Giardino degli Orti Oricellari

After a slower 2 hour train ride, compared to the speedy (299km/hr) train we were on to Bologna, we arrived in Firenze. I have fond memories of the city from years ago and am excited to be here with Kate to experience it again.

We spent the day wandering the pretty streets, visiting little paper shops, checking out Walters Silver shop that I bought a ring at in 2005, passing the cow stench leather stalls and witnessing a sexual assault where two feral young guys pinched this American girl on the butt. Luckily, she was assertive enough to go after them, grab them and scream in their faces until they apologised. Go her! She got a round of applause from the spectators.

The majority of our afternoon was spent exploring the centre of Firenze, and sussing out what we want to do over the next couple of days. While we were waiting in line for the Ticket Office at the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral to find out if we could get tickets to climb the Duomo Dome, Ant noticed that some availabilities had opened up for tomorrow - a minute later and we had secured 2 spots! Lucky, otherwise there wasn’t anything until Thursday arvo, and we’ll be in Rome by then!

Lunch, coffee and gelato stops were all delicious (choc-orange gelato has our hearts), but the first prize has to be awarded to dinner tonight. Due to a fair amount of places being closed on a Monday night, our original plan folded and we ended up seated at a trattoria not far from our BnB. The place had cured meats hanging up, bottles upon bottles of wine of all shapes and sizes stacked everywhere; it just had a fantastic character of its own.
We deliberated on what to order....and ended up spoiling ourselves with bistecca di Fiorentina. Google it and try not to drool all over your keyboard... It was the best piece of red meat we’ve had in a long time, and the pan fried potatoes and Chianti were a perfect accompaniment. Lucky ducks.

Now we’re aiding digestion of said meaty goodness by scrapbooking and planning out our day tomorrow. Night all!En savoir plus