An Italy Trip to Remember

Italy Trip – 2024 – Rome

Day 12–We Arrive in Florence (Firenze, in Italian)

We packed up the car and were on the road by 10AM to arrive in Florence (thankfully all freeway) two hours later. At the airport, we said “good-bye, arrivederci, good riddance” to our Peugeot! To our dismay, we found we had been double-charged and disputed the payment. After much back and forth, we were able to negotiate a little smaller charge, but not the promised rate. We will deal with Budget later, for sure.

We caught a cab and checked into Hotel Pendini. I can and will highly recommend Hotel Pendini as a

centrally-located, moderately-priced hotel in Florence. It is right in the center of Plaza de Republica, near the carousel and the world-famous Cafe Gilli. It is not far from shopping, the Ponte Vecchio, and the Duomo – “Santa Maria del Fiore” (Lady of the flower).

Within walking distance is the Galleria Accademia Firenze and the home of David, and the food market, Mercato Centrale. Another plus is that in the Plaza you will find the La Rinascente Department Store and its rooftop bar, with its superb view of the Duomo at night. (See feature image at the top of this post)

Keep in mind that the hotels in these ancient cities often, rightfully, have antique yet very elegant furnishings, with chandeliers and authentic wallpaper, for example. The breakfast at Hotel Pendini was superb as well.

Next was a tour to see the Duomo, exterior and interior. With our knowledgeable, but hard-to-understand guide, we met at the Museo Cafe across from the Duomo, where we had a little snack before starting.

Jane and Jill in Florence during the Duomo tour

Bless Vernon and Jill’s hearts, they lasted the entire tour. Ron and I found a sidewalk cafe in the shade for the last part. (We get ‘Museum-ed’ out!)

Then we searched for Jane’s favorite leather store, Via de Ginori 23r, to no avail. So off we went to Mercato Centrale (the Central Market) for pizza and arancini (the rice balls Italians love). Upstairs we love! A variety of Italian foods, from, or course, Pizza, to Pasta specialties to include rice balls, to soft drinks, to wine, and of course, Aperitivo Spritz.

By this time, folks, honestly, we had sweat rolling down our backs, and were exhausted, so it was back to our Hotel for a well earned siesta!

Day 13–Already?–Florence On Our Own and Our Favorite Restaurant

After breakfast, it was a walk across the Ponte Vecchio, the world-renowned bridge in Florence, while visiting shops and leather stalls along the way. Again, within easy walking distance from Hotel Pendini.

The Ponte Vecchio Bridge — Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Florence

A bit of history: When the Nazis left Italy, Hitler ordered all of the bridges of Florence bombed, but the bombardier in charge refused to bomb the Ponte Vecchio, knowing its historical significance, so it stands today in its original glory. The Medici, the ruling class of Florence, had two stories built over the bridge so that they could easily cross the bridge upstairs without mixing with the local people. Today the passageway still exists while the first floor is lined with high-end jewelers, which makes for an interesting crossing always.

Dinner this night was a rare treat, with reservations made months in advance. Across the Ponte Vecchio and down an alley we found Trattoria 4 Leoni, where we were welcomed by Elio, our waiter, and his supervisor as well.

Ponte Vecchio at night — Ponte Vecchio At Night

Vernon and Jill were recommended this restaurant by their daughter Kim’s friend, and we had eaten here previously. Also Maddie, our granddaughter, and her friend Hayley, while visiting Florence last November, loved Trattoria 4 Leoni. We highly recommend that you visit this place if you come to Florence.

One specialty of the house is their pear pasta: little pouches of pasta, twisted together and containing a heavenly mixture of spices, pear, and a creamy sauce. The best! It quickly got very quiet as we savored our meals. Elio, our waiter, was animated and made the dinner even more memorable. He was so deserving of the rare tip we left with him (Remember in Italy tips at meals are not expected).

We truly enjoyed our stay in Florence. Even though we have spent time in Florence before, it just felt special. With Vernon and Jill and with Hotel Pendini, everything just fell nicely into place. Tomorrow, onto Venice via the train!