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Sometimes it's hard to figure them out

For most of, Italy is on our bucket list somewhere. A friend of mine left the states - Tuesday , to spend the next 6 months living in Firenze – to fulfill his dream of living in country for a season of his life. Italy is bittersweet. If you have been there before, you know what I’m talking about. Italians have their own way of thinking; often different from our own perspective. The train schedules are inconsistent. Shops close at will. Public transit is unpredictable. Directions can be impossible. It’s hard to explain to a first Italian traveler how the Italians think. Another example, just how different, was in the wall street journal this morning.

Please see the link below.

http://professional.wsj.com/video/milan-gets-the-finger/F17194EB-866F-488E-A612-1A2604681980.html?mg=reno-secaucus-wsj

A well known Italian artist, who splits his time between New York and Milano, has a sculpture is displayed in the financial square in Milano. The sculpture is a giant middle finger sanding vertically tall within the square. It has many Italian laughing, all the while communicating the strife of past Italian politics. The sculpture is well liked and a motion has been made it a permanent part of the city. This is just another example of how different this country can be

Florence

As we start heading out of March and into April, it’s officially the start of “pre-vacation” season. Most people are planning vacations, or have already planned them, and are buying ticket, reserving hotels, tours, etc. Florence is often times on peoples travel bucket lists. Since my first time to this city, this past January, the visit compelled me to write about recommendations. So often, when traveling, we feel rushed as to not “miss anything” within these once in a life time cities. Time is often limited as we feel the need to get the best bang for our travel buck. Case in point, yesterday morning’s online edition of The Wall Street Journal covered sights to see when traveling to Firenze. It seems everyone wants to be dreaming of Italia.

Food
Firenze has great country food, but it can be expensive. If you want to eat well without spending too much, don’t eat ever meal out! It’s easy to simply, sit at a restaurant, when you are hot, tired, dehydrated, and hungry. Buy food in the local markets, or grocery stores, will tide you over until your big restaurant meal of the day.

Markets/Grocery Stores
Despar Supermercato
Piazza di San Lorenzo, 20-red,
Firenze 50123

Supermercato Sma
Via Alessandro Allori, 9,
Firenze, 50127

Mercato Centrale
Via dell'Ariento
50123 Firenze

Sites
Most people I speak with have 2 to 3 day in Firenze, I recommend you must see the following …
Il Duomo – Costs 7 EURO walk to the top of the copola. It is well worth it if you can physically handle the walk.
Ponte Vecchio – World famous bridge that crosses the Arno river. Absorb the culture of the city as you walk to and from the bridge.

Lodging
I stayed at the great bed & breakfast within walking distance of the train station and the Duomo called Soggiorno Magliani. An excellent place to stay, inexpensive, and has an extremely knowledgeable and friendly staff.

Soggiorno Magliani
Via Santa Reparata, 1
Florence, Italy, 50129

Firenze seems to be the city that most English speaking people like to visit. So, If you are looking for an off the beaten path kind of tour, this is not it, however, it’s a great place to see some classic Italian country. I will return in due time.

Question
Do you have a favorite restaurant in Firenze?

Florence in Less Than 350 Words

When I was looking at places to visit for my last trip I automatically omitted Florence, or Firenze, from the list. The mental image that came to mind - as I reflected on the people I talk with about this city - was overweight, loud mouth Americans, who loved the fact no Italian was needed to enjoy the city. As I got over the hordes of tour groups - wearing Hawaiian shirts, lead by a small flag down the streets of Florence - in my mind, I decided, now is as good of time as any to go for a visit. Maybe I should clear this issue up.

Let’s get one thing clear; I am proud to be an American. I am blessed to live in a place like the United States; however, our people don’t represent our country well abroad. For are readers who have witnessed an ugly American, I sincerely apologize. There will be more to come on this topic - I am mulling over a blog post on cultural do and don’ts.

But after I spent a week around the city, my opinion of the city was quite the opposite. I found Firenze to be great and I cannot wait to return. In my opinion the best parts of the city are;

Size: Smaller than Roma, with a similar feel, you can absorb the city much easier.

Cleanliness: Not to say other cities are dirty, but it would appear Florentine people scrub the streets every night.

Gastronomy: The food is great. It’s true country Italian-famous for their stake. As for the wine, there is no better city for quality and price, than Firenze. The only down side is the bread. It’s terrible. Too dry, and turns to crumbs in your mouth.

Culture: The people in Firenze dress like the fashion elite. It is the capital of European country living. It’s as if a magazine comes to life.

I give Firenze 83 pts out of 100. It is a solid place; I will be back.

Earth Quake & Tsunami in Japan

This morning I woke and was shocked to hear the news about the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. I want to join the world in lending my thoughts and prayers to the people of Japan. My the Lord keep you safe in during this time of chaos. I will be praying for you all.

Viva Italia! 2011 is Here!

First off I apologize for the lack of posts over the past year. I was completing my last year of university and some things fell through the cracks. The past year has been full of learning and travel. Starting this week I will be sharing with you four city reviews: Firenze, Siena, Roma by Vespa, and Isola d’Ischia (Island of Ischia). The best way to dive into these places is to share experiences, mistakes, and reviews of each city. I am stoked to report on each place and more as the 2011 travel season gets underway! I have a feeling this year is going to be huge to Navigate Italy, and I am excited you all get to be a part of it!

Please do not hesitate to comment or contact me in regards to other questions you may have or experiences you want to share.

Ciao for now,

Roma Pass

Unfortunately on my blog post last night, I did not disclose where to purchase the Roma Pass. I am not sure that you can pre-order than online. Although I am sure that you can purchase then in county at certain Tabaccherie in Italy. Make sure to ask around, they should be more available at places close to major metro stops. There is also a Roma Pass information center in the bottom level of the airport(Fiumicino). Hope you guys check it out!