Favorites of Florence: Places in Italy

My time in Florence is quickly coming to an end, with only one day in this city left. For my last week, I’d like to focus on some of the best things Italy has to offer. Today let’s take a look at my five favorite places in Italy, in descending order.


Lucca
This city in Tuscany is a remarkably peaceful and quiet town with barely any visible life to it, at least on the Sunday I visited. It is famous for the staggering number of churches and its city walls, and I just found it completely enjoyable. I had a very positive experience at the restaurant and the gelateria I went to. It’s like a calmer version of Florence, with the same kind of pacing but nothing that really needs to be done. I’m not sure how long I’d love to be there, but my day-long visit was quite appropriate.

Amalfi
This town was my favorite part of the coast of the same name. Sorrento, Positano, and Pompeii were all cool, but Amalfi was really fun. The small town center has so much robust life to it, and all the shops and restaurants open out into the street. It’s a perfect vacation spot that doesn’t feel too trite or touristy. The food, gelato, and souvenirs it offers are supplemented by an incredible view of the water and the coast.

Rome
This legendary city is bustling with energy, and its vastness makes me feel like I could go back a number of times and find more to discover each time. It’s an ideal Italian city because it doubles as a living museum of ancient empires, with its countless monuments and historical context, and a current functioning (slightly) metropolitan city. The sights are all worth it, and when I return, I’d like to go when the weather’s warm, and I can just walk through the streets and experience the memento parts while inhabiting the living ones.

Venice
Venice is a truly unique city for the obvious reason that it’s a city built on water. The lack of cars and traffic is a really special phenomenon, and I loved it. The city’s waterways are dazzling and a city built on walking is completely incredible. The water buses are quite cool, and provide a nice, quicker alternative to weaving your way through the winding roads connected by bridges. The museums and Murano glass don’t hurt its impressiveness either.

Cinque Terre
This is actually five places, and I only made it to three, but I was stunned and overwhelmed already by the first glimpse I saw of the first town. If Lucca seems relaxing, the Cinque Terre (five lands) are at least a hundred times more so. The coastal view rivals and probably beats the Amalfi Coast, and the atmosphere is just completely serene. The sciachetra raisin wine is delicious. I’m not sure if anything gets done there, but it’s quite possibly the most relaxing place on earth.

I’m leaving Florence tomorrow, but there’s still an extremely exciting post coming up! Check back for the final post of this blog! You won’t want to miss it!