Florence in a Day

 I made it to Italy! It has been a whirlwind of a week, but I am in Milan safe and sound. Before I go into detail about my new city I call home, I wanted to create a blog post about how to do Florence, Italy in a day. My friends and I wanted to explore a new city before we get busy with school, so we decided to go to Florence. It is a short train ride away so we were confident we could see the important landmarks in 10 hours. If you ever find yourself in Milan, or Northern Italy, I highly recommend visiting  this historical and cultural city for at least one day! Be sure to book your flight, train, and bus tickets through Go Euro to find the lowest rates throughout Europe. I have attached the link so give it a look! www.goeuro.com

Our train left Milan at 6:30 am and we approached Florence around 8:30 so it was a  simple commute. As soon as we got to Firenze station we bought a bus ticket to go to the Luxury Outlet Mall. It's about 30 minutes away from Florence, however it had positive reviews so we thought it would be worth it! The mall was amazing with great deals so I highly recommend it.

Be sure to check out Gucci Cafe if you end up visiting the mall!

After a morning full of shopping we hopped back on the bus to head back into Florence for some sight-seeing. Florence is generally easy to navigate. If you have Google or Apple maps you'll be set. Nevertheless, don't be hesitant to explore and get lost. You usually stumble across the most beautiful views and architecture when your nose isn't stuck in a map or phone.

Seeing the Statue of David was a priority, so that was the first order of business. This is a piece that you must see if you ever find yourself in Florence. You hear about this statue and see it in art history textbooks, but you don't fully understand the level of artisanship until you see it yourself. You can book your ticket in advance here! www.accademia-tickets.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2MfM_KX63wIVFKWaCh1d_gShEAAYAiAAEgIUJ_D_BwE

After visiting the Accademia Gallery, we wandered the streets, canals, and bridges of Florence.

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Next stop was the iconic Flornece Duomo. Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore - known for its Gothic and Renaissance architecture along with the beautiful pastel colors. One cannot comprehend the true size and beauty of these buildings until you are right underneath them. MUST see! To go inside the Duomo get tickets here! www.viator.com/tours/Florence/Duomo-Official-Ticket-Admission/d519-31070P42#checkAvailabilityAnchor

We stumbled across a Magnum Chocolate store so of course we had to indulge.

After stuffing ourselves with chocolate, we decided some cardio to work off the calories would be sufficient. We set off for Michelangelo Square, a panoramic overlook of Florence Italy, located in the Oltrarno district.

The walk to the overlook was a view within itself.

The hike to the overlook was quite steep and tiring, however, the panoramic view was 100% worth it. We sat on the steps with hundreds of others and watched the sun set over the magical city of Florence. This is the perfect way to end the evening, and most importantly it's totally free. Be sure to go to this lookout if you ever find yourself in the charming city of Florence, Italy.