🛤️ Getting to Florence
We took the Frecciarossa train from Venice to Florence and grabbed a quick breakfast from the train station coffee shop. From there, it was a short walk to our Family Apartment Ca Lina – Annex Hotel Santa Maria Novella. This place was perfect for our crew — three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a full kitchen made it feel like a home base.
🍝 Pasta, Gelato & Pizza
We kicked off our time in Florence with lunch at Ristorante Pizzeria Ginori — simple, delicious, and kid-approved.
That afternoon we joined a Pasta & Gelato Cooking Class at Towns of Italy Cooking School. This was a highlight of the trip — a 3-hour, hands-on experience where everyone got to make tagliatelle, ravioli, and sauces from scratch. Maddie took charge of the pesto, and Paige and Olivia whipped up some amazing vanilla gelato.
🌆 Exploring Florence by Night
In the evening, we explored the city starting with the Mercato del Porcellino (Leather Market) and Piazza della Signoria. We saw the Fountain of Neptune, Palazzo Vecchio, Michelangelo’s David replica, and the open-air sculpture gallery.
We wandered down to the Ponte Vecchio, admired the luxury stores, caught street performers, and made a quick stop at Sephora Firenze (of course). We wrapped up the evening with gelato from Edoardo Gelato — a recommendation from our cooking instructor and a new favorite!
👉 Link to Gelato Favorites Post
🌄 Day Trip to Lucca & Pisa (6/3)
We booked a private 9-hour tour with All Tuscany Company, led by Euan MacKa. He was so personable — sharing history and stories the whole way.
In Lucca, we climbed Torre delle Ore (207 steps!), visited the Basilica di San Frediano, walked the Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, and enjoyed gelato at Gelateria Anfiteatro. Lunch at Dal Poderino was relaxing and delicious.
In Pisa, we climbed the Leaning Tower, visited the Baptistery of Saint Giovanni (including an echo demonstration), and explored the Pisa Cathedral.
👉 Link to Day Trip to Pisa & Lucca Post
We ended the day with dinner at La Buchetta Food & Wine back in Florence — the blue cheese ravioli and liquid nitrogen gelato made table-side were amazing (make a reservation — they were turning people away!).
🏛️ Climbing Brunelleschi’s Dome (6/4)
On our final morning, we climbed Brunelleschi’s Dome — 463 steep, narrow steps up to panoramic views of Florence. It took about 50 minutes and was such a fun challenge for the kids. Definitely buy tickets in advance — it was sold out for the day when we arrived.
After one last Nutella-filled breakfast at the hotel, we caught the Frecciarossa train to Rome.
💡 Quick Tips:
- Book Brunelleschi’s Dome and La Buchetta ahead of time.
- Towns of Italy cooking class was kid-friendly and worth every euro.
- Use a transfer company like All Tuscany for day trips — it made logistics a breeze.
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