5 Day Florence Trip for Destination Wedding Claimed

5 Days | August 2024 | Solo woman as part of larger group | Destination Wedding/Exploration

Average Reviews

Trip Overview

Attend a destination in Florence ,along with a group of friends all staying in different places.

Full Itinerary

I was in Florence for a destination wedding which had events for three nights in a row, plus a couple daytime activities. I have been to Florence in the past so wasn’t focused on the ‘biggies’ (David, Ufizzi Gallery, Duomo etc) and instead tried to do things that were new to me. So this may not be the best ‘first timers’ Florence guide, but hopefully, have some ideas for those who have been previously and are looking for a few new ideas.

Thursday:

Arrive pm

Taxi into city center and get settled into B&B

Great location between Main Street that leads to Ponte Vecchio (3 min walk) and Signoria square

Small single room with breakfast at x cafe on the banquets where the waiters greeted me by name each morning or if I walked by during the day

Hotel: B&B La Signoria Di Firenze

Via Calimaruzza 1 Florence 50123 Italy

Wandered across the Arno for dinner. First tried to go to Gustapizza but the line was too long so ate at a cafe down the block on San Marco Square. Great place to people watch on a warm evening! After dinner wandered and heard opera being sung outside the Uffizi before heading to sleep.

Friday:

Morning:

Breakfast: As part of the B&B my breakfast each morning was at a wonderful cafe on the Piazze dell Signoria, a half block from the B&B. What a wonderful way to begin each day! The waiters were so kind and had open arms and big smiles saying “Welcome Christine!” every time I walked in.

Bike Tour: I booked a 9-11 bike ride through the city via Airbnb experiences with ‘Florence Untold by Bike with Roberto’ which was terrific. We stopped along the route to learn stories and lesser-known facts and it was great! He also does night tours and my friends did the tour from 10-midnight one night and loved as well.

Wandered to a number of stores I wanted to check out and to the outdoor leather market (the sellers were not as aggressive as in earlier years so much more relaxing !).

Afternoon:

Lunch at pizza place Cafe Italiano bike tour guy said was best in city which was very good and had good AC which was important as it was hot!

Gucci museum – fun history of the brand, with clothing and and an amazing array of purses on display, as well as a store in the ground level.

Evening:

Walked to St Regis hotel for a welcome cocktail party. Beautiful hotel! Wonderful place to get a drink, right on the Arno.

Group dinner at Trattoria 4 Leoni restaurant on other side of river which was terrific! Amazing food and ambiance.

Saturday:

Breakfast on the square

Private group Tour from 10-1 of three awesome sites in Florence:

– Medici Chapel/Crypt

– the Baptistry

– the Museo del Duomo

All were amazing!

Lunch at La Bussola for great salads and pizza followed by gelato at Gelateria Santa Trinita which is just over the Arno next to the Ponte Santa Trinita bridge. So so good (and you can eat on the bridge afterwards which is especially night in a warm night).

Gold shopping on Ponte Vecchio neighborhood

Rehearsal Dinner at the Giardini Corssini villa that was rented for the event, located just down the street from Santa Maria Novella pharmacy (which is so beautiful and definitely worth a visit!).. Amazing grounds with cocktails outside and fresh baked pizza dinner served long table style in the lemon house (like an orangerie but for lemons), followed by fresh gelato. Beautiful evening filled with toasts and lots of love!!

Sunday

Morning:

Full morning walking tour by friends who used to live in Florence. Walk included Piazzale Michelangelo (an amazing view over the city), San Minato al Monte church (also amazing views), Villa Bardini, Belvedere Fort and the Boboli Gardens.

A few stopped at Santini jewelers (just over the Ponte Vechio enroute to the Pitti Palace)which parents of the bride have visited for ages where I later got a pair of earrings – so kind and fair prices. It looks like watch store but just let them know what you are interested in and they bring cases out from the back. The owner Ivan couldn’t be nicer and has great prices.

Grabbed lunch (jeweler recommended Le volpi e l’uva around the corner where I wish I’d gone as it looked amazing and I heard again later from someone else that it’s also one of the finest wine bars in Florence as well as having great food. It looked great with quaint atmosphere located on a little square near the Ponte Vecchio! Next time!

Wedding time! We were at St Regis by 3:30 to catch the bus up to Fiesole above Florence where the wedding was at the Villa di Maiano. The beautiful ceremony was under a big oak tree overlooking Florence, with cocktails outside on the terrace, dinner outside overlooking the city, fireworks over the city as cake was served and then dancing to a band inside aftwards. Wow, what a night.

Monday

Morning:

Museo Del Bargello – This sculpture-focused museum is housed in an amazing historical home in the heart of Florence. Loved the building and sculptures.
Wandered, wandered, wandered!
Met up with friends

Lunch at Urban Garden courtyard restaurant which isn’t on google maps for some reason but entrance is across from the Sephora on Via dei Calzaiuoli. Nice, quiet courtyard restaurant which is great for an outdoor lunch.

Wandered to San Croce area, and then my friends got sandwich at the super popular little sidewalk place I ‘Gironi de Ghiotti. It was a 30-40 minute wait but super thin crispy bread makes it worth the wait – not a regular sandwich!

More wandering and then Wwent up to have a water at a cafe that’s on the top floor of the Biblioteca dells Oblate library, a few blocks from the Duomo where you have a great view of the dome. A student hangout – you have to wander through the library to reach the very casual cafe.

Checked out and moved to hotel near airport (Hotel Franchi) which was clean and fine for 4:30am departure to airport the next morning, as they arranged for the 3 minute drive. Must say that the lasagne I had there for dinner (I had very low expectations) and it was maybe the best thing I ate in Italy- melted in the mouth! Who knew!

Tuesday

Off in the am!

Summary of Restaurants and Activities that either I went to/did, were recommended to me, or that I had done on past trips to Florence!

Restaurants:

Gustapizza

I ‘Gironi de Ghiotti for popular, wonderful sandwiches

Lunch at Urban Garden courtyard restaurant

Lunch or glass of wine at Le volpi e l’uva (just over Ponte Vecchio)

Lunch at La Bussola

Dinner at Trattoria 4 Leoni

Dinner at Sostanza (closed when I was there 😣)

Gelateria Santa Trinita which is just over the Arno next to the Ponte Santa Trinita bridge