Florence

Oh, Firenze. So many people told me before I left the UK how beautiful they thought Florence was. I remembered their comments, while remaining a bit skeptical - purely because whenever a lot of people tell me how amazing a thing is, my patented Anti-Peer-Pressure mechanism (aka Being Contrary) sets in. Which is why it took me two years to listen to people and sit down and watch Game of Thrones, now my favourite TV show.

I digress. Like I said, I didn't get my hopes up about Florence. But it didn't matter, I fell in love as soon as I got near my hostel and realised how close I was staying to the Duomo. I can step outside my hostel and see the cathedral down a narrow street.

I spent the first afternoon of my stay just sitting outside the Duomo and admiring its beauty, whilst eating the best gelato ever (from Edoardo - if you're in Florence, it's highly recommended), and listening to a man play songs from Amélie on the accordion. 

I could seriously just walk the streets of Florence and nothing else, and be happy. And that, indeed, is more or less what I did.

I am currently staying at a riding school in Tuscany, not too far from Florence. So there will be less of the frenzied city updates, but hopefully not for too long.