Day 4: Florence

Our first port of our Western Mediterranean cruise took us to the Italian city of Florence, or rather to the port of Livorno. There is plenty to do in Livorno, but we had our hearts set on Florence. So I booked a Joe Banana Limo round trip transfer (Pro-Tip: Share your excursion on CruiseCritics Roll Call in order to fill up your tour!) and took the 1.5 hour ride to Florence for the day.

Our driver suggested a pit stop at the Piazzale Michelangelo, a hill on the south bank of the Arno River, just east of the center of Florence. It offers a stunning panoramic view of the city – and has a replica of the David. I am so glad that our driver made the stop because it was beautiful. Early morning overlooking the city of Florence was absolutely stunning!

After getting off the van, the first stop we made was for coffee! Gilli, opened by the Gilli family in 1733, is one of the oldest coffee bars in Florence. Located in the Piazza della Repubblica, it is a great café to stop in for a quick drink or for a sit-down meal. Be sure to pay the cashier and then bring your receipt to the coffee counter to order. We started and began our day at Gilli – coffee to go in the morning and a sit-down coffee at the end of the day.

Our first stop was the famous San Lorenzo Markets, which hosts both indoor and outdoor markets selling local art, leather goods, clothing, and other souvenirs. There are a lot of unique gift items to be brought at the San Lorenzo Market – and even if you’re just shopping for yourself. I picked up some handmade notebooks with Florence paper and some leather bracelets for myself.

Lunch was at the Mercato Centrale – the indoor food market section of the San Lorenzo Markets. The Central Market has two parts. The first floor sells fresh fruits and vegetables as well as meats, cheeses, fish, and condiments. A lot of locals do their grocery shopping on the first floor and you can too! A lot of the vendors will vacuum-seal cured meats and cheeses for you if you tell them you’re traveling internationally. The second floor hosts a food court with lots of different vendors. I had a prosciutto and buratta plate while my mom had Florence’s famous beef tripe sandwich. My sister had a pasta dish and we rounded it all up with some pastries – all from different vendors!

After lunch and a very successful shopping trip, we made our way back to the center of town and visited Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, or the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower. The Basilica houses the Duomo di Firenze, a magnificent Renaissance dome that’s a symbol of Florence.

We also made a quick stop at the Piazza Della Signoria to take a look at another David replica. While they are replicas, they are no less impressive in their size and stature!

Then we began the journey down to see the famous Ponte Vecchio, the oldest and most famous bridge over Arno. It is the only Florentine bridge to survive World War II.

And last but not least, what’s a day in an Italian city without some gelato! We had ours at Venchi, one of Florence’s oldest chocolatiers, established in 1878. The gelato in Italy is just so cheap and delicious!

Stay tuned for our next stop – Cannes, France!