I came, I saw, I conquered...the beauty of Florence. If you've never been to Italy, Florence is a must. Filled with architectural, cultural and gastronomical delights, this city is like no other. I've been to Florence twice - in Sept 2015 and again in Sept of 2017 - and on both occasions, it didn't disappoint. My first trip to Florence was also my first trip to Italy and I was more focused on enjoying all of the culture, art, food and of course, shopping(!) that Florence ha

The daunting 400+ steps to the top... Planning a trip to Florence and wondering if you should climb the Duomo or the Giotto Bell Tower, or both? In September of 2015, I climbed both the Giotto Bell Tower (the Campanile) and the Duomo (the Cupola) in the early morning. I had seen the afternoon line-ups winding around the Duomo days before and knew I didn't want to have to wait in those lines, particularly in the early September heat. In addition, I had read up beforehand th