An Afternoon Trip to Florence, in the Tuscany Region of Italy

Taking an afternoon trip to Florence was a fantastic way to revisit one of my favorite regions in Italy

The previous day, I got the idea to take the train to Florence in the afternoon, after the Vespa Tour of Rome: The Grand Tour with Bici & Baci Tours.

Buying tickets was easy enough. The timetable is relatively easy to understand at the Rome Termini station. Because of the amount of pick pockets and people begging for money, I opted to by tickets inside the Trenitalia office.

After buying some sushi from Sushi Daily upstairs – because pasta can only be center of mind for so long – I sat and waited for the track number to be assigned.

The key is looking at the number of the train – NOT the final destination.

The Frecciarossa high speed train was relatively easy, with one stop at another station in Rome before heading to Florence.

After two hours, I was in Tuscany.

Arriving in Florence

Getting off at Firenze Santa Maria Novella at the Florence terminal, I was overcome with how brutal the architecture was. The 1930s Italian version of modernism was alive and well.

Once my feet hit the ground, I immediately knew that I wanted to see the Duomo. Which is a rather short walk from the train station. It took about 15- 20 minutes. When it appeared in view, it was just as utterly magnificent as I’d remembered it.

Its presence was overwhelming.

Next, I picked the Palazzo Vecchio to walk to. While on the journey, I passed the Piazza della Repubblica and delighted in the Ferris wheel. I took photos at the Il Porcellino at the Fontana del Porcellino, and was amused to find out later that it was a replica. The original, cast by Pietro Tacca, is with the original now housed at Museo Stefano Bardini in Palazzo Mozzi.

When I arrived at the Piazza della Signoria and saw the statues, the replica of David, the Palazzo Vecchio and the sheer beauty of the area, I was overcome with a deep sense of timeless emotion. A connection to the energy of the power and might of Venice.

I stopped at the Museo Galileo Istituto e Museo di Storia della Scienza and just basked in the incredible moments in time I was experiencing. I took some photos of the Monumental Sundial and reflected.

Turning the corner and seeing the majestic view of the Ponte Vecchio, overlooking the Arno River, was life giving. Looking at the masterpiece, it’s incredible to note that the bridge has been standing since 966.

At this point, the heat of the day made me want to sit and relax. The steps around the Uffizi Gallery was the perfect spot.

As the afternoon turned into early evening, it was time for dinner. My photographer from the Cinematic Photoshoot in Rome from Airbnb Experiences, suggested his favorite spot in Florence, Trattoria dall’Oste.

It was truly a delicious, meat forward, dinner.

And much, much too short due to the timing needs of my return trip back to Rome.