Le Blog: La Firenze - Artsy Land of Shoes

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We got to Florence on Sunday. I was planning on going to the Prada outlet the next day and then briefly see a bit of Florence on Tuesday morning before we took the train to Torino.

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Our hostel was gorgeous! It is really clean and has this garden in the back where people can chill out in the summer (and warm winter). It was my first stay in a hostel.

Hostel Archi Rossi
Via Faenza, 94/r
50123 Firenze
Tel.: 055/29 08 04
http://www.ostelloarchirossi.it/

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That night Karla, who had studied in Florence for five months, took me around and showed me all the important sites.

Santa Maria Novella

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The minute I saw the Duomo, I was in shock. I started running around the building, mouth open and just couldn't believe that such a creative church was allowed to be built. It was then that I decided I had to explore Florence the next day rather than stand in line at the Prada outlet.

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Oooh color!

Near the Ponto Vecchio we found a restaurant/bar that played live jazz music and looked right onto the bridge. We sat down for an excellent meal, view and soothing tunes.

Olden View Open Bar
Via dei Bardi 58/r (Ponte Vecchio)
Firenze
www.goldenviewopenbar.com

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The next day we spent walking all over the city.

We stopped off at a little shop that sold little bits and pieces, including dishes, boxes and bed covers.

Paradiso delle Sorprese
Via Guelfa 16/r
Firenze
Tel.: 055/ 26 57 510

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Piazza della Santissima Annunziata

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I was blown away by how much Florence was an artist's city. This shop belonged to a couple who made all of the pictures, notebooks and cards in it.

Monte Bello
Via degli Alfani
Firenze

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A sign mirroring the clock in the Duomo.

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I bought three pairs of ballerina flats at a discount store. They were really cheap and will fall apart right when they start going out of fashion. Perfect.

Mode Paris
Via Verdi 69/r
Firenze

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Then we paid a visit to Santa Croce. I loved how some of the crumbling walls looked like the tattered pages of a bible.

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Near our hostel there were tons of cheap jewelry shops.

Bigiotteria di shi chunmei
Via san antonino 32/r
Firenze

More shoe shopping; this time for sneakers. The street also had tons of other cool shops.

Athletes World
Via Cerretani 26
50123 Firenze

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Off to dinner! A friend of a friend of Karla's took us out to a lovely meal where I tried Florentine steak (well half of one of course). The restaurant was a quaint place near the church where Dante used to go to.

After dinner we walked around. This interesting window display caught our eyes.

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We wandered over to the Shot Cafe where Karla used to go to as a student.

Shot Cafe
Via de' Pucci 5a
Firenze

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One last look at the Duomo at night. Sigh.

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On our last day in Florence we spent our morning at the market.

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I went past last night's restaurant.

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I was walking around near Santa Croce when I stopped off for some tea at a backery/bar.

Bar Michelangiolo
Via Ghibellina 116/r
Firenze

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