Ciao Firenze

If I was ever going to write a fairy tale, it would be set in Florence. It would involve some sort of a love story, probably a horse & cart and the closing scene would take place in Piazza del Duomo.

For as long as I can remember, people have talked up Florence and now I know why. It's as pretty as a picture, elegant and full of old world charm. Unlike Rome it's clean & manicured and unlike Milan it's obviously beautiful. It's also much smaller and feels easier to manage - you can walk everywhere and cover the main city easily in a few hours.

The food is impeccable and the people are a delight. I stayed on Via de' Tornabuoni 3 which was literally in the heart of everything. Only 1 block away was Palazzo Strozzi which was showcasing an Ai Wei Wei exhibition - great for me as I was the only person in Melbourne who didn't get to see it while it was on at the NGV.

The Duomo is a must-see (the colours are incredible) and the gelato is a given. The Gucci Museo is also well worth a visit and I may or may not have taken a gazillion photos there, so but don't worry, I'm saving those for a dedicated blog post which I'll get around to soon enough.

So in short, put Florence on the bucket list, because it's beautifully perfect in every way and let's face it, we all need a little romance in our life at some point.

FLORENCE: HOW I DID IT

I stayed at
I travelled with Samsonite cosmolite luggage. Honestly, it's the best - light, reliable and easy to manoeuvre on cobblestones
I stayed for 3 nights which was just enough to see the city, but you'd need longer if you want to see outside the main city
I got around slowly, wandering and taking my time
I started the day with a walk
I ended the day sitting on the rooftop terrace with a negroni
I loved how easy the city is navigate
If I went back I’d buy another pair of shoes from Valentino
I was surprised how good the shopping was. I expected it in Milan but the stores in Florence were amaze.