Travelling Coltman’s

Day Three: Florence

While Nic slept (no surprise there then!) I decided to explore the city with an early morning run. Not only did I rid myself of the guilt from any overindulgence that had already taken place, it was the best time to explore the streets before the tourists descended. I took a route along the river and it wasn’t long before I reached the Ponte Vecchio again. Unlike yesterday, it was peaceful, with Italians ambling and the many gold and jewellery shops still shuttered up – heaven!

Once showered, we took a short walk to a nearby cafe, Bread & Break. Modern in it’s exterior and interior, the place still offers wonderfully authentic Florentine fare at Florentine prices! For €10 we enjoyed two delicious cappuccinos, two sandwiches filled with tomatoes, mozzarella and sausage and two pastries.

Armed with apricot and cream-filled goodies, we headed in the direction of the Uffizi gallery. With tickets reserved, we queued for less than 10 minutes to collect them – highly recommended if you want to avoid massive queues on the day!

Words cannot really do justice how incredible this art gallery is. It is expansive, immersive and 100% smack-you-in-the-face Renaissance! Most guide books suggest this is the pinnacle of galleries in Florence and despite not being able to compare, I fully believe this is the case.

From Botticelli, Giotto, Michelangelo and Cosimo to Da Vinci, Caravaggio, Raphael and Rubens, you are spoilt for choice with awe-inspiring frescos, marbled statues and painted ceilings.

Audio guides are €6, we opted for buying a coffee table book for €16 with in depth information of it’s history and collections. It is a long trip, we wandered for 4 hours, but the time whizzes by. Break up the visit by grabbing yourself a coffee (the caffe freddo is so refreshing!) and opt to drink standing aka “al banco” unless you want to pay double for the pleasure of sitting on the rooftop terrace. From the terrace, you get a close up of Palazzo Vecchio and it’s famous Alforno tower. Oh and how could I forget the view of the Duomo which peeks temptingly over the walls. More about these later!

Food was calling and luckily for us, the famous Via del Neri was around the corner from the Uffizi gallery exit. This street is home to the All’Antico Vinaio, the best eateries for Florence’s ‘Schiacciata’; focaccia-like bread, stuffed with the most delicious ingredients and costing only €5. For an extra €2, you can pour yourself a glass of red wine from the counter, what’s not to like!? There are limited seats inside, but most people spill out onto the streets and tuck in. Nic’s schiacciata of choice ‘La Dante’ contained porchetta, vegetables, spiced tomato spread and rucola cheese. Mine, ‘the Manolo’s’, had prosciutto, mozzarella, porcini mushrooms and truffle cream.

Suitably replenished, we hit the streets again and headed for the Basilica Di Santa Croce; a building to marvel at because of it’s beauty but not one we wished to go inside having spent our morning in the Uffizi.

Linked to, but not part of the basilica, is the lesser known Scuola del Cuoio or ‘School of Leather’. To the rear of Santa Croce, this school is housed in the old monastery and was founded in 1949 to teach war orphans a trade. Free to go inside, and off the beaten track, it really would be a shame not to take 20 minutes to visit the active workshops and store. The smell alone is inviting enough and you can watch professionals using traditional techniques. Should you purchase anything from the store, you can have the item stamped with your name or initials. I couldn’t help but buy a small coin purse; where else was I to put all the euros and cents jangling around in my pocket!?

On returning to our apartment to spruce up, we realised our failure to check entry times for the Palazzo Vecchio tower and the Duomo, both of which were no longer open. It seems that on a Thursday they close earlier than usual. We walked along the main stretch towards the Duomo, to find it closed. This didn’t detract from the absolute splendour of the building and I honestly believe that any photo from any angle would still make you say “WOW!”

Along the way, we saw various street performers and artists busking which, as the sun started to set, really gave the city centre a different vibe. It felt cosmopolitan, vibrant. One thing we did notice, supporting what our hot, Fabio, had told us, was the hiked prices for food that we knew we could get a little further out for a fraction of the price, yet people were lured in my the close proximity to one of Florence’s major sights!

Having said that, we did follow one of Fabio’s recommendations of an excellent gelato joint on a side street just off the Duomo. GROM if well known throughout Italy, so much so, that we have seen it for sale in major supermarkets over here. A classic filled cone sets you back about €5 but dear lord you have to try it!

On learning that it was not our day to see inside the Duomo, or indeed climb the 400 steps of Palazzo Vecchio’s tower, we walked instead to Piazza Della Signoria where the replica of Michelangelo’s ‘David’ stands. Here too, you can find the Gucci Gardens and the Palazzo Vecchio.

More buskers and performers lined the square, while others tried to sell luminous light toys and fake roses. Deciding it was time for a drink, we headed to il Mercato Centrale; a hive of activity concerning all things food and drink. Under one roof, you will find stalls from Italian artisans that specialise in everything from lampredotto, trapizzino and of course ‘trippa’ aka tripe.

Florentine’s do seem to love their tripe, not to mention their T-bone steaks and offal. We ordered two cocktails and plucked up the courage to ask for fried tripe, however, the delicacy was sold out. Instead, we had fried rabbit, chicken, courgette and my personal favourite, fried sage.

Stuffed and ready to call it a night, we crossed paths with the Duomo and back through the now hushed streets with only the Italians eating as late as 22.30. Tomorrow we travel to Siena but our train doesn’t depart till 13.10, giving us one final shot at climbing the Palazzo Vecchio tower and stepping into the Duomo before we leave for the Tuscan countryside. Ciao for now!

Day Two: Bologna to Florence

Feeling a little groggy from the previous day (not the wine we promise!) we woke early to catch the 09.18 to Florence. All trains tickets between our planned destinations were booked online in the UK via Trainline.com which made the morning of navigation, broken translation of Italian train station signs and lugging suitcases around much easier! The air-conditioned carriage was heaven and allowed us to scrub up on our knowledge of Florence in comfort during the hour-long journey.

We travelled into Florence Ridelfi, not the main train station, but still not a million miles away from the centre. It was cheaper but in hindsight I would travel directly into Santa Maria Novella next time. We caught an unplanned bus for €1.50 to our apartment – a nice way to act like a local and save your feet for the inevitable walking later!

Domus 19 Guesthouse, our apartment for the next two nights is in the ‘proper’ Florentine district as our lovely host, Fabio, assured us. He referred to the area as “Florence for Florentine people”. After scribbling passionately over a city map, Fabio had given us all the information we needed to eat and live like a local whilst visiting all the main sights. His main recommendations? Head into the city centre during the day for all things touristy, but avoid eating there unless you want to pay more for lesser quality. Cross over the river Arno in the evening to ascend the gardens and viewpoints that look over the city – apparently the sun sets at around 20.20 and is worth the wait. Finally, he taught us the 3 main rules of Florentine ‘Aperitivo’; a little like Spanish tapas in that you only pay for your drink but can eat whatever and however much you like from a buffet.

First, ask if the restaurant or cafe offers ‘Aperitivo’.
Ask how much they charge (he suggests you can get excellent Aperitivo between €5-10 but warned that city centre establishments can trick you by not charging for food but instead charging you €30 for one drink so be careful!!)
Finally, do you like what you see? If the answer is yes, then go for it!

First main attraction was the Ponte Vecchio, Florence’s most famous bridge. It is easy to see why the streets felt more like that of London than Italy with the tourists flocking to take photos of this unusual sight. The vicinity was noticeably crowded, not just with people, but with pop-up stalls selling cheap knock-offs, Pinocchio dolls and ‘I ❤️ Florence’ paraphernalia. Crossing the bridge was no better with dawdlers and selfie stick galore lapping up the albeit stunning views down the river.

Once you pop out the other side of Ponte Vecchio, calm is restored and it is a short walk to the Palazzo Pitti. Due to the rising temperature and growing queue for tickets, we decided against entering the palace, instead opting for the Giardino di Baboli, nestled behind the palace entrance. As the name suggests, the garden once belonged to the Medici family, owners too of the Palazzo Pitti. It houses Renaissance sculptures, grottos and water fountains which are shaded by giant trees and neat hedging and borders.

More surprising were the modern bronzes and sculptures by Liverpudlian artist Tony Cragg. His artwork stands out against the historical gardens but this only makes them more stunning (in our opinion).

In August heat, it would be easy to give up on the steep walk to the amphitheatre but there really is no point visiting the Giardino di Babolo unless you do this. Why? Because the views over Florence will make you forget the tourist-filled streets and hustle bustle of a popular city, and instead think “Oh my god, this is life!”

Just when you think “this can’t get better, I will not see Florence from a greater viewpoint”, think again! The entrance ticket grants you free entry into the nearby Giardino di Barbelli. This was actually our favourite of the two gardens, and although the coffee house was naturally more expensive (€3-4 for coffee compared to €1.50-2) the viewing platform and pleasure of sitting their with a coffee and cigarette is unparalleled.

Nic and I agreed that if we were going to truly enjoy our trip, it would be based on not trying to fit too much in to our days and the various water and coffee stops are testament to that. So, we headed back to our apartment, drank some shop-bought beer and ate the best mini croissants filled with ham and cheese whilst watching an episode of Queer Eye #yaaaaasqueen

Though all was not lost, we booked a table at Osteria del Pesce; a seafood restaurant around the corner and recommended by Fabio. We headed out just before 9pm and we’re the only customers there due to most Italian folk being on their holidays. We were welcomed with a glass of Prosecco whilst being spoilt for choice by the menu.

To start, we had a salmon profiterole and a selection of bread. Contrary to Bologna, the bread was more like focaccia and perfect with the white fish carpaccio with tomatoes and courgette.

After that, we ate the most delicious platter of raw fish and seafood, including oysters, clams, tuna, salmon and prawns. We have never tasted anything like it! Not least because the fish was served with radishes, strawberries and passion fruit. Who knew that these went so well with fish!? Dessert consisted of cannoli with pistachio and biscotti with Italian dessert wine. As we paid (€79 in total, including a bottle of €20 wine) the waiter then asked if we wanted Grappa or Limoncello, we plumped for the latter. Our plan was to eat and then venture back to the river Arno where there is a bar and ‘beach’ area, however, the excitement of the day (and the booze) had other plans.

And so, the city of Florence awaits. Tomorrow, we plan to run along the river, visit the Uffizi gallery and soak up all the city has to offer.

Ciao x

Day One: Bologna

After a 2 hour flight and a painless arrival in to Bologna Airport, we caught the AeroBus into the city centre (€6 each). On arriving at Stazione Maggiore, we then navigated our way through the complicated underground passages of the station to eventually find ourselves on Via Nicolò Dall’Arca.

Unassuming from the outside but easy to find, the Airbnb (Warehouse 43) was small but stylish and Flávio, the owner, was everything you’d expect in a young, Italian professional in retail with the designer moustache to boot.

Flávio was amazing in showing us where to go and what to do; he even booked us a table for the evening in his favourite foodie haunt.

Strolling back in to Bologna’s centre along Via dell’Independenza, it wasn’t long before Nic and I stumbled upon a grand building that piqued our interest; the Cathedral of San Pietro. Humble in comparison to the religious buildings we are yet to see, and yet it had all the glamorous, gold-gilded iconography you would expect from a Catholic Church. What was most impressive was the amazing amount of marble used to adorn the walls and floors. It was a welcome pit stop of peace, calm and cool before hitting the busy street again in search of the Piazza Maggiore.

What first strikes you, is this amazing statue of Neptune, before entering the main Piazza Maggiore. While we were there, Bologna was celebrating all things film so an outdoor cinema was set up in the square for Summer evenings.

Due to limited time in the city, we decided it was only right to head to the Quadrilatero District, known for it’s many food stalls, specialising in Bologna’s ‘piadine’ (flat sandwich) and ‘mortadella’ (meat). At €3-4 we couldn’t resist out first glass of wine, choosing a dry Chardonnay from the local Emilia-Romagna region. If all Chardonnay tasted so good, I think we could we converted!

If there is one thing you MUST do in Bologna, particularly on a fleeting visit such as ourselves, then buy a ticket (€5) for The Two Towers (Asinelli and Garisenda). Once littering the streets of Bologna, there are now only around 20 such towers, Asinelli being the tallest one remaining. Climbing a mere 498 steps to the top, it couldn’t be more worth it for the incredible, breath-taking views.

Other places we visited; the Salaborsa Library, just off the main square. This is a multimedia library housed in an amazing building with a major historical nod to the past. Inside, under a glass floor, you can see the remains of the first citadel of Bologna (then called Bononia) from as early as the 1st century AD. You can visit the ruins for a donation and see it up close.

It is also worth walking between the Basilica san Petronia and the Archaeological Museum on Via dell’Archiginnasio to find the Palazzo dell’Archiginnasio; once home to the first seat of the University of Bologna, the oldest university in the Western Hemisphere, founded in 1088. The painted ceilings are enough to blow your mind and the walls and passage ways are covered in plaques with family crests, symbolising the students who once studied there. Take the steps up to the Teatro Anatomico where anatomy lessons were once held. It costs €3 to enter but it really does transport you back in time, and of course, Nic loved it’s historical link to medical and scientific advancements!

After a quick turn around at the apartment, we took a short walk to Trattoria la Montanara, the restaurant Flávio had booked for us. Set on a quiet side-street, it was small but busy and had a lovely authentic feel. We were seated outside (definitely recommended unless they have air conditioning!) and given a bread basket while we decided what to eat. Once again, we chose a bottle of local Chardonnay to wash down our roasted lasagne and tortellini with ricotta, lemon and butter. Simple fare, yet some of the nicest food we have had!

We ambled back, through the Park of Montagnola and down the vast steps into Piazza XX Settembre. In the park, there were late night bars with outdoor seating under the canopy of trees and fairy lights. Had we have had the energy, we might have stopped for a night cap but as it was we decided sleep couldn’t wait, nor could the early train to Florence the following morning.

One Day to Go

Good morning, or should that be “Buongiorno”.

Welcome to our blog, where we hope to show friends and family what we did with their generous wedding contributions to make our Italian honeymoon possible!

So what is our plan?

A total of two weeks, starting in Bologna and ending in Salerno. Along the way we will be visiting Florence, Siena and Rome. We will be travelling from place to place via train, shuttle bus and ferry. All of our accommodation has been booked through Airbnb or Booking.com and our flights are with Ryanair from Stansted Airport.

Why did we choose Italy?

Well, aside from it being renowned as a romantic place to visit, we are huge foodies and wanted somewhere to eat and drink our way around. The fact that Italy has beautiful sights, rich history, culture and arts is all a bonus. Nic has travelled to Italy before (mainly Rome) but I haven’t been to Italy at all. We thoroughly expect this trip to blow our minds, our pockets and our diets!

Time to do that final run and complete the packing.

Ciao for now – Rosie.