Author Archives: Hannah
Walking Tour: The Living Mona Lisa
The Mona Lisa is intrinsically tied to France. Paris has claimed her as their own and rightfully so. Leonardo himself brought her to France when he went to work in the court of King Francis I. But Mona Lisa is not French at all. She’s Florentine. And while her portrait will likely never leave the Louvre, the […]
upcoming events: december 2015
Chestnuts roast in the crisp winter air. Strands of twinkling lights dance from palazzo to palazzo overhead. Pop-up shops display artisanal ornaments and cafe windows invite us inside to warm our fingers around a steaming cup of cioccolata calda. Florence kills it at Christmas. For these compulsive walkers, the best way to enjoy the city all dressed up for the season […]
How to root for your home team from florence
Time for a bit of a geographic detour: Last week, the Kansas City Royals (from Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.A.) won the World Series for the first time in 30 years. That means, that in my lifetime, I had never seen my home team take the crown. Rather, I lived through 27 opening days hearing the […]
santa maria maggiore
Fading into the infrastructure of the bustling Via de’ Cerretani and set in the shadow of Brunelleschi’s dome, Santa Maria Maggiore may just be the most forgettable church in Florence. The typical passerby would likely skip by the church, without notice, on his or her way to the Duomo or to the train station. Today, I think […]
eat your heart out: the new and improved mercato centrale
I once cried tears of joy over a piece of tiramisu (Meg can vouch). For me, “the one that got away” is a strawberry and dark chocolate gelato I dropped on Via Tavolini. One evening in Florence I looked at my Gusta pizza and truly wondered if it was possible that pizza could be my soulmate. As […]
Day Trip: Cortona
Cortona, Italy – the epitome of Tuscan beauty. Maze-like cobblestone streets, an enoteca around every corner, panoramas of sweeping sunflower fields, cozy cafés and austere churches. This hilltop town is everything you fantasized your vacanza in Toscana to be. Although unassuming, the quiet hill town has attracted thousands of years of attention thanks to her fertile land […]
florence for free’s back to school basics
A fresh college-ruled notebook, the smell of old books in the library stacks, triple checking your course schedule and room numbers before the first day of classes–Meg and I love school. I’m talking truly, deeply, should I give up my steady paycheck and return to a life of term papers and spaghetti-Os? love school. We realize that few […]
budget beach days
It’s August in Florence, and if you haven’t noticed, it’s hot. It’s the kind of hot that feels like you may never be cool again. And even though we encourage you stand your city ground as others run for the shores, we understand the necessity of an occasional, good ol’ fashioned beach trip for some Mediterranean […]
Sunsets and River Rats: An Ode to the Arno
Before I left Florence after grad school (sniffle sniffle), I wrote up my laundry list of lasts. My friends found item #3 a bit off-putting–touch the Arno. A lovely shade of brownish green and home to growing families of river rats, they weren’t exactly drawn to its shores with the same enthusiasm. The thing was, I felt rude. I felt […]
the anniversary edition: meg & hannah’s favorite underrated posts
Tanti Auguri to us! This July, Meg and I are celebrating three years of spilling the secrets of saving money in Florence. Inexperienced with anniversaries, I had to consult Hallmark on what a traditional third anniversary gift is. In an apropos twist of fate, it just so happens to be leather! We’ll take that as […]
Hannah
Meg
Emily
Florence for Free 