My Tuscan Experience: Florence, Pisa & More — Destination Dreamer Diaries

Despite the fact that I am not a fan for the taste of wine – visiting Siena, Pisa, and Florence were some of my favorite places I saw in Italy.

The leaning tower of Pisa is no let down… it is leaning!

The Leaning Tower of Pisa and I in July 2018.

Like the Trevi Fountain in Rome, the size of the infamous green field surrounding the tower is deceiving, but the actual tower does not disappoint.

I have two pieces of advice for you before your Pisa experience:

1. Like many other places in Europe, be prepared to either go buy a coffee from McDonald’s or have euro coins in your pocket to use the bathroom.

2. Go early. I mean… really early. We got there just before 9 in the morning. By 11… it was crawling with other tourists.

After this, we were off to Firenze.

We were only given a few hours in Florence, but we sure made the most of it. I can’t speak on museums (you guys know by this point that I’m not a fan of those things), but I can speak on all of the other cliché, Florence sights to see.

Basically, Florence is one of those cities where everywhere you turn, the architecture puts of you in a trance. It’s very small, and it has many moments where its streets remind me of Prague.

Walking the streets of Florence; July 2018.

In all, it’s like Milan as in it’s another typical European city… but it has some exceptional moments that other places in Italy don’t.

Here’s a list of things you should be sure to see and do if you’ve only got a few hours there:

1. Church of Santa Croce

2. Palazzo Vecchio

3. Piazza Della Signoria

4. Try Their Food

People in Florence are into cooking with the whole cow and serving their meat nearly raw. If you eat meat and have a sturdy stomach, you can try it.

Florence has distinct meats to try alongside your typical pizza & pasta options.

If not… you can do what my mom and I did, which was take a break from the pasta and pizza at Universo Vegano.

Universo Vegano in Florence, Italy; July 2018.

I ate some sort of chick’n cutlet and potatoes.

I got to try my own vegan tiramisu as well!

My not-vegan-mother approved of this place; I can recommend if you’re looking for some healthier food after stuffing your face with bread and gelato all over Italy for several days in a row.

5. Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

Basilica of St. Mary of the Flower in Florence; July 2018.

It’s really breathtaking, and really hard to capture completely in a photo.

6. Take a Gelato Break

I had Gelateria de Neri bookmarked in my phone forever. I had good dairy-free gelato in both Milan and Venice… but I think this one may have taken the crown. It was just so rich in dark chocolate flavor, and the strawberry was perfectly creamy, and could’ve fooled anyone.

7. Ponte Santa Trinata

Ponte Santa Trinata in Florence; July 2018.

8. Piazzale Michelangelo

This is the most stunning view I saw out of the four big cities in Italy, and in my opinion – an absolute must while you’re in Florence.

The view from Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence; Taken July 2018.

We then made a stop in San Gimignano to try some award-winning gelato. I didn’t try it, but all the friends I made on the tour group can vouch for it. They make obscure, but good off beat flavors like basil, ricotta, fig, and rosemary.

Outside Gelateria Dondoli in San Gimignano; July 2018.

The lines apparently get long, so come early if you’re interested in trying their award-winning gelato. Our tour group went at around 11 in the morning… gelato for breakfast may not sound the most appetizing, but hey - you’re in Italy!

Eat it while you can. Trust me, you’ll miss it once it’s gone.

Last on our Tuscany list was Siena.

Our tour took us here for a complimentary wine tasting excursion in Tuscany. Like I mentioned before, I’m not a fan for the taste of wine, but if you are – you need to do this while you’re here.

Don’t worry – they serve homemade bruschetta with in-house-made olive oil. It was delicious, and made up for the bitter, alcohol-in-my-throat-and-on-fire burn taste in my mouth.

If you’re like me, and prefer to pictures over prosecco you can opt to walk outside for the tall, skinny, pointy dark trees and rolling hills of Tuscany for a photo session instead.

The rolling green hills of Tuscany in Siena; July 2018.

Tuscany was exactly everything I had hoped it would be. I hope this serves as a good guide to help you figure out what you want to do when you visit. If you’re looking for other things to do in Italy, click here.