This past weekend, for my last trip before spring break, I went to Florence. I was so excited to go because I have so many friends who are studying abroad there and I have heard such amazing things about the city itself. Upon my arrival, my friend took me to the notorious, Gusta Pizza. 
We ordered pizza with pesto and it was honestly just as good as everyone says. After this though, it was safe to say that we were extremely full. After this, we went off to “Massimo Leather”. Here, I purchased an awesome leather jacket (made in Italy) for myself and additionally a bag. I also purchased gifts for my parents and my sister, which I am sure they will love and be so thankful for! After this, we went to the Duomo although we just viewed it from the outside because we were to climb it the next day, and then went to the Gucci Museum. All of these sites were really awesome and authentic and I felt like a true tourist in Florence.
On this night, we went to a famous restaurant that everyone says is a “must-eat” in Florence, called La Giostra. Here, we ordered great wine, their famous pear ravioli and a balsamic steak. I truly understand why people say this is a must eat because it was one of the best meals I have had abroad and the balsamic steak was one of the best things I have ever eaten as well.
On Saturday, we arose early in order to make sure that we had enough time to see everything as the weather was beautiful, 65 and pleasantly sunny. Our first stop of the day was to climb the bell tower of the Duomo and additionally go inside. The inside was cool but the best part of this was the climb. We climbed all 414 stairs of the bell tower, which was extremely exhausting, but definitely well worth it. We were able to view the city from up above and see unbelievable views. I would ultimately recommend this climb for anyone who is physically capable and in Florence as although it was exhausting, it was worth it!
After this, we went to Antico Noe, which is a panini place that everyone abroad in Florence always will recommend, and then were off to the San Lorenzo and Central Markets. Central Market is an enclosed market that is similar to La Boqueria except it has food that are traditional to Italy including various olive oils and truffle oils, on top of the fresh produce and meats. On the other hand, the San Lorenzo Market is the leather market where you can purchase unbelievable leather goods for great prices. These are major tourist spots that are must-sees in Florence, as well. Last on our agenda was visiting the Ponte Vecchio which is a famous bridge there that is beautiful and also another must-see when in Florence.
Florence was amazing as I loved all of the tourist spots that I visited and it was great to see many of my friends but the end of the trip was not so pleasant. Because I purchased many things in Florence, my bag was overweight and the airline made me check my bag. Because of this, I had to 50 euros to check my bag and believe me, from here on out I will ensure that my bag is NOT OVERWEIGHT. This was such an annoyance and was the first and only time that an airline has made me do this and pay for this abroad. Because of this, I decided to lend some advice and give you all some travel tips, since traveling in Europe is a bit different from traveling around and across the United States. Below, here my advice!
all around the world 