Florence, Italy: A Renaissance Masterpiece

Ahhh Florence, capital to the Tuscan region of Italy. Filled with beautiful Renaissance masterpieces and home to the famous, Statue of David. While site seeing the historic art and architecture is a must, Florence has even more to offer.

Where to Stay:

When I travel internationally, I choose to use AIRBNB. Not only are the homes much cheaper than the costly hotels that flood the city, but it helps local families who are trying to make a little extra by renting out a room or apartment. While I was in Florence, I found a cute shared apartment called Strange Uncle Bed and Breakfast. The English speaking hosts, Breditz and Nadja, live in the apartment downstairs with their adorable baby girl. Communicating internationally was so easy through the Airbnb application and the hosts always replied quickly.

Strange Uncle B&B is a quick walk from the train station and takes you through the leather market that is also surrounded by restaurants, cafes, and other shops. While it is a populated area, the actual apartment is located down a well lit alley away from the noise. It is also just a 2 minute walk to the famous Duomo! Location Location Location! Inquire about their city tour with their guide, Julia, or book a wine tour for an extra 60 euros. The wine tour is available throughout the month.

The apartment is spacious and clean with a comfortable bed and a key to lock your own door if you please. It has a room for a single traveler and three others that can accommodate two travelers. Enjoy the eclectic walls painted by local artists. Add to their map that has pins from people who have stayed at the Strange Uncle from all around the world and leave a personal message on the kitchen wall! The table is set up for breakfast every morning or grab a chocolate croissant on your way out the door.

At the Strange Uncle you will feel welcomed and at home with the kindness and hospitality provided by the hosts. With rooms starting at $50 USD/ night in a prime location, you will be able to save so much money to spend on other unforgettable experiences in Florence. I hope to make it back to Strange Uncle B&B for another memorable stay in beautiful Tuscany! To book your stay click here.

Top Sights in Florence

Galleria Dell’Accademia houses the famous Statue of David. I was not able to make it in since the line was wrapped around the building and the wait was close to two hours.

Brunelleschi’s Dome (Duomo)/ Florence Bapistery/ Giotto’s Campanile make up the Piazza Del Duomo — most popular sites to see in Florence require reservations set up ahead of time. While climbing the Duomo and seeing the view from the clock tower are both beautiful sites, I have another option for those who don’t want to spend the money or stand in line for hours.

Piazzale Michelangelo — is a free view of Florence and without the crowd! After getting your close up view of the Duomo, make your way to the Piazzale Michelangelo and make the following stops along the way!

Palazzo Vecchio and Piazza Della Signoria— 13th century palace located in the square in this square is surrounded by beautiful sculptures.

Uffizi Gallery— contains the world’s largest collection of Renaissance art.

Ponte Vecchio— cross the bridge that overlooks the Arno River and head straight up the hill…

Giardino delle Rose-– You are almost to the Piazzale Michelangelo! Cut through this rose garden and see some beautiful sculptures and flowers while relaxing on one of their benches. It isn’t crowded, very quiet, and best of all… It’s free!

Finally, you made it to your destination. Breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the view! Be sure to take a selfie of course! There are restaurants and cafes along the way. Check out some of the small local shops away from the typical tourist souvenirs.

Things to Try

Florentine T-bone Steak. It’s ok if you are a solo traveler. It was on my bucketlist and while spendy, I impressed all of the restaurant workers by eating every last bite!

Tuscan Wine. You are in wine country! Don’t leave without finding a wine tour or booking a tour through Strange Uncle B&B. Ask about shipping wine back home because we all know we need a little wine to help us get back to work reality.

Genuine Italian Leather. When you walk around Florence, you will see leather items being sold left and right. A secret told to me by one of my tour guides… many of these leather items have been shipped over from other countries such as China and made into purses, wallets, jackets, etc. These items will be passed off as “Made in Italy,” but are not truly Italian Leather. It’s hard to tell the difference, unless you are a leather expert, but my local guide told me the name of a family owned store that sells all Genuine Italian Leather. She knows this since she is friends with the family and gets all of her leather from that store. It’s called BiBi, and happened to be located just around the corner from my Airbnb, Strange Uncle B & B!

Disclaimer– this was a sponsored post from Strange Uncle B&B. However, I wouldn’t promote something I didn’t enjoy myself.