Tuscany – 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.

N9 in Europe: FLORENCE – The Cradle of Renaissance | 4 Wonderful Days Around the Historic Italian City

After spending almost 2 weeks around Paris and Rome, my friend and I moved to a new Italian city where the Renaissance period started – Florence (Italian: Firenze). We explored the Tuscan capital and the nearby cities (and towns) for 4 full days and 4 nights.

Allow me to share with you what we did on these 4 full days and know why this beautiful city became our favorite of all the cities we visited in this trip.

Before exploring Florence, we’ve been to other European cities such as Paris and Rome. Check out our itineraries in these 2 beautiful cities – Paris Part 1, Paris Part 2, Versailles, Rome Part 1, Rome Part 2 & Rome Part 3!

Florence

Florence (Italian: Firenze) is a city located in the center of Italy. It is the capital of the Tuscan Region and is known for its architecture, culture and iconic monuments and buildings. The city is known as the Cradle of Renaissance. The Florentines had a strong influence in the world’s transition from the Middle Ages to the period of rebirth or renaissance. Influential people such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Donatello and Dante Alighieri all came from Florence.

Accommodation

Florence is a popular Italian destination to millions of people from all over the world. This popularity led to high accommodation costs – even higher than Rome’s. My friend and I were travelling on a budget and decided to book with a high-rated but affordable shared accommodation.

We booked our 4-night stay with a recently-opened, lively and social hostel named YellowSquare Florence. We got a bed each in a 4-bed mixed dormitory room and were able to rest well after long walks during the day.

I wrote about our YellowSquare Florence hostel experience and posted it in the recent Hostel of the Day Feature. I hope you can check that out.

Going Around Florence

Going around Florence is easy. Most of the spots to visit are all within the city center. The best way to explore the city center is by foot. There are no trains or trams within the center; the nearest tram stop to the city center is Unità on the Tram Line 2 Vespucci.

The city’s main train station, Florence Santa Maria Novella Station (Italian: Firenze Santa Maria Novella or Stazione di Santa Maria Novella), is 1 stop away from Unità. It is 10 minutes away by foot (850 meters) from the Duomo, 13 minutes away by foot (1.1 kilometers) from the Accademia Gallery and 15 minutes away by foot (1.3 kilometers) from the Uffizi Gallery.

La Bussola Free Walking Tours

To get to know the city and its history more, my friend and I joined 2 free (tip-based) walking tours with a local company called La Bussola. We joined the morning Medici Free Tour with Katerina; we learned about the Medici Family, how they came into power and how Florence developed under their rule. We also joined the afternoon Genius Free Tour with Giachomo; we learned about the Florence icons named Dante, Brunelleschi, Donatello, Da Vinci and Galileo and how they influenced the people and the society during their time.

We had fun in these 2 tours. We knew a lot about the city and its influences and we even got local food recommendations. We encourage you to join these free tours during your visit to Florence. Please check out their website and book your tour slots with them.

Tuscany Experience Classic Day Tour

During our stay in Florence, my friend and I went on a day tour to check out a few places in the Tuscan Region. We joined Sightseeing Experience’ Tuscany Experience Classic Day Tour; we visited Pisa, the Pietraserena Wine Estate, San Gimignano and Siena. We paid €71.10 each for this 11.5-hour tour.

I wrote about this day trip in one of my recent posts. Check out the Tuscany Experience Classic Tour post here.

Places Visited in Florence

There are a lot of museums and places to visit in Florence. We spent 3 full days (not including the Tuscany Experience Day Tour) around the city and we still have not been to all. We chose the places we wanted to visit and took our time in each place.

Gallery of the Academy of Florence (Italian: Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze) – The Accademia Gallery is famous for Michelangelo’s masterpiece – the statue of David. Aside from this, the gallery also has paintings and sculptures of other great Italian artists such as Botticelli, Ghirlandaio and Del Sarto. Another section that stood out to me is Lorenzo Bartolini’s Plaster Cast Gallery.

Entry tickets cost €16 (including online convenience fee) per person during our visit. These have been increased to €17 as per my recent check. Tip: Book your tickets in advance and get the earliest timeslot to have the statue of David to yourself.

Lorenzo Bartolini’s Plaster Cast Gallery

The Church of Orsanmichele – This church is one of the oldest in Florence. It was built by the guilds in the kitchen garden of Saint Michele Monastery.

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Italian: Duomo di Firenze) – This cathedral is the city’s cathedral built in the 1200s to the 1400s and is one of the largest in the world. Designed by di Cambio, this Catholic church is known for its striking green, pink and white marble panels. A part of the cathedral is open to the public and is free to visit.

Cathedral Plaza (Italian: Piazza del Duomo) – The is a vibrant retail area outside the cathedral. Shops, restaurants and cafes mainly comprise this plaza.

The Bargello – Also known as Palazzo del Popolo, this old building was once the office of the city’s captain. It also served as barracks and a prison. The building has been converted to an art museum. Museum tickets cost €11 per person.

Basilica of the Holy Cross in Florence (Italian: Basilica di Santa Croce di Firenze) – Dubbed as the Pantheon of Florence, this gothic minor cathedral has 16 chapels, tombs and funerary monuments of famous people such as Niccolò Machiavelli, Galileo Galilei, Michelangelo, Bartolini and Vasari. Entry tickets cost €8 per person.

Piazza Santa Croce – This plaza is in front of the Basilica of the Holy Cross. During our visit last November 2022, this plaza hosted Florence’ Christmas Market.

Republic Square (Italian: Piazza della Repubblica) – Piazza della Repubblica is one of the city squares in Florence. It is believed to be the site of the city’s forum back in the days.

Palazzo Vecchio – Also known as Palazzo della Signoria, this building was and is still Florence’ town hall. A part of this medieval building was converted into a museum.

Signoria Square (Italian: Piazza della Signoria) – This square, located in front of Palazzo Vecchio, is the city’s main political square since the 14^th century. The square has notable sculptures and figures that are believed to be contradictory to what has happened in the area. These include the following: a replica of Michelangelo’s David, Bandinelli’s Hercules and Cacus, Ammanati’s Fountain of Neptune and Giambologna’s Statue of Cosimo I.

Loggia dei Lanzi – Found on the corner of Piazza della Signoria and beside Palazzo Vecchiio, this building is a public art gallery that houses statues such as Perseus and Medusa and The Rape of the Sabine Women.

Via del Neri – Via del Neri is a famous small street near Uffizi Gallery and Palazzo Vecchio that is full of cafes, shops, galeterias and restaurants.

Uffizi Gallery (Italian: Galleria degli Uffizi) – The Uffizi Gallery is a gallery and museum that houses artworks from the Renaissance period. It has masterpieces of artists like Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Rafaello, Botticelli, Giotto and a lot more.

Some notable artworks include ‘The Birth of Venus’ by Sandro Botticelli, ‘Annunciation’ and ‘Adoration of the Magi‘ by Leonardo da Vinci, ‘Medusa’ by Caravaggio, ‘Doni Tondo’ by Michelangelo, ‘Laocoön’ by Baccio Bandinelli and ‘The Venus of Urbino’ by Titian.

We bought our tickets on site and paid €12 each. Tickets are also available for purchase online.

Arno River – The Arno River divides Florence into 2 parts. The river originates from the Apennine Mountains and flows to the Tyrrhenian Sea. In the old times, the river became an important instrument for trade. It also became the transit or passageway for wood and all other materials needed during the Renaissance period.

Ponte Vecchio – This is a medieval stone bridge built over the Arno River during the 1300s. This bridge was used to be occupied by shops of farmers, butchers and businessmen. In the present time, the bridge is still occupied by shops selling artworks, jewelry and souvenirs.

Pitti Palace (Italian: Palazzo Pitti) – Previously owned by Florentine banker Lucca Pitti, the palace was bought by the Medici Family in 1549 and became the official residence of the family. This palace is located at the southern banks of the Arno River.

My friend and I only visited the palace from the outside. We did not have time to go in and explore the museum. Entry tickets cost €17 per person if purchased online.

Basilica of the Holy Spirit (Italian: Basilica di Santo Spirito) – This basilica is a Catholic church found in the Oltarno Quarter, south of the Arno River.

We missed one spot which we did not have time to visit – Michelangelo Square (Italian: Piazzale Michelangelo). It is a square that offers a beautiful and stunning panoramic view of Florence. I hope we can go back to visit this place in the future.

Have you been to Florence in Italy? If yes, which one is your favorite place to visit and why? If you have not been, which are you most looking forward to seeing in person? Feel free to share your experiences or plans in the comments section below. Do you have questions about anything mentioned above? You may also send them to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Florence easily became our favorite. The city is so beautiful and is something that should not be missed. We stayed for 4 full days and we still have not been to all places. We hope that people visit and stay in the city longer than most people usually do.

Thanks for joining me in sharing our Florence experience with you. In case you missed, we have been to Paris, Versailles and Rome before we visited Florence. You can find all itineraries and posts about these cities and this trip under the N9 in Europe category. Please look forward to the next one because I am taking you to Milan!

Before you go, I hope you can visit, like and follow my social media pages – Facebook page and Instagram. These 2 accounts are the best way to stay up-to-date with the new posts in this site. Thank you; I hope to see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

N9 in Europe: TUSCANY EXPERIENCE CLASSIC TOUR Photoblog – A Day Trip to Pisa, San Gimignano & Siena

In the middle of our visit to Florence, my friend and I took a day tour to visit some famous medieval Tuscan cities and towns. Tuscany is a famous Italian region characterized by stunning landscapes, peaked mountains and rolling hills. The region is also known for producing quality Italian products such as olive oil, wine (in Chianti District) and wheat.

My friend and I did not have the time to go around many cities and towns within the region. Instead, we decided to join Sightseeing Experience, the official operator of City Sightseeing Italy, in their 11.5-hour Tuscany Experience Classic Tour. The whole day tour took us to Pisa, San Gimignano and Siena. Allow me to share with you the details of and photos from this memorable day tour.

Tour Cost & Inclusions

My friend and I booked our tour directly with Sightseeing Experience. We chose our tour date and paid €71.10 each for the classic tour. Please note that there is a low-cost option which is around €55-€65 depending on the available promotion. Our bank charged us ₱4,235.29 each including the foreign currency conversion charges.

The 11.5-hour tour cost included a comfortable air-conditioned bus ride from start to finish, an English-speaking guide (Barbara), a guided walking tour in Siena and a typical light lunch plus wine tasting in a Tuscan winery. This day tour is a bit expensive but it is worth the rate considering the itinerary, its inclusions and the comfort included in it.

Check-in & Departure

The tour started by checking-in at the Sightseeing Experience Visitor Center inside the Santa Maria Novella Train Station. The visitor center is located inside the ticket hall and beside a convenience store. Check-in started at 7:30am which is also the meeting time indicated in the day tour voucher.

After check-in, our guide, Barbara, introduced herself, asked where everybody is from and then walked us to the bus parking area at the other end of the train station. We left Florence a few minutes after 8:00am and headed to Pisa.

Pisa

We arrived at Pisa after an hour and a half bus trip.. We immediately went to the Miracle Square and appreciated the beautiful buildings such as the Cathedral (Italian: Duomo di Pisa), the Baptistry (Italian: Battistero di San Giovanni) and of course, the Leaning Tower (Italian: Torre di Pisa).

My friend and I took photos with the leaning tower and got a snack in one of the cafes nearby. We also walked around the Miracle Square and enjoyed our time in the city. We, the tour group, were given 45 minutes to explore the city center on our own.

Pietraserena Estate Lunch

After Pisa, we headed to Chianti District for lunch and wine-tasting experience. We had this at Pietraserena Estate owned by the Arrigioni Family.

They served us extra virgin olive oil bruschetta, fresh tomato bruschetta, olives, Pecorino cheese, prosciutto and salami. While having lunch, the staff introduced one wine at a time. They started with the rosé wine (Rosato di Canaiolo), followed by the white wine (Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG) and finished the wine-tasting experience with Chianti red wine (Chianti Colli Senesi DOCG Selezione “Poggio al Vento”). All these wines and the olive oil were produced in the estate and were available for purchase in the estate gift shop.

After lunch, we enjoyed our time at the terrace overlooking the beautiful Tuscan hills.

San Gimignano

From Pietraserena Estate, we took a 20-minute bus ride to the beautiful San Gimignano town center. Known as “The Medieval Manhattan”, San Gimignano is a walled town characterized by cobblestone streets, local artisan shops, a small town square and beautifully-preserved medieval buildings and towers. We were given an hour to explore the town center.

My friend and I took this free time to try a Gelato World Champion – Gelateria Dondoli. We also walked around the town center and explored the different local artisan shops. We ended up buying truffle cream for our loved ones in the Philippines.

Siena

After San Gimignano, we headed to another beautiful medieval city – Siena, Italy. The tour group was split into 2 groups – those who availed the low-cost package got an hour free time to roam around while those who got the classic tour (including my friend and I) were endorsed to Ms. Sonia, a local guide, for the guided walking tour.

Ms. Sonia took us around the city center, she showed us the Siena Cathedral (Italian: Duomo di Siena), other small churches and chapels, the old hospital and the main public square – Piazza del Campo. She told us that Siena is famous for the Palio horse race – a traditional horse race between different Sienese ‘contradas’ or neighborhoods that happens twice a year at Piazza del Campo.

After the guided tour, we walked to our meeting point and headed back to the bus.

Drop-Off

From Siena, we took a 1.5-hour ride back to Florence and were dropped off at the same place where we embarked the bus in the morning.

Have you been to these 3 cities and towns? How was your trip? Which one is your favorite and why? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about the day tour? Feel free to post them below. Alternatively, you may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com and you will surely get a reply from me.

Tuscany has so many places to explore, how I wish I can visit all these beautiful small towns and cities – perhaps in the future. This is only 1 of a few days we spent in Tuscany. Watch out for the next post about the charming city of Florence.

In case you missed it, before we explored the Tuscan region, my friend and I spent a few days around Paris and Versailles in France and Rome. You can find all Europe-related content under the N9 in Europe category.

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.