Throughout our stay in Rome, we commented regularly on the pace of life there. Though the sites, the people and food were amazing, we couldn't help but notice and be swept up by the speed in which life is taken in. It led to a slight feeling of chaos. Those that know us well, know that Jason and I like to enjoy a slower paced vacation, sometimes even a slower paced life. We love to take weeknights to stroll through the neighborhood, to take long naps in the afternoon or sit and enjoy dinner for a few hours. We're not often in a hurry to move onto the next thing. So while we loved Rome for its history, we were ready for what we found in Florence...
Even now, I find myself at a bit of a loss for words when I talk of Florence. It's beauty alone will stop you in your tracks - the sprawling green countryside, the terracotta roofs and the cobbled walkways.
Of course, there was still no shortage in jaw-dropping architectural marvels.
Our hotel! I absolutely loved our room at Hotel la Scaletta. It overlooked the main road leading up to Ponte Vecchio - a stone bridge spanning the Arno River, lined with shops.
The coolest thing about our room? There was no conventional, programmable safe to keep our extra euros, but rather they had two locking drawers with skeleton keys.
And the rooftop views weren't too bad either!
The only rainy day we experienced during our trip was in Florence. But the rain didn't stop us from enjoying the city, or capturing a few silhouettes in alleyways.
Without fail, my favorite part of traveling is the aimless wandering we get to do. After a long workday, Italians often take to the streets and walk around as the day winds down. For us, those evening walks were a great experience of being completely surrounded by the Italian culture and the Italian people.
There's nothing more magical to me that seeing the city come alive with lights as twilight sets in.
Florence....you truly captured our hearts.
