If you’re expecting a long, detailed blog about my day in Florence, you’re going to be disappointed. You see, it started to rain shortly after I arrived and that kind of derailed my plans for the day…
Despite having a hard time sleeping last night, I woke up early enough to take a morning walk around Monterosso before breakfast. Before I left, it was back to Hotel Villa Steno for breakfast and a fond farewell to Carla and Matteo.
The train ride to Florence was only 2.5 hours, thanks to a very short connection in Pisa. When I arrived at the Hotel Indigo in Florence shortly before noon (a short 5 minute walk from the Santa Maria Novella train station), I was greeted with an upgrade to a suite and complimentary minibar.
I quickly dropped off my things and headed out to explore Florence. First up was a stop at Santa Maria Novella church, for which one has to pay €7.50 for entrance. I admired it from the outside and kept going. Before I left this morning, Matteo had recommended a favorite restaurant in Florence for lunch, Cantinetta dei Verrazzano. I had to wait a while for a table, but that turned out to be a good thing as the heavens opened and it started pouring and thundering. My lunch consisted of prosciutto, greens, and cream cheese on focaccia and a glass of prosecco, enough to keep me going for the afternoon but nothing to write home about.
It was still raining when I left the restaurant. I left my raincoat at home because the weather was supposed to be nice all week and I didn’t feel like investing in a “vacation umbrella” today. So I did what any other sane person would do… I started walking in the rain. I walked by the Duomo and took a photo, then just kept walking right back to my hotel. It was about a 20 minute walk and I arrived soaked. I went out for another short walk when it was just sprinkling and picked up a slice of focaccia, some kind of chocolate filled cream horn pastry, and a lemon soda at the Carrefour Express on my way back. The focaccia was delicious and for about €6 I had a tasty dinner on the couch in my room before heading to bed early.
Traveling with Laura 