A Glorious Week in Italy
Ahhhh, Italy… The home of Venice with its gondola rides through historic waterways, Tuscany with its rolling vineyards and countryside charm, the Amalfi Coast with its breathtaking cliffside views, Florence with its Renaissance art, Rome with its ancient history, and so much more in Italy to choose from!
In September, we decided to spend a week in Italy. We’d been to the Amalfi Coast, Rome multiple times, Venice, etc. For this trip, we decided on Tuscany (think wine, art, history, romance) and Liguria (think steep terraced vineyards, colorful fishing villages, beautiful coastline). We didn’t get to see all of Tuscany or Liguria but did see some amazing things and had a fantastic time!
FLORENCE
Florence, the capital of Italy’s Tuscany region, is the birthplace of the Renaissance and a center for art and architecture. It is home to historic art and architecture including Michelangelo’s David, Brunelleschi’s Duomo, and the Ponte Vecchio.
We took an early 1 hour 40-minute flight from Frankfurt to Florence, arriving at 8am. We dropped our bags at the hotel and wandered out to take advantage of the 2 full days we had to explore Florence.
Wander the city - It’s so easy to get lost in the beauty of Florence. There is an amazing piazza (square), building, ponte (bridge), museum, or statue around every corner. The first thing we stumbled upon was the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), an iconic medieval stone arch bridge over the Arno River, known for its unique shops built on the bridge. Originally home to butchers, then to goldsmiths and luxury jewelers, it now houses shops with art, clothing, jewelry, and souvenirs. It is the only bridge in Florence spared by German forces in World War II.
We continued to get lost in the dreamscape that is Florence - amazed by the beauty – and found a restaurant for lunch in the beautiful square, Piazza della Signoria. From the restaurant, we had views of the Palazzo Vecchia Museum, as well as the open-air museum with the Neptune Fountain, replica of Michelangelo’s David, and a number of other sculptures including Perseus with the Head of Medusa.
Tuk Tuk Tour - We’ve become fond of tuk tuk tours in a new city as a way to get a good overview of a city relatively quickly and easily. Then we go back to the things we want to explore more. We found a tuk tuk on the street and hopped aboard for a tour of the city.
Some of the highlights of the tour included:
Piazza della Repubblica – A historic and busy square in the heart of Florence. It was once the site of the ancient Roman Forum and where the triumphal arch, Palazzo dell’Arcone di Piazza can be found.
Piazza del Duomo – We got our first glimpse of this beautiful area with a cluster of famous religious monuments – Battistero di San Giovanni, Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (or the Duomo), and Giotto’s Campanile (bell tower).
Wine window – He took us to our first wine window (see more about these on day 2 in Florence) at Osteria Bella Donne.
Ponte Vecchio – We got a different view of the Old Bridge as we drove across a parallel bridge.
Palazzo Pitti – A vast Renaissance palace on the south side of the River Arno. It was built for Luca Pitti, a wealthy Florentine banker, beginning in 1458. Later purchased by the Medici family in 1549, it became the primary residence for the Grand Duchy of Tuscany’s ruling dynasties and served as a base for Napoleon in the late 18th century. There were interesting above ground “tunnels” running thru town in which the royalty would move about. Today it is a museum complex housing the Palatine Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art, and other museums.
Piazzale Michelangelo – Up the hill we went to this famous public square with panoramic views of Florence and a giant replica of the statue of David.
Basilica di Santa Croce – This is the principal Franciscan church in Florence, often referred to as the “Pantheon of the Italian Glories.” It took almost 600 years to complete to its present state. Basilica di Santa Croce is the final resting place for some of Italy’s most famous people, including Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei, Machiavelli, and Gioachino Rossini.
Bistecca! - For our evening meal, we had the best bistecca at lo Scudo. Bistecca alla Fiorentina is a thick-cut, charcoal-grilled T-bone steak from Tuscany, traditionally sourced from Chianina cattle. It is characterized by its high thickness (3-4 fingers, ~5-6 cm), massive size (often 1-1.5 kg, meant for sharing), and rare, juicy interior with a charred exterior. It is usually served simply with olive oil, salt, and pepper. And it is amazing!!
You can find more on this dining experience in the WHERE TO EAT section below.
After a good night’s sleep, we returned to the Piazza della Repubblica for a leisurely breakfast at the historic Caffe Paszkowski on this beautiful square.
Piazza del Duomo - Our next stop was Piazza del Duomo, but came across the beautiful, old Chiesa di Santa Maria Maggiore – one of the oldest churches in Florence - and had to stop in.
Now it was time to see the inside of some of the most famous sights in Florence - Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Florence Duomo. We bought timed entry tickets ahead of time (tickets are good for 3 days from your first entry). We started at the Baptistery of San Giovannie, then entered the Bell Tower and climbed up its 414 steps for beautiful views of Florence. The line for the Duomo was too long so we decided to come back later. The entry tickets also provide entry to the basilica of Santa Reparatax and the Opera del Duomo Museum.
Climbing the tower made us hot and hungry and Florence has quite the rooftop bar scene so we decided to find one where we could have a snack and a drink with a view. We ended up at Tosca & Nino at the top of the La Rinascente department store in Piazza della Repubblica, where we had panoramic views of the Duomo and the Florence skyline.
More city wandering - The afternoon brought lots of walking and discovery including:
Visiting the Piazza San Lorenzo, a busy square with the Basilica di San Lorenzo, the Medici Chapels and a fun (and wildly busy) leather market.
Making our way through the Mercato Centrale, a historic two-story food hall in the San Lorenzo neighborhood. The ground floor offers traditional market stalls where locals buy their daily groceries and a modern food court on the second floor.
More Piazza del Duomo - Now it was time to see if the lines had calmed down at the Duomo – and they had! The main church has beautiful stained-glass windows and frescoed floors. And beneath the cathedral we visited the Crypt of Santa Reparata, which are ruins of the ancient church on this site before the Duomo was built. We did not climb up to the dome as it was way too hot (I know, I know… we probably should have but didn’t feel like being hot and sweaty).
Hunting for wine windows - Who can resist a scavenger hunt?? So that felt like the next good idea… We’d heard about all of Florence’s wine windows (buchette del vino) and had to go in search of some.
These wine windows are small, 16th-century arched openings in palazzo walls. Beginning around 1559, the Medicis authorized noble families to sell wine from their vineyards directly to consumers from their homes, bypassing taxes and middlemen. In the 1630s, they provided a safe, socially-distanced way to sell wine during bubonic plague.
The windows are typically 12 x 8 inches (30 x 20 cm) with stone frames and are usually found on the ground floor of historic palaces (where the noble families lived).
Many of the wine windows had disappeared but many returned to service in 2020 as a safe way to sell products during the pandemic. There are more than 180 documented historical wine windows in Florence, with only about 10–15 that are active and functioning today. Many of these are run by restaurants / bars from which you can buy wine, coffee, and gelato.
We found at least 7 or 8 wine windows while exploring Florence, including the buchette del vinos at the Giunti Odeon – Libreria e Cinema, Babae, Osteria Bella Donne, Cantina de Pucci, Antica Bottega, and La Tenda Rosa. While we enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine to get the full experience, we didn’t purchase wine at all of them!
Piazza del Duomo - The rest of the day brought wine at a wine bar with an amazing view of the Ponte Vecchio and a stop at another rooftop bar for great views.
We finished the day with dinner at Il Ricetterio.
While we could have spent a week exploring Florence, we got a great overview in the two days we were there and really enjoyed the history and charm of this city!
Torneremo, Firenze (We will be back, Florence).
BIKING IN TUSCANY
On our 3rd day in Florence, we booked a bike riding tour with I Bike Tuscany and left the city for the rolling, vineyard covered hills of the Chianti Classico region.
Chianti Classico is the top-tier wine region located in Tuscany. It lies between Florence and Siena and is known for producing some of the world’s best Sangiovese-based red wines. This is a high-altitude climate, resulting in high-acid, tannic red wines. To be classified as a Chianti Classico, the wine must contain a minimum of 80% Sangiovese (often up to 100%). The Sangiovese is often blended with Canaiolo Nero (to add softness/herbs) and Colorino (to deepen color). Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are also popular for adding body to the wine. Chianti Classico wines all feature the Gallo Nero (Black Rooster) seal on the neck or back of the label.
We chose a private tour so it was just the two of us and our guide. This was great as we could move at our own pace and not worry about others. The tour guide picked us up at our hotel in Florence at 9am, with our bikes on top of the van. We were driven to the first winery, Castello di Fonterutoli, where we enjoyed a wonderful wine tasting.
The bikes were unloaded from the top of the van and we were allowed to cycle at our own pace (with van closely monitoring our progress 😊) to the next stop – the village of Castellina. The ride was up and down hills and the scenery was beautiful – vineyards, olive groves, old stone buildings. Our guide would stop and wait up ahead of us at scenic locations and take our photo when we got there.
We were given time to wander around the medieval village of Castellina and then met for a wine tasting at the winery, La Castellina winery.
After the tasting, we got back on our bikes and started the ride to our third and final destination, Fattoria Montecchio. About ¾ of the way to our destination, it started raining pretty hard, so our guide stopped us and had us put our bikes back on top of the van and ride with him to the final winery for safety reasons.
Fattoria Montecchio was a gorgeous winery with scenic views of the vineyards. We got a tour of the grounds and caves, followed by wine tasting and an amazing Tuscan lunch.
This was a fantastic, relaxed way to get out of the city, get some exercise, enjoy the views, and taste some local wine and food. All three wineries made fantastic wine, and we bought wine at each one and had it shipped to us in Germany.
From the third winery, we returned to Florence in the van and enjoyed drinks at Giacosa and a wonderful final meal in the city at Giovanni (more in WHERE TO EAT below).
We highly recommend I Bike Tuscany. They were easy to work with, had English speaking tour guides, paid attention to all the big and small details, and provided a great experience and great service!
CINQUE TERRE
Days 4, 5 and 6 of our trip were for Cinque Terre! I’d always wanted to see the steep cliffs, beautiful blue ocean, and colorful villages on this part of the coast. This was a bucket list place for me and a dreams do come true kind of experience!
Cinque Terre (“Five Lands”) is a UNESCO World Heritage site featuring five colorful, dreamy, postcard-perfect fishing villages perched on the steep cliffs of the Ligurian Riviera in Italy. This area is known for its steep terraced vineyards, amazing turquoise blue sea views, and hillside hiking trails between the villages. The five villages are:
Monterosso al Mare – This is the largest village, with the best sandy beaches, a long promenade, classic resort feeling, and the most hotels, restaurants, and shops.
Vernazza – Often said to be the most picturesque with a natural harbor and a castle and church overlooking the water.
Corniglia – The quietest village as its perched high on the cliff away from the others and harder to access but surrounded by vineyards and with amazing hill top views.
Manarola – One of the most photographed of the villages with its colorful buildings on the steep cliff overlooking a small harbor.
Riomaggiore – Known for its steep streets with colorful buildings, vibrant nightlife, and sunset views.
On our 4th day in Italy, we got up early to catch the train from Florence to Riomaggiore. We arrived by 11am. The train to La Spezia was empty, but when we got to La Spezia… the train from there to Cinque Terre was PACKED! We figured that since it was after Labor Day and schools had started that it might be less busy, but that was not the case. We were squished in there and standing as there were no seats available. Apparently September 10 is still busy season! It doesn’t start slowing down until October.
We got off the train in Riomaggiore and walked up some very steep hills to get to our hotel. It is Cinque Terre so we wanted a good view and good views are typically up the hill! Our hotel was the The Sunset Line and it was incredible! (more about this hotel in the WHERE TO STAY SECTION below) It was a cloudy day so we weren’t getting the bright colored building / bright blue water vibe but it was gorgeous nonetheless!
After checking in, dropping off our bags, and recovering from the uphill climb, we ventured out to take full advantage of the half day we had left to explore.
Our first stop was the Church of San Giovannie Battista (Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista) located in the historic center of Riomaggiore.
Then it was down the hill to the area of town with the stores, restaurants, colorful buildings, and great views.
Everybody was eating fried seafood in a paper cone so had to try one of those!
And stopped at Finis Terrae, a very local (vineyard at the top of Riomaggiore) winery, for a wine tasting. The wine was fine but nothing like Tuscany. We did buy some and ship it to Germany.
The next day was a gorgeous day! And it was our hiking / all day exploration day. Cinque Terre offers 120+ km of breathtaking, scenic trails connecting the five picturesque Italian villages. The "Sentiero Azzurro" (Blue Trail) is the most popular route. We slathered ourselves in sunscreen and grabbed hats and more sunscreen and were on our way.
We’d purchased the Cinque Terre Card in advance so were prepared when we got to the gate where we needed to show our tickets. The trails were steep and narrow, with many stairs. Having a decent pair of shoes (ie, tennis shoes) is essential but hiking boots are not required (in my opinion). It’s also smart to carry water with you as Cinque Terre can get hot and climbing hills in the heat can be dehydrating.
We started in Riomaggiore (where we were staying) and followed the Via dell’Amore trail along the sea to Manarola. This took about 20 minutes and is a gorgeous walk, mostly flat on a concrete path, and requires an additional pass.
From Manarola, we took the train to Monterosso al Mar at the other end of Cinque Terre. This is the largest town in Cinque Terre and feels much more commercial with shops, restaurants, and sandy beaches with beach clubs.
From Monterosso, we walked the trails to Vernazza. This took about 1 hour, 30 minutes and it was very steep, rocky at times, and absolutely gorgeous!
Vernazza is often considered the most picturesque and authentic of the villages (although I thought they each had their own unique characteristics that made them all equally picturesque!). As you come around and down the hill, you can see the beautiful natural harbor of Vernazza. This town is car free and as charming as they come!
This was the perfect time of year to be in Cinque Terre! While we did get some “weather,” the days were cool enough to really enjoy wandering around and hiking. Spring and fall offer the best weather and summers are hot.
We did not go to Corniglia up on top of the hill. Instead, we took the train from Vernazza back to Riomaggiore as we had booked an AirBnB Private Sunset Boat Cruise experience that evening. Turned out the sea was too rough and the boat captain had to cancel. We were disappointed but enjoyed a relaxing late afternoon / evening on our hotel balcony and at Osteria la Torpedine in Riomaggiore.
The next day was our final day in Cinque Terre. We got up early to enjoy as much of it as we could before we headed to Pisa on a 4:30pm train. Our hotel served a daily breakfast that they brought to our room and it was fantastic!
After breakfast, we checked out of our room and spent the day in Riomaggiore and Manarola. We enjoyed a wine tasting of local wines at a cliff side restaurant with a beautiful view. We had an incredible lunch at Rio Bistrot in Riomaggiore with another amazing view. We wandered around our little village and enjoyed just relaxing and experiencing the atmosphere until it was time to catch the train to Pisa.
Cinque Terre lived up to the expectations! It was dreamy with its vibrantly colored buildings perched on the steep cliffs overlooking the beautiful blue water. It offered a combination of activity and relaxation. The days were busy and hectic as there are the people who are staying in Cinque Terre and those who come in for the day from outlying cities. The evenings were quiet and relaxed with far fewer people and different views during sunset and dark. The hikes were breathtaking. The restaurants were fantastic. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience here and are so glad we went!
PISA
Pisa is a city that is rich in history and art, with landmarks like the Cattedrale di Pisa (Pisa Cathedral) and the Battistero di San Giovanni, showcasing remarkable Romanesque designs. The streets of Pisa are lined with charming cafes and shops, and the energy draws you in the moment you get there.
We arrived in Pisa at 6:30pm and headed to our hotel. Mike didn’t really want to go to Pisa, but I wanted to see the leaning Tower of Pisa so he accommodated me.
First glimpse of the Tower - After checking in, we walked the 550 meters / 7 minutes to get our first glimpse of the Tower. And boy was I glad we included this stop on our trip (and so was Mike)! The first glimpse felt surreal… seeing that white marble tower tilting sideways in a field of grass. It is large and impressive. We sat across the walkway in an outdoor café and just gazed at it for a while. It was just amazing seeing the Tower in real life!
From there, we grabbed some dinner and then stumbled upon an outdoor concert in a piazza – so bought tickets and enjoyed some music and a local experience. When we walked by the Tower on our way back to the hotel, it was lit up and beautiful.
Climbing the Tower - The next morning, it was time to climb the Tower. We’d purchased timed entry tickets ahead of time (which I highly recommend) for 8:45am. We didn’t have a lot of time in Pisa that day before returning to Florence and our flight home to Germany.
Before climbing the steps, you must check any bags/purses at the bag check as none are allowed in the tower. Climbing the tower involves 293 marble steps and takes about 30 minutes. The steps are narrow, spiraling, and slanted… which creates an off kilter, dizzying feeling at times. There are some landings with places to rest in case you are out of breath or just need a break. At the top, there is a 360-degree panoramic view of the Piazza dei Miracoli and the city of Pisa through beautiful arched openings.
The Piazza die Miracoli also includes the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta (Pisa Cathedral) with its 17th century gilded coffered ceiling and the Baptistery. We visited both.
This was an amazing trip. The sights. The history. The food. The experiences. The company. We couldn’t have asked for a better time.
WHERE TO EAT
Florence
Ristorante Il Cavallino Firenze – Enjoyed pasta and a mango salad here for lunch. Great location. Good food. Great service. Stunning views of the Palazzo Vecchio and Piazza della Signoria.
Caffe Paszkowski – Enjoyed breakfast here on the Piazza Repubblica. Beautiful old café with a great view of the square. Amazing selection of pastries.
Tosca & Nino – Enjoyed afternoon cocktail and snacks here. Rooftop bar with a good view of Duomo.
Pizzeria Livio - A small, fantastic pizza restaurant with amazing staff and a great vibe! Near the Mercado and leather market.
Signor Vino – Great wine store and wine bar (food available) on the river with a beautiful view of Ponte Vecchio.
lo Scudo – Had an amazing Bistecca dinner here. Probably the best meal memory from Florence. The restaurant was quaint and authentic. The staff was over the top friendly and attentive. And the food!! AH-MA-ZING!
Giacosa 1815 - A wonderful bar and restaurant with a fantastic environment and amazing drinks. Calls itself the birthplace of the Negroni. Hence, the negroni flight is a must try!
L’Osteria di Giovanni - A quaint, authentic Italian restaurant with really, really great food!
Il Ricettario - Another wonderful Italian meal!
Cinque Terre
El Pescato Cucinato (Riomaggiore) – Super tiny take out place on the main street near the water in Riomaggiore. Get the fried seafood in the paper cone! Local specialty and delicious.
La Lampara (Riomaggiore) – Delicious dinner of pizza, pasta, seafood and dessert. Beautiful, tasty food. Great service. Nice outdoor patio.
Al Pozzo (Monterosso al Mar) – Great, authentic Italian food where we had lasagna and spaghetti alla vongole.
Osteria la Torpedine (Riomaggiore) – Small, quaint restaurant in the heart of Riomaggiore. Sat outside in the cute exterior alcove and enjoyed trofie pasta with shrimp and ravioli.
Rio Bistrot – Superb restaurant on the street near the port with a breathtaking view of the sea. Enjoyed trofie pasta and ravioli (a different kind of both) and some incredible tiramisu. If you haven’t had trofie, I became obsessed with it. Yum!
Pisa
Pizzeria Il Borgo – Good pizza and pasta restaurant.
La Locanda de’ Medici – Really good, authentic Italian food in a wonderful environment. It is set in a building that was a church, then an inn. It has so much character with frescos visible on the ceilings.
WHERE TO STAY
AC Hotel Florence – Mike is a Marriott guy so we tend toward Marriott hotels when available. This was a nice hotel but about a 20-minute walk from Florence historic center. It had all the comfort and amenities we were looking for. But if you want charm and the historic city center, this is not for you.
The Sunset Line – This hotel wins the prize for the nicest hotel of the trip! Charming, small hotel. At the top of the hill overlooking the sea. Staff is amazing!! We got the panorama suite which was a 2-floor suite with sea view and outdoor balcony overlooking the water with a sitting area with couches and a garden area with a hot tub. Ground floor had living area and upstairs had the bedroom. Bathrooms on both floors. The absolute BEST breakfast was delivered to our room daily. Incredible amenities, including Dyson hair dryers in the room.
Hotel Villa Tower Inn – Small, cute hotel with a fabulous location. 7-minute walk to the Leaning Tower! Clean. Decent sized European room. Nice breakfast. Helpful staff.
