Fantastic Florence

Excellent, Stoutfella!
I fell tail over teakettle for Firenze as well so I'm delighted to hear from a kindred spirit!
Looking forward to that report. 😊

Another kindred spirit here. I love love love Florence! Twice was not enough, need to get back again.

Great, stoutfella, write up the details while they are fresh!

Not for nuthin', but I felt the same way about Florence, having an apartment and shopping the markets over two trips.

And then I did the same thing in Rome. Two completely different experiences. Florence is an easy town to walk because it is much more concentrated, it's a carnivore's dream, but more touristy. For a first-timer to Italy, it's perfect in that Florence is more passive. The attractions are pretty much all laid out for you.

You have to go 'get' Rome. You have to seek out the museums, the churches, the hole-in-the-wall restaurants. You have to ride the bus. And at least in March, the locals acknowledge the tourists but go about their lives because Rome would exist just fine without them. I found that invigorating, the fact that locals just say, 'yes, this is Roma, experience this, this is why we live here.'

I'll probably be ping-ponging back and forth between the two for the rest of my days, aside from visiting the rest of Italy, of course.

I'll probably be ping-ponging back and forth between the two for the
rest of my days, aside from visiting the rest of Italy, of course.

Me too. sigh
There's SO much to love about Rome but she's a different personality than Florence, for sure. it's sort of like a parent having to choose their favorite child?

I'm so glad you're having a great time stoutfella!

Florence will always hold a special place in my heart. The first time I was in Florence was in 1966 on a high school trip to Europe. There was this cute girl on the tour that I started hanging out with. The tour started in Belgium and by the time we got to Italy I was in love. We shared our first kiss in Florence, around 8:30 August 10, 1966. 50 years later that cute girl and I returned to Florence to share another kiss (or two!).

@DougMac, Great story! I, too, am a Florence fan. I have not yet been able to pull myself away for even on day trip...

I absolutely love Florence! It's hands down my favorite city in Europe. We are spending a week there in October, definitely looking forward to this trip!

Me too. I've been there eight times.

May I recommend the coffee gelato?? Enjoy!!