Rome City Trip // Must See, Eat & Do!

I hope you're having a nice weekend so far! I have just arrived back home from a short trip to visit family in Rome and really enjoyed it. After the exam period it was nice having a break before the new period starts tomorrow. Holidays always go by way too fast aha.. But that does make you appreciate everything a lot more. While I was in Rome I have been taking some pictures and thinking of some things I could share with you on my little corner on the internet 😉 regarding must do things in Rome. So let's get comfy with a up of tea or coffee and let's get right to it! 

"Do not follow there where the path may lead. Instead, go where there is no path and leave a trail. "

PANTHEON 

To start, the Pantheon is definitely a place you must visit when you're in Rome! I choose it as a must because it's a special building. It's one of the few buildings of the city that's still fully intact after many many years.. incredible right?! This is all due to the manner in which it is build. What I found quite impressive is the inside brickwork that really shows are skilful the Romans were already at that time. Maybe also fun to know is that it's a temple designed by a son of an emperor, dedicated to holy gods. Also when exiting the temple, I love the view that you have looking a the porch from inside. Definitely worth a photo! If you're planning on visiting the city very soon, then maybe it's good to know that it's still free to enter now, but within a few days they're asking a fee. So make sure to be on time! 

PIAZZA CAVOUR 

This is a very famous square where you can go to the cinema, the theatre and also where the Italian Supreme Court is build. I'm not sure if it's possible for visitors to enter the court, but the square is already nice to walk around a bit. It's definitely worth researching whether you can enter the court to hear a case they make public!

THE VATICAN

If your stay includes a Sunday, I would recommend going to see the pope at 12pm. Even if you're not religious, it's just a memorable experience standing on the square and listening to the speech of the pope from his balcony. Make sure to arrive about half an hour earlier, so you can skip the longer lines at the security and have a good spot as well. 

SHOPPING

And of course shopping can't be forgotten aha! (only if you're into shopping😙) In Rome sometimes you can find those street markets with some handy things, like socks, dresses and many more things that are quite useful and affordable for students like me. It's best to check the markets that are a bit further away from for example major tourist attractions because they're not as good and overpriced as well. Besides the markets a shopping center called Euroma2 I find really nice! It has many shops, like Hollister and H&M, but also Italian brands like Zuiki. Zuiki is a bit similar to the H&M, but than the Italian version of it. I went there and got for example the jumper I'm wearing in the picture, it's really cozy!! On the right you can see the picture with all the colourful coats from an Italian designer brand called Max & Co, it would be my dream to have a coat from there😍!!

FOOD

At a small restaurant called Cantieri you can have a drink, lunch or dinner outside in a small car. I haven't been there yet but it looks really cute with the tiny chairs. For example if you're spending Valentine's Day in Rome and you choose to celebrate the day, it could be really cute going there with your boyfriend or girlfriend. (at least I would love to go there!!🙈) There's also another place called Mister Pizza that we kind of had a family tradition to always go there, as we thought they had the best pizza. But since covid they had to close unfortunately. However, and even better place with pizza and pasta came instead. They have besides the typical Italian snack called suppli also Sicilian snacks like Arrancini, which are the same almost as suppli, but a bit bigger. The place is called Mondo Arrancini. 

OTHER THINGS

1. Out of experience I would not recommend going to Rome in the middle of summer. Usually Italians take holiday during the months of July or August because it's too hot to stay in the city center and go somewhere else to cool off a bit. So the city is with a lot more tourists. It's nice to visit off season, like for example from now until May or June and after September. 
2. If you still want nice weather, usually November is the rainiest month. End of January beginning of February is usually quite sunny and it feels like Spring already. So to catch some vitamin D make sure to avoid November 😉!
3. Some stores have bad or no 4g connection in the centre, so if you rely on your card to pay through your phone, it's useful to always bring your physical card with you just in case there's no connection. 
4. If you're arriving at the Rome Fiumicino airport and don't want to take a taxi, it's very easy to take the Leonardo Express train. It takes you to Termini station right in the city center near all the famous attractions in less than half an hour. Or you can take the Fiumicino airport bus directly to the city center. It might take a little bit longer, but is also quite fast and you arrive in the city center as well. 

Thanks very much for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed it! Leave a comment below what your favorite city so far is that you've visited, would love to know! Have a nice Sunday! 

Short City Trip to Stockholm! // Must Things to Do & See

Hope you're doing well!! It's already a few months ago since I went on a short trip to Stockholm and I loved the city a lot! Initially I wasn't sure what to expect, so I kind of went on the trip not having any expectations at all. It was also my first time going to a Scandinavian country, so that was really fun and eye opening aha! Since I enjoyed it a lot, I thought why not create a short post with some fun things to do and see in Stockholm and to just share my experience with you. Maybe it can be helpful if you're still in doubt about whether to visit Sweden or just to know a bit more about the city and see some pictures! I hope you'll enjoy reading it, get comfy with a cup of tea and let's get right to it! Here are some of my favourite things to do and see in Stockholm. 

     STOCKHOLM OLD TOWN / GAMLA STAN 

The old city center of Stockholm is definitely my favourite part of the city! The old town, also called Gamla Stan is actually the very original centre of the city and comprises of the Stadsholmen island and the Riddarholmen, Strömsborg and Helgeandsholmen. Me and my friend arrived at the train station in the city in the newer part, and you can notice the difference in the ambience when you go more towards the older part of the city. It's really nice!! The architecture there in the old town is from the 17th and 18th century, with very cute tiny streets, those streets with the small round stones (which add to the ambience aha!), and the lovely squares with benches. The old town is full of cafes, restaurants and what I love the most is that the city is surrounded by water. It's really peaceful and you get some fresh air as well! Even though the city is quite big, you don't feel like it is very busy. I think that's because it's quite spacious and due to the water. 

Something that was also very fun that we got to experience actually by accident. We were specifically looking for it. But you know, we didn't know that actually there was a royal guard ceremony at the Royal Palace of Stockholm. Um. And it was like it started around 12:15 PM. In the courtyard, basically it's on weekdays and. Around 1:15 PM on Sundays. And there was like a guard change. And it was very, yeah, it was very fun. They were all dressed, the man guys, world dressed in blue. It's like a small performance. So that was actually really nice. 

There's also a very famous square in Stockholm that I would definitely recommend visiting. You instantly feel like you're scrolling through Google. It's like an iconic landmark and worth the visit and to take some photos as well. It's really colourful and very photogenic. It's nice to go for a stroll there and the Swedish people I find in general quite calm, that adds to the relaxed atmosphere there, despite it being quite crowded at times, mostly in weekends. 

                           GOOD TO KNOW☺

1. As you may know or have heard before, Scandinavia can be quite expensive. Therefore any ways to save up a bit of money are always welcome. One thing you can do is to find for example an airbnb which has a kitchen that you can use. Or if you prefer to meet new people why you travel, and you're a student just like me, than going to a hostel can be a nice and fun experience. The hostel I stayed in was the Archipelago hostel right in the city center, Gamla Stan. Be aware that not each hostel has a kitchen that you can use to cook in. For example, the hostel I stayed in was only for using the fridge to store food or use the microwave to warm up food. So make sure to check that out beforehand. If you can cook yourself than you can cook for a few days in advance, which can save you lots of money instead of having to eat out or buy at a bakery! 
2. Make sure to check out the weather or season of when planning on going to Stockholm. Maybe you're more into the summer weather or warmer weather in general, than going just before the peak/high season in the summer months is the perfect period to plan a visit to the city of water! I went end of April/beginning of May and it was already quite sunny and pleasant. We were really lucky with the weather! Another thing that was something I needed to get used to a bit, was that at 4 am it was already completely light outside aha! 
3. Fun fact: Stockholm is actually built on 14 islands!! That's quite cool and impressive right?! So if you really like water and you want a nice place to relax, then Stockholm is really nice because it's surrounded by water. You can go for a stroll along the canals in nice weather in either Spring or Summer and can enjoy the water as well when sitting along the shoreline on a bench on in the grass having a picnic. 

Thank you very much for readings today's post! I hope you enjoyed it. I find it very fun to write; brings back all the memories! I hope you can make a decision with regards to whether to go to Sweden, or Stockholm specifically. Traveling has always been one of my favourite things to do in life. You learn so much about different cultures and also different environments and about yourself. I feel like I usually return from a trip like a different person and energised, but still like yourself of course. 😉

One Day In Antwerp: What To Do And Where To Eat!

 

And I'm back!! It's been a while since I wrote my last post on here, but I'm happy to be here again and to start fresh with new inspiration and ideas! Hope you're having a great summer so far?! The weather has been quite nice in Holland (rainy and windy days can't be avoided though haha), but still it's not bad. I've been travelling a lot this summer, through Italy, Spain, in my own country and a few days ago I went to Antwerp for the first time. I really wanted to go because I heard from many that it's a nice city to visit. I already went to Belgium, but that was I think more than 10 years ago, can't remember a lot from it.. So today I thought it would be fun to share my one day itinerary in Antwerp: What to Do and Where To Eat! If you're looking for some travel ideas and you're not sure what city is next on your bucket list, read further now! 

Meier Street Antwerp

MEIER STREET 
This is one of the most popular streets you can find in Antwerp. You can find mostly mainstream brands that I recognise from Holland as well, like for example the Hema, Blokker, Zara, Mango, etc. But it's nice to walk around in! It's nice that the Italian lingerie and swimwear brands called Calzedonia and Intimissimi are in this street as well, next to each other. My favourite shops!! When you walk right out of the Antwerpen central station and you walk straight on you almost can't miss this street. For more typical Belgium fashion stores or designer brands you can enter the tiny streets along the Meier Street, where you can find the smaller boutique stores. Besides for shopping, the street has beautiful buildings like the Stadsfeestzaal and the Royal Palace that are worth taking a glimpse of. There is also a Belgium department store Inno where you can find anything from electronics to beauty products which is worth a visit too.

Cathedral of our Lady 

CATHEDRAL OF OUR LADY 
This is a beautiful church located in the center of Antwerp. I decided to not go inside because I didn't have a lot of time, but next time I would love to go in. This gothic church is the tallest of Belgium with the tallest bell tower and is protected by the Unesco world heritage. The outside is made with an incredible amount of details as you can see above! To enter it's €6 for adults and €4 for children.

CAFÉS NEAR RUBENSHUIS
Close to the museum het Rubenshuis there are a lot of restaurants and cafés where you can eat really good. All of them looked good, and I think I have eaten the best lasagna ever (second best to those in Italy of course aha!). The only con is that it's quite expensive, so if you are planning on going out for lunch or dinner, prepare for spending a bit. However, it's completely worth it!

 

Pierre Marcolini 

BELGIUM CHOCOLATES AND WAFFLES
If you Visit Antwerp, make sure to taste one of their chocolates or waffles as they are my favourite!! I always feel like when I travel somewhere, I come there for the food.. I would recommend to not go to the Pierre Marcolini shop for ice cream, it's €5 for a cup and it doesn't taste good. The shop also has lots of macarons and chocolates that do look really good, but I haven't tried them yet.

Brabo Fountain Antwerp

Veemarkt Antwerp

OTHER MUST VISITS

• HET EILANDJE. I was almost there, but because I already walked so much the whole day I decided that it was a bit too far, maybe next time. It's an abandoned port up until a few years ago when coffee bars and artists brought new life to this place. 
• CENTRAL STATION. The station of Antwerp is so big! It has multiple floors and the ceilings and all the ancients paintings are beautiful. It's a lot different from the stations I've seen so far, so definitely recommend going there. The main entrance is the most impressive part. 
• GROENPLAATS. A nice area in the city center with many cafés and bars, with a view of the Cathedral. 
• GROTE MARKT. On this square you'll the city hall from the 16th century, which is a huge building you can't miss. It dates back from the Renaissance and perfect if you want to take an Instagram worthy picture. In the middle of the Grote Markt you have the Brabo Fountain. Little background story: if someone refused to pay taxes, Brabo cut off a hand and threw it in the Scheldt. (Crazy right?!) This is also why the city is called Antwerpen, and handwerpen means to throw a hand. 
• MIDDELHEIM'S SCULPTURE PARK. A bit further from the city there is a park with an open air museum with contemporary art. Nice to escape to a more quiet place. Still on my list for next time! 
• DIAMOND DISTRICT. They always say diamonds are a girl's best friend. If you love jewellery than you must not forget this area in Antwerp! It's the city know for diamonds for decades. It's easily accessible as it's right across the central station. You can find markets and diamond shops. 
• THE RUBENS HOUSE. This is one of the most famous museums of Antwerp. In this palace, Rubens lived with his family. He made all his paintings at this home which you can visit to see his pieces of art. 

Thanks so much for reading today's post! I hope you enjoyed it!

QUESTION TIME - HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO ANTWERP? 

When In Rome.... A Travel Diary + Tips

Where do I begin? Rome is such a lovely city!! Compared to the small village I live in in Holland, Rome is of course huge, and a lot busier, with a roaming nightlife and lots of things to do on every corner of the city. Traveling, no matter whether you've been to the city a thousand times before, or that you're going there for the first time, it's always an adventure of self-discovery and self-growth, even in small ways. It starts when you take your first step at the airport, where you are outside your comfort zone, and it ends the moment you set that same step back home at the airport, but with a new fresh mindset! 

You grow most when you travel alone, as you are forced to be your own best friend at that time. I would say, do not travel to escape life, but you should travel for life not to escape yourself. I traveled to Rome by myself, but while in Rome I was with my family, so it wasn't a complete solo trip, but, the end of June I am going completely solo to Florence to take language lessons there for a few weeks. I did that before last year, but wasn't feeling well, so this time around I hope to get a fresh start and really enjoy my stay there.

Maybe you can guess it already, it's a picture from the Swiss Alps, and it looks so pretty!! I didn't expect for it to be so much snow when it's almost June, but I guess that's normal. The weather in Rome last week wasn't so normal haha, it was 10 degrees below what it should be and it had been raining for about a week non stop. When I was there, the trees and everything never looked so green.

SOLO WOMEN TRAVEL GROUP ON FACEBOOK
If you love travelling too you should check out the Solo Women Travel Group on Facebook, it's a lovely group with women from 15-90 or maybe even older from all around the world. I discovered it some time back and it's really nice. People share their stories, give advice, and you can also arrange a meet up with fellow travellers to explore the city you're going to! I find it really helpful, as I'm sometimes a bit naive and tend and this group awakens me to potential dangers as well. It's absolutely not to scare  people away haha, but it always good to know where not to go, or how to be prepared for certain trips or countries. For example, someone posted a post about getting scammed in Paris, and she said not to go to specific people or groups on the streets selling tickets as they're fake, only go to the official office. There was also a post about a woman getting severely injured at a resort in the Dominican Republic, which she warned people to stay aware from that place. Was really good to know, and her Facebook post in this group a week later even came on CNN News! Overall, it's fun to see what people are up to and it inspires you to book a trip too!

The funny thing is, is that when I'm in my own country for a longer period time, and I book a flight and it's time to go, I always feel like I don't really want to go. But I think that is because my own environment feels safe. Having that safe environment around me brings comfort, and getting out of the country is a step outside my comfort zone. But in end, I always love it when I'm actually in the plane on my way to my destination and my initial fear is gone!

WHERE TO STAY
For my trip to Rome I was there only for 2 days. It was really short, but it was nice to change environment, as sometimes getting into a routine day in day out can get a big boring, so this was a perfect getaway break. If you're looking to stay in a nice hotel in Rome, I definitely recommend the Sheraton Parco dei Medici. The staff is friendly, and the rooms are really comfortable too, and there is an outdoor swimming pool. The breakfast is good too, with lots of different things, and you take a free shuttle from the hotel right to the city center. Back in April when I went to Rome I stayed in the Holiday Inn Aurelia, which wasn't very good. It's near a highway and no free shuttle service available, so I recommend the Sheraton.

Me taking advantage of the opportunity to have a relaxing evening in the tub because at home I don't have one aha! The bathrooms in the hotel are really nice and big, so it wasn't a problem to spend a few hours there.. :)

THE BEST PLACE TO EAT PIZZA AND PASTA
Of course, Italy is the country where you can eat the best pizza and pasta! There are so many places to go to, but I'll list two of my absolute favourite ones that you can maybe try out next time you are in Rome. If you want to eat delicious pizza and suppli's than you should definitely not forget to make a stop at Mister Pizza. They have many sorts of pizza and taste really good! You can also easily take it with you or it it there, it's a mini restaurant/bar.

For yummy pasta you should go to Da Giovanni in the shopping mall called Euroma2. It's a lovely place where they prepare the pasta fresh in a few minutes while you wait in line for it to be ready. They have many sorts of pasta, from ravioli, to spaghetti and many more. It's nice to go here in between shopping to rest a bit.

Thanks so much for reading my blog post! I hope you enjoyed it! Don't forget to take a look at the travel inspiration of Italy from Explorersaur for useful tips and fun ideas for your next trip to the land of the best food in the world and the lovely architecture! 

QUESTION TIME - DO YOU HAVE ANY TRAVEL PLANS FOR THIS SUMMER? 

Paris in 72 Hours

Recently I've been to Paris for the first time, and I loved it! August is the perfect time to visit the city because all the people who live there are on holidays. There are almost only tourists walking around and just a few Parisians. That makes the city really quiet and nice. Paris is a little bit like in the movies, the architecture is beautiful, everything is very photogenic and you can take a picture in any corner and it still looks good. Grab a cup of tea and get ready for some practical tips and to see what I did in Paris in 72 hours! 

Place Joachim-du-Bellay

I was visiting a friend who is a Parian himself, so I was quite lucky to have the opportunity to stay with him for a couple of days and to have a personal (and a free aha ) tour guide. I stayed in Antony, a suburb in Paris. It's a very quiet neighborhood and I think the perfect place to relax from the busy city and to study as well. A lot of students have a room there because in just 20 minutes you're in the city center. Because I was there just for three days, I did want to do some typical touristy things because it was my first time.

The Eiffel Tower At Night
I absolutely loved all the lights! It's just for 5 minutes that the lights are on, but so worth it. It's very romantic and you can lay in the grass in front of the tower until it starts. I also didn't think that you could come that close to it. Paris is the city of light, you really start to believe it when you're standing there next to it. My friend told me that if you're planning to go here, don't take the stop that says Tour Eiffel, but one stop by train after. It's much closer and not a lot of people know that.

How cute are those little puppets in the right corner!? ;)

The Sacre Coeur
This is another of those typical tourist places you just have to see once in your life. It's a whole climb upstairs, but so worth it! The view is really pretty, you can see all of Paris, the famous churches, and buildings. To go to this place, you have to exit at Saint-Michel. Then you see a really busy street in front of you and you almost can't miss it. It's a lovely street, with Amorino, ice cream in the shape of a flower and some other shops.

The Louvre Museum
There were a lot of museums I wanted to go to, but it's impossible to visit them all in just three days. The Louvre is, of course, the most famous museum, so I went there on a hunt to find the Mona Lisa aha! After a while, I saw a big crowd and somewhere at the very end, the painting. It's beautiful to see it in real life, not only the Mona Lisa but also other paintings. Next time I want to visit the Rodin and D'Orsay.

Practical Tips
-Download the app called RATP. It's really handy because you can find all kinds of maps on it, including nearby stations. When I was in Paris I often needed to take several trains and metros, so finding out where to go next makes it easier with this app.
-Walk as long as you can. You see much more above the ground and you can always take the metro when you get lost. On your way, you can stop, go to a cute cafe, sit in a park or shop. If you're staying longer in Paris than a long-term pass might be more convenient instead of buying packs. (Navigo Pass)
-Try speaking in French to people first. That makes a much better impression than starting in English right away. Plus French people always great each other, in the shops, the hallway. If you think they are being unfriendly, it can be because you didn't greet them. A simple Bonjour or au revoir does magic.
-Definitely, eat a crêpe in Paris!!
-If you want to experience more of the French culture than August might actually not be a good time for you. Most boulangeries and restaurants will be closed because the people who live there are used to taking a month off in summer.
-Paris has so many cool museums, not just the Louvre. Centre Pompidou is for modern art lovers and Musee Rodin with the beautiful gardens and sculptures. (do it on a sunny day)
-Don't go to a museum or any attraction without skip-the-line tickets. I bought my ticket online and you can go inside directly instead of having to wait at least half an hour.

Paris is a lovely city, in three days I couldn't do all the things I wanted to. I'm definitely going back soon! The city also has many cute shops and little cafes, like the one above. When I'm traveling to a new city, I always want to try to not look like a tourist, but experience the local culture as much as possible. If you want that too than staying for at least one month will help. 

Have you ever been to Paris?
Have a lovely day,

Isabella ❤

Valencia Travel Diary // Budget-Friendly Places

It's already the third time for me here in Valencia. I love the city a lot! I've never really had that with any city, well, except Florence. It was already the moment we arrived again at the airport that we felt at home here. And knowing the way to your favorite spots helps a lot too. (My sense of direction isn't the best;) Valencia is very photogenic, a lot of colorful buildings and cute cafes are ready for a picture to be taken off. I was afraid it was going to be too hot here, and it is very warm, but doable. Taking a siesta in the afternoon after lunch is the best you can do. I usually prefer going to the beach or really early in the morning or in the evening as the temperature is not too high yet. I'm here with my family for a week, but tomorrow is already my last day here. Sometimes I feel like the time just goes way too fast! But that makes me appreciate the moments here even more. 

Paella At The Beach 
Rice isn't my favorite food, but I heard so many good things about the paella here in Valencia that I couldn't just go home without having tried it. I searched online for some good restaurants to eat Paella. Oh, and did you know paella is typical Valencia?! Restaurante La Pepica at the beach Playa Malvarosa was the place where we ended up eating. The restaurant is specialized in paella and they are super good! There are many different sorts, paella made of seafood, vegetables, lobster and many more. They are all made fresh and are really nice, definitely recommend this place! You also have a relaxing view of the beach. You can order it starting with two persons, or if you want to order just for yourself you can choose the complete menu but it's more expensive. The neighborhood is El Cabanyal, you don't have a lot of supermarkets and bars there. So if you want to eat something good and affordable, the best thing you can do is to go towards the beach or to a shopping mall.

Hotel Near Ciutat De Las Sciences 
The first time we were in Valencia we stayed at Hotel Neptuno, a hotel on the beach and really lovely.  This time we choose the hotel called Aqua Illunion 4, a 4-star hotel very close to the famous Ciutat de las Sciences.  If your room is at the right side than you can actually see the parc from your window. I definitely want to go back to this hotel next time, because of the location. You're kind of halfway, around 5 min by taxi to the beach and 10 min to the historical center and the famous town Rusafa. The staff is very friendly and the hotel is above the shopping mall Aqua. If you love shopping then this hotel is at the perfect spot for you. Also, you can find here supermarkets, restaurants and basically everything you need at walking distance. We often go to the Mercadona, this supermarket has a big beauty section(I lovee the gel nail polish) and it's budget-friendly.

A Yummy Breakfast
There are so many places to go to for a nice meal or breakfast. Pans and Company is a restaurant and cafe which you can find at the beach of Malvarosa or in the historical center. I ate with my family, we are with three, in total for under ten euros. You can get croissants, toast, muffins, fruit and many more things. I've never eaten such a delicious croissant as here, compared to in Holland. I usually choose an integral croissant with a cup of tea or fresh orange juice for breakfast. Trying to eat healthily! You can also have lunch or dinner here. They have different kinds of toats and baguettes and small menu's.

Ciutat Vella is the part of Valencia is love the most! It's the oldest part of the city and you can find everything from Theatre's to bars, to typical local Spanish shops and the Mercat Central. (Huge market hall) Famous squares are the Placa del Ayuntamiento, Placa de la Reina, and Placa Rodonda.


Have you ever been to Valencia? ❤

Best Things To Do In Florence

Do you have that too? That feeling you get when you just got back from a trip and are so excited to already plan your next adventure abroad? I have that, a lot. Travel for me is one of the things I enjoy doing the most. I still have so many places I want to visit. On top of my list right now are San Francisco, Paris, Oxford and Bordeaux. I'm more into the southern kind of lifestyles and countries. And you know, the thing about travel is, is that you never come back the same. All the new experiences and situations you experience while traveling are something to treasure for a lifetime. The first two weeks of June I went on a two-week language trip to Florence, the city of music arts and so much more! There were street artists, opera singers, people playing the violin in front of the Duomo and just music at almost every corner. Florence is quite a small city, I like that more. You can find your way around the city fast and feel faster at home too. I've listed some of the best things you can do in Florence. Get comfy and read further now! 

 

Academia Galleria 

This is definitely a must when you're planning a trip to Florence. It's a beautiful art gallery situated in the city center with the famous statue of David Michelangelo. It's one of the best museums in Florence. It was almost unreal to see the statue, it's much bigger than you think. When you walk into the entrance the first thing you see is a big group of people surrounding the statue with a camera. It's just out of the movies! The best thing you can do is to buy all your tickets for the museums online, you can get skip the line this way. Especially during summer the waiting lines can get as long as 4 hours. 

Amorino Gelateria 

This ice cream shop is close to the Duomo. There are many Gelateria's, but at this shop you can get an ice cream in the shape of a flower and with a macaron on top. It's perfect for an Instagram shot and it tastes even better! I choose strawberry, lemon and raspberry, with a strawberry macaron on top. The ice cream tastes really good, because it's made from 100% natural ingredients. You can find them as well in Milan, New York and Paris. They have the best ice creams!

Academia Europea di Firenze

During my stay, I choose to study Italian at a language school here in Florence. The school is called Academia Europea and lots of musicians from all over the world come here to take music lessons, study abroad, and in combination take Italian classes. It's not just a language school, but also a sort of academy for arts and music. It's cool that you can even take piano lessons free of charge on the side. The teachers are really nice too, you get a lot of personal attention and feedback and the lessons are usually in small groups. I was in a group of just three students. The academy also has fun activities, like going to a museum, having dinner with all the students and teachers or going to a concert together. If you're looking for a language school than I do recommend it! The location is also good, it's situated in the center close to shops and bars. 

Shopping 

Shopping in Florence is not very difficult. There are so many different shops, from designer boutiques to the more small vintage ones. You can of course shop at a Zara, H&M, Mango or Coin, the Italian department store. I did shop at Zara because I love the brand! But I also went to the smaller clothing shops with Italian brands, brands that you can't find back home. If you love jewellery, than you have to go to the famous bridge, the Ponte Vecchio. There are jewellery shops all in gold left and right. I bought a ring with a small red stone as a memory of my trip. At Via di Tornabuoni you can find all the designer shops, like Dolce & Gabbana, Bvulgari, Prada and Gucci. 

Pitti Palace

Another museum that's definitely worth visiting is the Pitti Palace. The Palace was home to Luca Pitti, a banker from one of the richest families of Italy for over 300 years. It's really nice to see, especially the king and queen's bedroom. The palace is beautiful, the ceilings, balcony's everything is made with lots of color and detail. I haven't had a chance to visit the gardens yet, next time! 

Tips And Other Fun things:

-For a beautiful view of the city of Florence you have to go to Piazzale Michelangelo. 

-The closer you are to the Duomo, the more expensive restaurants and shops will be. If you walk a little bit further you can find good restaurants for less, and maybe even better. 

-If you want to be around less tourists, than you can cross the Ponte Vecchio. 

-If you love art, than Florence has lots of art exhibitions you can go to. 

-There also is a science experiment in Palazzo Strozzi. It's an experiment combining arts and science to see how humans reacts to plants and the other way around. 

Have you ever been to Florence?

Have a lovely day,

Isabella❤