our 2014 italian bucket list

Today Hannah & I are headed back to Florence! With just a few days in the city, we have a packed schedule that leaves little wiggle room for what might typically be considered la dolce vita. For just that reason, we’ve got to be strategic about what we see and do to ensure we’ll have time for lingering over caffè and long dinners.

So please forgive us if you don’t hear from us here next week–we’re simply spending our time soaking up everything our short stay has to offer. Instead, take a peek at our bucket list (still optimized for budget purposes!) below and travel along with us on Instagram. Here we go!

• Get #CrazyforPazzi while touring Santa Croce
  A very special opportunity to tour Santa Croce and the Pazzi Chapel for free. Plus you can participate in a major restoration. Hosted by The Florentine. Everything about this is a win.
• Check out the new installation in the Palazzo Strozzi courtyard
  We’re sad we missed the first, but we’re so pumped to see what goes up next.
• Soak up the frescos at Palazzo Belfiore
  They’re on par with those you’d see at Palazzo Davanzati but cooler, because you can stay in this palazzo!
• Relive our glory days at SUF
  Like most returning grads, we’ll be getting buzzed listening to graduate art history papers, visiting the library and sharing pizza with professors. So college! Ammiright?
• Make the climb up to Forte Belvedere
  Guilty. This was on last year’s list, and we never made it. No excuses in 2014.
• Visit la Chiesa di San Michele e Gaetano
  Also on our 2013 list. Hopefully that will shame us into a visit this year.
• Eat too much at the new Mercato Centrale
  It’s earned heaps of praise, so now it’s time to eat heaps of food.
• Meet fellow bloggers in person at #LiveItLocal at Palazzo Belfiore
  Many people we have long admired from afar are meeting up to celebrate Florence’s local culture. We’re giddy with excitement. Stay tuned for photos.
• Explore the Palazzo Vivarelli Colonna Garden
  The Florentine tipped us off to this secret garden with a singing Orpheus fountain. Consider us intrigued.
• Venture up to Prato
   We couldn’t believe that neither of us had ever stepped foot in Prato. Maybe on the way we’ll jump out for a look at the Church of the Autostrada?
• Savor Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabine under the Loggia dei Lanzi
  Not sure if you’ve heard, but the iconic statue is being moved indoors. Also not sure if you’ve heard, it’s my absolute favorite. I’m anticipating a long, sad goodbye (even though it’s not moving too far).
• Celebrate our first Friendsgiving in two cities
  Our final morning in Florence will be made mildly tolerable by the promise of our first Friendsgiving dinner in Rome.

You can check out our 2013 bucket list here.

Tags: chiesa di san michele e gaetano, Forte Belvedere, Giambologna, Loggia dei Lanzi, Mercato Centrale, palazzo belfiore, Palazzo Davanzati, palazzo strozzi, palazzo vivarelli colonna, pazzi chapel, prato, San Giovanni dell'Autostrada, Santa Croce, syracuse university florence