The next day, we explored Florence. It's my first time being back to a European city, which was really fun! I remembered less than I thought I would, but that's probably a good thing. I didn't love Florence the first time I came due to a lot of external circumstances that I can't blame the city for. Luckily, my friends have had wonderful experiences and convinced me to come back! It's definitely been redeemed!
We spent most of the day shopping but also tried the supposed best gelateria (Gelateria dei Neri) and sandwich shop (All'antico Vinaio). The sandwich shop had a self-serve wine bar outside for two bucks! I'd recommend both if you're around the Duomo. We also walked around the Duomo but didn't go up to the top. They say if you're afraid of heights or claustrophobic not to make the trek up to the top of the dome, and we have one of each in our two person group. Pictures from the ground will suffice.
Later that evening, we took a cooking class! We made a four course Italian meal - vegetable flan, fresh pasta with eggplant caviale, chicken alla cacciatora, and panna cotta. We were stuffed by the end and enjoyed each dish! I can't wait to impress my new KC friends with my Italian cooking expertise haha
Mom making panna cotta
Our sweet chef and teacher Adela
Fresh pasta!
The next day, we took a day trip to Tuscany! Our first stop was a family-owned winery and cheese shop that has been in the family for 500 years! We learned about their organic vineyard and what that classification means. They use other vegetation around the grape vines to keep pests at bay since they can't use any sprays. They hand prune and pick their vineyard to get the best fruit before making the wine. It was a small operation but the wine was spectacular! It was so good that we decided to ship some home. Then, we headed to a butcher shop for lunch. They specialize in beef butchery. They made us a family-style smorgasbord of cooked, braised, roasted, and boiled beef. Some of it was really delicious! I liked it just because it was a unique and different experience than anything I've ever done. Our last stop of the day was another family owned, organic winery that has been around for 500 years. Our guide told us that all of the surrounding wineries have to also be organic in order for them to qualify as an organic farm to avoid cross contamination. If pesticides were used in the past, the field must be organic for six years before they can sell their wine as organic so that the soil is cleansed of all the contaminants. They take their classifications very seriously! I also learned that Rose is not just red and white wine mixed together. I'm not sure why I thought that, but I did. Instead, it is made from the same grapes as red wine, but they only leave the skins in the fermentation process for a few hours before extracting just the juice. Glad I know that now!
The first winery's fermentation vats
Tuscan hillsides *heart eyes*
Wine tasting
When we got back to Florence, we went wine shopping and actually found a bottle with "Rocca" on the label! SO COOL! We finished our trip in Florence the same way we started - at our rooftop bar drinking Lambrucso and Aperol Spritzes. I loved loved loved our time in Florence but am so excited to be on our way to Venice!
Sunset with a view!
Things I'd recommend/do again -
Cooking Class: ChefFactory
Tuscany Day Trip: Grape Tours
Gelato: Gelateria dei Neri & La Carraia
Sandwich shop: All'antico Vinaio
Hotel: Plaza Hotel Lucchesi
Rooftop bar: Empireo
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