Florence Day 1 Dinner at Trattoria Pandemonio

Il suo tempo per la cena! = Its time for dinner!

Luckily i didnt have to do too much research of restaurants in Firenze since John knew the city like the back of his hand. Obviously, if you go to Florence, you have to try their bistecca fiorentina, and this restaurant was the perfect place to have it. If you go here, order their signature appetizer - called pandemonio, which comes out with 8 different plates of various things to pick at like peppers, eggplant, quinoa, etc. It almost seemed like it would never end. I also really developed a love for artichokes in Italy. It is in everything - in the pasta, on the pizza, on the bruschetta, on the side of the entree, everywhere! I don't love fried foods, but peeling off the crispy petals off a fried artichoke is so delicious! And the bistecca fiorentina - wow! So flavorful! They first show the meat to you raw on a wooden slab first to make sure you like the cut and the marbling and when you approve it, they grill it to perfection. Hands down - amazing. And of course, when in Italy, you have to have tiramisu. The one served here is delicious. As you can see from the photo, It wasn't layered like a classic tiramisu and it was mostly mascarpone - but it was one of the best I've ever had. 

Trattoria Pandemonio

via del leone 50/r firenze

Florence Day 1 - La Dolce Vita

Goodbye Siena! Its time for Florence (the best portion of the trip!) I had a pre-booked train ticket to go to Florence from Siena via Trenatalia, but I learned by talking to the locals at the station that taking an express bus to Florence is faster, leaves more often, and is a more comfortable ride. You bet its a better idea to take the bus! I arrived in Florence at the time that I would just be leaving the Siena station by train. It was so worth the 10 euro - definitely recommend this! The first must-see sight was the Florence Cathedral and the Duomo. It dominates the Florence skyline with its the russet-domed cathedral, with its pretty façade in green, pink, and white marble. Go inside the Sante Croce to see the burial tombs of history's greatest renaissance men - Dante Alighieri, Michelangelo, Galileo among others. The baptistery is defined by its gold doors. Dante and the Medicis were baptized here. Dont miss the Accademia Gallery, which has a replica of The David by Michelangelo outside among other beautiful statues. 

Lunch was at Trattoria del Gatto e La Volpe, a family-feel restaurant. You get fresh ingredients and large portions for a very modest price. I went to the Medici Riccardi palace after. The Medicis were a powerful family that ruled Florence. Their chapel was a symbol of their power and wealth. Next door is the Basilica di San Lorenzo, one of the oldest churches in Florence. It's a nice sanctuary to visit if you want some peace and quiet to break up any craziness of your day sight-seeing. At dusk, I walked along the Ponte Vecchio, a medieval stone bridge that connects the banks of Florence. It's filled with these old shops that when closed, the store front looks like an old wooden treasure trunk. It doesn't feel like you re on a bridge at all, but rather a street of shops! Its beautiful and iconic in any photo of Florence. Finished up the day with some sweets - the perfect way to end the day.

Florence Cathedral

Florence Baptistry

The doors of the Battistero of San Giovanni

Sante Croce - Danti Aligherio's Tomb

Piazza della Repubblica

David in Piazza della Signoria

Palazzo Vecchio

Osteria il gatto e la volpe

Magi Chapel in Palazzo Medici Riccardi

Basilica di San Lorenzo

The Basilica di San Lorenzo Cloister Garden

Ponte Vecchio Bridge

Jewelry Shops at Ponte Vecchio Bridge

A copy of David in Piazza della Signoria

Siena - Dinner at Enoteca I Terzi

This was one of the best restaurants I tried in Italy. One thing about me - I do a very thorough research before I travel to make sure I'm seeing the best and especially... eating the best. At the first bite, I instantly knew Tuscan cuisine would be 100 times better than Roman food.  Don't get me wrong - the pizza in Rome was good, but this is on a whole other level! This restaurant is frequently changing their menu to whatever is fresh for that day. They have an extensive handmade pasta list and main course options including sucking pig. I got there around 6pm or so and the restaurant was closed (I guess for Siesta). I waited around 2 hours just for it to open. And it was well worth the wait! The Pasta special of the day was penne with ricotta and radicchio and the meat special was straccetti with artichoke and potatoes. Both were amazing! I also tried this heavenly artichoke-stuffed puff pastry that was quite possibly the best thing I ever ate. The other entree I tried was suckling pig that was pretty good also. If you're ever in Siena, go here! But Ill let the photos speak for themselves... Tuscany is off to a VERY good start!

Enoteca I Terzi

Via dei Termini, 7  53100 Sienna, Italy 0577 44329

Siena - Cathedral and Piazza Del Campo

This morning, I traveled from Rome to Siena on Trenatalia and made it a stop for the night before moving on to Florence.  I was interested in Siena because it is the embodiment of a medieval city. I stayed at Hotel Italia and it was perfect. The breakfast was amazing, the room was clean, and the staff was friendly. The location was 5 minutes from the main transportation hub in Siena, but a nice 20 minute walk to town. I immediately went into town to the Piazza del Campo, where the famous Palio horse races take place. Its amazing how this piazza gets turned into a dirt race track. It is so small and I can clearly see why this is considered, a very dangerous race. Clearly, I missed the Carnival celebration here, because there was confetti all over the floor of the Piazza. I always hate arriving just when the party ends! I feel like throughout Italy so far, I've always missed the Carnival celebration! Of course I had to see the famous Siena Cathedral and it was the most beautiful Church in all of Italy. The interior is so opulent and of gothic architecture. It was built to be grander than the one in Rome, and I think it succeeded. It rivals the beauty of Gaudi's Sagrada de Familia in Barcelona for me. It also blows my mind how much money and power the church had when you're inside a structure like this. You cannot miss this! Overall, this town is what you would picture when you think of a medieval city. It is desolate and very hilly so be prepared to hike! Despite that, this town was very charming. Its perfect for a couple that just wants to relax and drink wine through Tuscany.

Piazza Del Campo

Piazza Del Campo

Carnivale Celebration

Gelato Italiano

One of the many hills and alleys in Siena

Siena Cathedral

Italian Romanesque-Gothic architecture.

The hexagonal dome is topped with Bernini's gilded lantern like a golden sun.

Medieval Architecture

The pulpit is made of Carrara marble and was sculpted between the end of 1265 and November 1268

The Main Alter

Siena - A medieval hilly countryside town