The spring weather has finally arrived in Florence, Italy.
But like all the other cities in Italy, we are on a strict lockdown with no set date of when life can return to normal.
Even though we are living in strange times, I can’t resist writing about what I’m looking forward to doing after quarantine ends.
Here are seven things I cannot wait to do once this lockdown is over.
Museums and Gardens
Without a doubt, the first thing I want to do is go visit my old friends at the Uffizi Gallery.
By old friends I mean historic painters such as Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo Da Vinci and Giotto. My favorite piece there is “Primavera” by Botticelli, and I can’t wait to stand in front of the painting again and marvel at the artistry.
After visiting the Uffizi, my next stop will be to the Bardini Gardens. The Bardini Gardens were once the private gardens of the Bardini family but are now open to the public. Built into the rolling Tuscan hills, the garden overlooks the city of Florence and has some of the best views of the skyline. Also, the gardens feature a variety of flowers that bloom throughout different seasons, but of course, the spring flowers are the best.
Mangia, mangia, mangia!
Once I have my museum fix taken care of, it’s on to eating! I can’t wait to go back to Eataly, my favorite grocery store in the entire world. While the Florence Eataly is a bit small compared to other Italian Eatalies, I am still looking forward to getting organic pasta, pistachio yogurt and thick slices of guanciale for making spaghetti alla carbonara. Gnam.
While Eataly has a fantastic restaurant with incredible pizza, the restaurant I can’t wait to eat at again is Dim Sum. Located next to Piazza Santa Croce, Dim Sum is a bit of an Asian fusion restaurant with Chinese dishes made with Italian ingredients. I’m practically drooling thinking about the truffle dumplings.
And speaking of food, it’s impossible to forget about gelato! While there are many great gelaterias throughout the city, my absolute favorite is Il Gelato di Filo. This fantastic gelateria with homemade gelato is conveniently located in my neighborhood of San Niccolò.
Live Like A Local
Of course, after you’ve visited museums and stuffed yourself silly, the next best thing to do in Italy is shopping!
While there are many fantastic Florentine shops, the one I am most excited about visiting is Fioreria Parigi. This flower shop, located across from the Ponte Vecchio, is my favorite place to go to on Saturday morning to pick out my fresh flowers for the week. I love the giant hydrangeas, and I can’t wait until next May when I can ask Patrizia, the florist, to make me a “coroncina laurea,” the traditional laurel wreath inspired by the poet Dante that Italian students wear after graduating from university.
That last thing I’m most looking forward to is being a tourist in my own town. I can’t wait to finally go to churches and museums that have been on my list to visit. The first location of my list of places to go is the Ospedale degli Innocenti, the original hospital for the orphans of Florence that is now a museum. The museum also has a rooftop café with a gorgeous view of the city skyline. What a joy it will be to be in an old hospital, gazing at the Duomo, knowing that the ancient city I love has survived yet another crisis.
by Rachel Richardson
CougarBuzz 