Florence

With a bit of trepidation I headed to Florence after a few days chillin’ in Pisa and Siena. Was it going to be too in your face? The moment you step out of the railway station you are bombarded by people, cars, buses and noise…..eeeks!!!

It doesn’t take long to get adjusted though and I have to say Florence is a marvellous city.

For the camera buff the 2 main sites are the Ponte Vecchio and the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore. For the best views over the city head for the Piazzale Michaelangelo. If you can avoid the selfie stick sellers you will get stunning panoramic views of the city. Go there early or late to get the best shots of the red tile roofs. Midday the sun will be too high. Take a wander round the Cimitero delle Porte Sante whilst you are here.

Florence is full of small narrow streets, bustling squares, shops and lovely local winebars and restaurants. A great place to go for good vibe is the Mercat Centrale. Downstairs there is a food market and upstairs you will find a food hall with all the fayre you could want.

Florence is great but if I was to do the Pisa, Siena & Florence round trip again i’d start with here. From then on in it’s a chillfest.