesitate to visit Florence again and dine at La Fettunta!

The list above may only be a handful compared to thousands of restaurants and food options in Florence but I hope you can check out those listed above. I checked the ratings of all these restaurants and shops and I can tell you that all of them are rated between 4.4 to 5 stars with thousands of reviews each from Google Reviews and TripAdvisor. I can guarantee you will enjoy the quality of food served in these restaurants and shops.

Have you been to one of these restaurants and shops? How was your experience and how did you find the food? Which one is your favorite? Share your experiences below in the comments section. Do you have any questions about anything above? You may also send your questions via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s P’s List. Please watch out for more lists and recommendations in the future. You can check out other Europe-related content under the N9 in Europe category.

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PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

P’s List: 7 Interesting Observations About Denmark

Going around Copenhagen with a friend made my Denmark experience a unique one. I learn a lot from walking tour guides, hostel staff & co-travelers but I believe nothing beats learning from someone who actually lives in the same city or country, showing around their own culture from his or her personal experiences. I spent 2 full days around Copenhagen with my Danish friend, Mads. This good friend is based in Aalborg, one of the smaller cities up north of Copenhagen but he flew all the way to the capital to show me around.

In case you missed it, I also wrote about the places I saw in Copenhagen, the 7 Danish delicacies one must not miss & the luxury hostel I stayed with during my stay – Steel House Copenhagen.

Today’s P’s List will show 7 interesting observations or learning I had about Danish people, Copenhagen & Denmark during my stay in the country. Please note that these are all personal observations & learning & that they not reflect or represent anyone.

Danish people use bicycle a lot.

Danish people are like Dutch people – they use bicycle a lot. They use it to go to work, to go to the supermarket, to go to the park or to go wherever they need to go. Most roads in Copenhagen & in the other cities have dedicated bicycle lanes.

Danish architecture is unique & beautiful.

Danish architecture evolved from its Viking-inspired style to the usual baroque, gothic & renaissance styles to functionalism & then now to its contemporary unique style. Their neo-futuristic style taps more on the proper use of natural elements, sustainable energy & people comfort.

Copenhill from afar – a cheese wedge-like building that serves as a power plant & a ski slope! 🧀

Copenhagen has notable buildings like Copenhill, a cheese-like structure which operates as a power plant & an artificial ski slope designed by Bjarke Ingels Group & the ‘toaster-like’ Copenhagen Opera House designed by Henning Larsen. Denmark produced architects that has worked on many iconic & world-famous architectural masterpieces including the Sydney Opera House designed by Jørn Utzon.

Axel Towers Copenhagen is a mixed-use building designed by Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects 🇩🇰

Closer look at Axel Towers Copenhagen. Look at the curvy design – unique & beautiful element! 😍

You can go out in a day without bringing cash.

Yes, majority of the stores in Denmark accept mobile or cards as form of payment. My friend Mads even said that the locals know if the person buying is a tourist if they pay their goods in cash. Almost all establishments, including hotdog stands & food stalls, use a cashless mode of payment. Train stations don’t have ‘cash counters’ – all tickets must be paid by card.

Tap water in Denmark is safe to drink.

Tap water is Denmark is potable. It has one of the world’s cleanest tap water. Their tap water undergoes strict quality controls up to the point where it is as safe as the bottled water you buy from the stores. The canals & rivers in Copenhagen also has clear & very clean waters. Impressive!

Steel House Copenhagen had this water-refilling section in the hostel common area. Free water!!!

Danish people like getting cozy.

Danish people love being cozy, comfortable & contented. This ‘hygge’ culture is popular among Danes where they slow down a certain time of the day or week, feel contented about life & enjoy the simple things it has to offer.

Look at how cozy these couches are. Perfect places in Steel House Copenhagen to practice hygge 🥰

Danish people value equality.

Like other Scandinavian countries, Denmark values equality in all aspects. Danish people follow the Law of Jante where they don’t think they’re better than the other. The government does everything to lessen the gap between men & women in jobs, wages & societal benefits. Danish people also don’t care about people’s sexuality. They respect people regardless of their preference.

Denmark is a happy country with happy people.

Denmark is a consistent placer in the yearly world’s happiest countries list. Why? The Danish welfare state works. Danish people pay higher taxes than most in the world & get more social services (free healthcare, free education & unemployment subsidy) out of it. As mentioned above, Danish people respect each other & value equality. They also have work-life balance. I remember Mads told me they only work less than 35 hours a week; while in the Philippines, we work 40 hours a week on a regular job. Their ‘hygge’ culture also plays a big part in making them happy & contented.

Denmark is a safe country to visit.

Never have I felt unsecured in those 4 days of walking around in Denmark, be it in day time or late at night. Copenhagen, in particular, felt to safe at any time of the day. Danish people are nice & friendly. People respect each other. Neighborhoods are clean & quiet. It just feels like a perfect place to visit.

Denmark is a wonderful country to visit. It may be more expensive than the other ones I’ve been to but it’s a country that I easily fell in love with. It may not have the stunning canal houses of Amsterdam, the beautiful Grote Markt of Brussels or the picturesque buildings of Prague but it surely has the most modern & unique buildings & the warmest & happiest people. Everything about Copenhagen felt right at the moment. I didn’t regret spending the last days of my Going Solo in Europe 2019 trip in this happy country. I know most Filipinos first go to France, Italy, Spain & Netherlands but I hope people start visiting Denmark too.

Which of the 7 interesting observations above hit you the most? Have you been to Copenhagen or any other Danish city before? How did you find it? If you haven’t been to Denmark, what’s that one thing you look forward to seeing in the country? Share your responses in the comment section below. Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above, about Copenhagen or Denmark in general? You may send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining in me today’s P’s List! Check out my Going Solo in Europe 2019 series where I talk everything about my first ever solo trip to Europe – from flights, to hostels to day trips. Also, be on alert for cheap fares & fun posts like this by following by my social media pages – Facebook & Instagram.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

P’s List: 12 Taiwanese Treats Worth Lining Up For

Time flies so fast. I can’t believe it’s already a year since our family trip to Taiwan. We spent the Father’s Day weekend going to Taichung’s picturesque places, walking around the beautiful city of Taipei & exploring the northern countryside towns of Yehliu, Jiufen & Shifen. I’ve been to Taiwan twice before that trip – first time in 2015 with my 2 high school buddies & second time in 207 with my colleagues.

I’ve been to Taiwan thrice & I will always go back there for their efficient transportation system, lovely & accommodation people, great city vibe, wonderful countryside & food. Yes, food! I am in for a short weekend trip to Taiwan just to eat. The country has a long list of treats & street food to try in markets, food halls & local restaurants.

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to stay in our own countries & homes for months. Leisure travel is still not allowed & there’s no definite time frame when things will go back to normal. We can’t do anything but to stay home, keep safe & look back at memories gained in previous trips. Join me in today’s P’s List as I share with you 12 Taiwanese treats I tried in my previous trips which are worth lining up for.

SPOILER: NAKAKAGUTOM!

In case you missed it, I wrote about our Taipei to Manila flight on EVA Air on flight BR 277. Check out my EVA Air flight report here. I also shared my experience in our hostel for this weekend trip. Check out my hostel of the day feature for Uinn Travel Hostel here.

Pork Sausage

Taiwanese pork sausage is one of the most common street foods in the country. This pinkish-red grilled sausage is served in a stick. It’s made of relatively bigger chunks of meat, garlic & spices.

Chicken Chops

Taiwan is also famous for big (bigger than your face) chicken chops by Hot Star Chicken. These spiced & breaded chicken chops are cooked in smoking hot oil. We bought our chicken chops in their Ximending branch & we enjoyed it.

Stuffed Chicken Wings

The country also became popular for their fried rice stuffed chicken wings. Brilliant idea, right? Imagine having a chicken wings with already rice in it – so good!

Hujiao Bing (Pork Pepper Bun)

Hujiao bing, or pork pepper bun in English, is a freshly cooked sesame bun filled with tasty layers of peppered pork & green onions. The snack originated in Fuzhou, China & has been adopted in Taiwan as a popular street food. The most popular pork pepper bun stall is in Raohe Night Market’s entrance near Songshan MRT Station.

Chou Doufu (Stinky Tofu)

Stinky tofu is another famous street food in Taiwan; it’s made of tofu fermented in a mix of milk, vegetable, fish & meat brine. It is fried in oil & served with soy sauce & chili. Yes, it stinks but it tastes alright. I tried it once but I won’t try it again. I added the dish in this list as it is a must-try especially for first-timers.

Lu Rou Fan (Braised Pork Rice Bowl)

Braised pork rice bowl is a popular meal to locals. The pork meat is sliced into small pieces & braised with spices until it creates a savory & aromatic sauce. It is usually served with a boiled egg. This dish is hard to spot in night market stalls but is something that worth-trying. I met with a friend who was also in town & we had this braised pork rice bowl in Jin Feng, a small open-air restaurant outside exit 2 of Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Station.

Niu Rou Mian (Beef Noodle Soup)

Beef noodle soup is one of Taiwan’s staple food. This dish is composed of tender stewed beef portions, fresh noodles in a rich & mild spicy broth with bok choy & other greens. This beef noodle dish is found everywhere but the famous ones are Lin Dong Fang Beef Noodles in Zhongshan District & Yong Kang Beef Noodles in Da’an District.

Deep Fried Milk

Deep fried milk is one of my favorite snacks in Taiwan. This is made from chilled thickened milk dipped in batter & fried in oil. I loved the deep-fried milk from the stall in the other end of Raohe Night Market.

Peanut Ice Cream Roll

Did it ever come to your mind that you can put an ice cream in a roll? Never, right? Apparently, it can! Taiwan has a dessert called peanut ice cream roll. It is made of 2-3 scoops of ice cream, shaved peanut brittle & coriander or cilantro (optional) wrapped in a handmade roll wrap or crepe. I tried this in one of the random stalls in Shifen & I thought I enjoyed it.

Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodles

Ay-Chung flour-rice noodles is one thing you must not miss when in Taiwan. This flour-rice noodles cooked with pig intestines in a thick brown tasty broth & served with cilantro is a perfect snack when you are in Ximending. This popular stall is along Emei Street & is usually full of people.

Xiao Long Bao (Taiwanese Soup Dumplings)

The xiao long bao I had in one of the restaurants in Jiufen in 2017. The next best to Din Tai Fung!

A visit in Taiwan is not complete without having the world-famous xiao long bao. I know Din Tai Fung has branches in many cities around the world but having it from where it came from is something. There are a lot of xiao long bao places all over Taipei & Taiwan in general. I think nothing beats Din Tai Fung. The xiao long bao in that random Jiufen restaurant I tried in 2017 comes next.

Nothing beats the Din Tai Fung – it’s still the best xiao long bao for me. Aahhh I want some now!!

Bubble Tea

Taiwan is the land of bubble tea or pearl milk tea or whatever you want to call it. Nothing further.

That’s it for today’s P’s List. I’m sure I’ve tried more Taiwanese treats before but I can’t remember all of them before. Apologies, I can’t find photos for the beef noodles & Hot Star’s chicken chops. Have you been to Taiwan before? Which treat / street food / meal did you enjoy most? Planning to go there once the pandemic is over? Which one are you looking forward to try first? Are you ready to drown yourself with bubble tea? You should be excited then! Do you have any questions about the treats mentioned above? Feel free to put them in the comments section below. You can also send them to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Let me end this P’s List with another photo of Din Tai Fung’s Xiao Long Bao. It’s just so good!! 😋

Thank you for joining me in today’s P’s List! Check out the posts under the Taiwan category if you want to check out my other Taiwan blogs in this website. Can I ask for a favor from you? Please follow my social media pages to get details on cheap fares & fun posts like this – Facebook & Instagram. Thanks again. Have a nice day ahead! 🙂

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

P’s List: 6 Budget-Friendly & Personal Favorite To-Do’s in Japan

It’s week 4 of our enhanced community quarantine in the Philippines. We’re stuck in our homes, working remotely in our desks & distancing from the outside world aiming to contain the spread of the corona virus. I do not want to talk about how the world is at how but I hope you, your families & your friends are healthy & safe. I also hope you’ve done your part in helping out our front liners & extending your help to those in need.

After 4 weeks of staying at home, I realized I have more time to catch-up on my Going Solo in Europe Series content. I’ve finished my posts about The Netherlands & Belgium & I still have tons to share about Czech Republic & Denmark. Now that my 4 trips (China, Vietnam, Davao & Australia) were cancelled / rescheduled due to the virus, I might run out of stuff to post while waiting for my next trip. I brainstormed with my friends the other night (thanks Majo & Junelle!) & I thought of having a new wave of content to share to my dear readers.

In the last few years, I shared with you travel-related contents through my Tuesday Tips, Throwback Thursday Trips, Friday Thoughts, Hostels of the Day & Flight Reports. Today, I will add a new part in this website called P’s List! It is a list-type of travel content purely based on my personal experiences. It will feature lists of things I need to do in a certain place, restaurants I recommended visiting in a city, food which one must & so on. I hope these lists can help people plan out their itineraries & look for places to visit in their upcoming trips.

The first P’s List will be about Japan – my favorite country next to home. I’ve been thinking about my past Japan trips & I can’t help but miss everything about this beautiful country. I’ve been to Japan 6 times in the last 5 years & I still look forward to going back to the same places over & over again. I browsed through my photos & saw my favorites. Let me share my favorite & affordable to-do’s in my past Japan trips in today’s P’s List.

Stay in Hostels

You guys know that I am a fan of hostels over other forms of accommodation. Hostels are cheaper than hotels & serviced apartments allowing you save some cash for other needs like food, transportation, etc. I’ve stayed with hostels around Asia, Europe & Australia & I can 100% say that Japanese hostels have a unique character. These hostel facilities are clean, well-maintained & quiet. The showers & toilet are unique – you know those electric toilets & small shower rooms. The rooms are spotless & the beds are easy to sleep with. Staffs are nice, accommodating & helpful. Everything feels safe if you’re in Japanese hostels.

In fact, I’ve featured several hostels under my Hostel of the Day posts – The Stay Sapporo, Oak Hostel Zen Tokyo, Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel, Dot Hostel Nagano, New World Inn Osaka, Fukuoka Hana Hostel & Nekokura Hostel Fukuoka. I also wrote about the 4 Trusted Hostel Groups in Japan which one should stay with. Check out these individual reviews & features & you’ll know why I love staying in Japanese hostels.

Enjoy Eating Gyudon

Matsuya’s gyumeshi – my favorite gyudon in Japan. It’s budget-friendly & very tasty!! YUMYUM~

I love eating gyudon; I love having this meal in local restaurants. Gyudon is a Japanese rice bowl topped with flavored beef strips & simmered onions. I love eating this gyudon in my favorite Japanese fast food restaurant – Matsuya Foods. I usually order their extra-large gyumeshi with miso soup for a little over ¥500 yen & enjoy the meal with the variety of Japanese sauces available & finish the meal with a glass or cold tea. I also love Sukiya’s (another fast food restaurant) gyudon with melted cheese perfect with tabasco sauce.

Another favorite – Sukiya’s gyudon with cheese. It’s perfect with Tabasco sauce – cheesy & spicy!

I have this gyudon meal almost every day, if not every other day & I enjoy it every single time. It’s cheap, it’s tasty & it makes me super full. I cannot wait for my next gyudon fix!

Indulge in Authentic Ramen

Japan is the land of authentic ramen. This dish made of pulled noodles with tasty broth & toppings is one thing I don’t miss when in Japan. I always have ramen in Ichiran, the world-famous tonkotsu ramen that originated in Fukuoka. I also love to try local & authentic ramen like that of Takayama Ramen from Takayama, Hakata Ramen also from Fukuoka & miso ramen from Hokkaido. These ramen dishes, except for Ichiran Ramen, costs a less than ¥1,000 & are big enough to fill my stomach. It’s been a while since I had ramen & I am now craving for one.

Hoard Convenience Store Snacks

My friends & I love to get our snacks from convenience stores in Japan. Convenience stores in Japan are everywhere & open 24/7. These one-stop stores have different breads, chips, desserts & drinks. The stores also have rice meals, coffee, magazines & basically anything a human being needs.

Here’s an example of the variety of drinks you’ll find in a Japanese convenience store.. Yaaaaaay!!

My ultimate favorite convenience store haul is tuna mayo onigiri, egg sandwich & a pack or bottle of drink (milk tea, juice or any drink available). It doesn’t even cost me ¥500 to have all of these as snack! And oh, pro-tip! Please choose Family Mart over any other convenience store in Japan. Family mart has better & tastier products.

Breakfast Grocery Shopping

My hobby of getting food from the grocery started when I was in Fujikawaguchiko last November 2017. All restaurants were closed; the nearest place in my hostel to get food was a local supermarket. There I found out that groceries in Japan offer cheaper packed meals prepared daily & even give you the option to prepare your ‘own meal.’

From that time on, I always get my breakfast meals from the supermarket the night before going back to the hostel & reheat them the following day before I eat. These prepackaged meals usually cost ¥300 – ¥400 & already includes rice, a viand & a salad. Sometimes I add a small salad pack & custard for dessert making my meal cost only ¥500.

Food in groceries & supermarkets are cheaper than those from the convenience stores. Some are even on sale around 7:30 pm to make sure the groceries sell all food before closing time. Getting food from the grocery is way of saving money & a way of helping local businesses. Based on the images shown here – I really like going to the groceries for food. 😋

Drown in Milk Tea

We’re down to my ultimate favorite thing to do in Japan. Okay – I’ve been talking about food in the last 4 items & I am very sorry the last one is still something related to that. But this time it’s a drink; a drink I love to have after every meal outside or in the hostel or even every snack from a convenience store. I know this is something famous in Taiwan but guess what? I love drowning myself with Lipton’s milk tea every time I am in Japan. This 900 ml carton of Lipton milk tea is so addicting & it only costs ¥100 – ¥150 per pack in the supermarket. I always drink one every breakfast & another one probably in the afternoon after snack. I know it might be too much but don’t worry, I also drink lots of water after that.

I miss having this milk tea. To be honest, it’s one of the reasons why I want to go back to Japan really soon. This milk tea actually triggered this post so there you go.

More of Lipton Milk Tea! Seriously guys, this is my favorite drink in Japan. I can drink this all day!!

One of my favorite to do’s in Japan is to go grocery shopping. You see a mix variety + it’s cheaper!!

I’m so sorry for letting you drool. I just miss everything in Japan & I want to go back there really soon. Thanks for reading my favorite to-do’s in Japan! Do you have some of your favorites in my list? Which ones do you also do? What else do you do when in Japan? Feel free to share your own list in the comments section below & let’s engage into a conversation. Do you have any questions about the matters mentioned above? If you’re shy enough to post below, you may send your questions to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

By the way, please help me promote my social media platforms – Facebook & Instagram. Thanks for joining me today! Until the next P’s List! Ciao.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.