Florence, or Firenze in Italian, is hands down one of my favorite cities.  The architecture, art, fashion and the food are all exceptional.  And it doesn’t hurt that Florence is the capital of Tuscany which as we all know is a region renowned for it’s vino!

We stayed at the lovely Le Stanze di Caterina.  It’s an uber-boutique hotel in the Centro Storico with just two rooms available and is half a block away from the Duomo.  The neighborhood is filled with great shops and eateries.

The Duomo is a breathtaking structure towering over the city of Florence.  We hiked up small spiral staircases to the roof of the Cathedral and the views are incredible. At the summit you get a 360 degree view of Florence.  I absolutely love the burnt sienna color of the city!  Word to the wise, if you’re going to hike to the top of the Duomo make sure that you get up early before the heat and crowds commence.

 

A wrap dress is a quintessential, timeless staple for any wardrobe. The silhouette is ladylike, polished, and chic. A wrap dress travels well and is perfect to throw in a suitcase and go.  I’m a huge fan of animal print and this Diane von Furstenberg leopard dress will never go out of style.  I know it will be in my closet for many, many years to come!

The d’Orsay is a popular shoe style this season.  The pointed toe provides a very sophisticated and feminine look.  These gold d’Orsay flats go with anything and everything.  J.Crew has a boatload of d’Orsays in various colors, materials and patterns.  So stock up on this classic footwear while supplies last!

Other fun things to do in Firenze:

• Seek out gelato popsicles.  They are amazing.

•  Buy bracelets at Mannelli on the Ponte Vecchio.

• Sit at the outdoor bar stools at Amorino Panino e Vino.  It’s a charming little sandwich shop with self-serve vino della casa!  We ended up being repeat customers and the owner was kind enough to give us a small sampling of their house-aged meats.

 
 

• Have dinner during sunset at Golden View Open Bar.  Quite literally one of my favorite restaurants in the world.  They have a Champagneria!  Enough said.

•  Sip prosecco (or your preferred drink) at Spumantino Al Ponte Vecchio.

•  Have drinks on the rooftop at Hotel Continentale.  They may be a bit pricey but the views are worth it!

• Lunch at the modernly rustic Agricola Toscano near the Duomo that has a great local feel right near the city center of Florence.

•  Go on a Wine Tasting Tour in Tuscany.  I recommend the Wine Time Chianti Classico Tour.  You get a crash course in wine tasting at the Tuscan Wine School, tours and tastings at two wineries in the Chianti Classico region, and it’s affordable.  As part of the tour, we visited Fattoria Montecchio and Casa Emma.  We had an amazing al fresco dinner at Casa Emma overlooking the vineyards.  Each course was paired with a different varietal of their fantastic wines!  Our tour guide Carlotta was very knowledgable and entertaining which made the experience that much more enjoyable.  Not only is their wine delicious but their olive oil is amazing too!

 

 

• Detour to Pisa to see the famous Leaning Tower.  Pisa is only a 40-minute train ride from Florence’s train station.  Scott and I hiked to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa despite our overwhelming sense of vertigo.

  

And yes, many of my suggestions involve eating and drinking but hey they don’t call it Eataly for nothing!

Similar styles can be found here:

Wrap Dress – Check out an iconic Diane von Furstenberg Savanna Leopard-Print Wrap Dress, and another DVF version now on super sale is this Animal Print Wrap Dress.  Karen Kane and Calvin Klein both have great three quarter sleeve options.

d’Orsay Shoes – For a metallic option check out this Loeffler Randall pair. Suede options can be found from Vince and a studded version at J.Crew.   They also have a fabulous heeled version:  J. Crew Leopard d’Orsay Pump.