Firenze! (otherwise known as Florence)
We arrived in Florence, Italy yesterday. After an hour or more of frustration with language barrier, a lovely English speaking ticket attendant finally helped us validate and utilize our spendy eurail passes for our journey to florence. We took a free train (with our passes) that took about 3 hrs to get to a place that could have taken just 1.5 if we had wanted to pay extra for the speedy train.
We arrived hot and tired, but easily made our way to the hostel, which was just four blocks from the main train station! it's clean and includes breakfast and a free pasta/pizza dinner daily, but full of youngins quite into the partying. ok by us, we're just not interested in joining them. we reserved a five person girls only room, which has definitely been nice in the noise and cleanliness factor. Hostel Archi Rossi is just a few minutes walk from the center of town.
We arrived and quickly headed for gelato as our lunch/pre-dinner snack. Then grabbed paninis and a bottle of wine to share on the steps of the Duomo (old gothic cathedral at the center of town) to do some serious people watching. This morning we woke early to head to the Museum of Accademia to get a good look at Michaelangelo's David sculpture, along with others. Then it was off to grab some lunch and rent bikes for our own tour around the city.
Seven euros each got us great cruiser bikes and freedom to see so much more of the beautiful city, river and old buildings that we wouldn't have had time to see otherwise. After 3.5 hrs of cruising (and of course a stop for gelato) we dropped the bikes off. Then on to the duomo area for more people watching. Tonight we went el cheapo for dinner and had the free pizza. Not fabulous, but quite a bargain of a day.
Florence has been fun and beautiful, but we're ready for the small towns of Cinque Terre and the slow life those towns will bring. Hoping for some great hiking, beautiful cliff side views of the meditteranean and some great home style local cooking. I will upload pics when I can. They don't allow it here so maybe soon.
*And, if you're looking to be ahead of things in the fashion world, the MC hammer/genie pants are popular with the women here. Both knee and full length. You won't catch me in them, but just wanted to give you all a heads up for what's to come. :)
Ciao bella!
We arrived hot and tired, but easily made our way to the hostel, which was just four blocks from the main train station! it's clean and includes breakfast and a free pasta/pizza dinner daily, but full of youngins quite into the partying. ok by us, we're just not interested in joining them. we reserved a five person girls only room, which has definitely been nice in the noise and cleanliness factor. Hostel Archi Rossi is just a few minutes walk from the center of town.
We arrived and quickly headed for gelato as our lunch/pre-dinner snack. Then grabbed paninis and a bottle of wine to share on the steps of the Duomo (old gothic cathedral at the center of town) to do some serious people watching. This morning we woke early to head to the Museum of Accademia to get a good look at Michaelangelo's David sculpture, along with others. Then it was off to grab some lunch and rent bikes for our own tour around the city.
Seven euros each got us great cruiser bikes and freedom to see so much more of the beautiful city, river and old buildings that we wouldn't have had time to see otherwise. After 3.5 hrs of cruising (and of course a stop for gelato) we dropped the bikes off. Then on to the duomo area for more people watching. Tonight we went el cheapo for dinner and had the free pizza. Not fabulous, but quite a bargain of a day.
Florence has been fun and beautiful, but we're ready for the small towns of Cinque Terre and the slow life those towns will bring. Hoping for some great hiking, beautiful cliff side views of the meditteranean and some great home style local cooking. I will upload pics when I can. They don't allow it here so maybe soon.
*And, if you're looking to be ahead of things in the fashion world, the MC hammer/genie pants are popular with the women here. Both knee and full length. You won't catch me in them, but just wanted to give you all a heads up for what's to come. :)
Ciao bella!
Comments
Loving these updates - keep 'em coming! ;)
Can't wait to see pics :-)
Can't wait to hear more about your trip!