In previous years, we’ve just spent one night in Florence and left early the next morning to fly home.  Both times, we happened to be there on a Monday when all the museums were closed.  For this trip, we decided we would stay two nights, so we could visit a couple of the museums and see a bit more of Florence.

The drive to Florence was uneventful.  Our driver dropped three women from our group at the airport before taking us to our hotel, the Piazza Pitti Palace.  We’ve stayed there twice before, and it was a wonderful experience both times.  We knew it was a small hotel with a locked gated entry, so we felt safe staying there by ourselves.  We couldn’t check into our room yet, so we dropped off our bags with the front desk and decided to walk the main drag to look for straps for our suitcases.  With the nine linen shirts, jackets, and dresses I purchased in Siena, along with the gifts from Carolyn and Julia, and my purchases in England, we thought it would be a good idea to cinch and secure the suitcases.

We were able to find some at a luggage store not far from the Duomo and purchased some straps there.  We browsed in a few other shops that had linen clothing and scarves.  I was hoping to purchase a scarf in Florence, but I wasn’t finding anything that fit my style and color palette.  I did buy a fabulous navy blue duster/smock sort of situation that was just too unique to pass up (I’ll share a picture in another Florence post).  It was more expensive than the linen pieces I bought in Siena, but I really loved it and figured I won’t have the chance to buy it again if I change my mind.  I also bought a linen tunic at another clothing shop, where all of the pieces were 24€ each.

If you’re in Florence and interested in purchasing inexpensive linen pieces, the shop is PerModoDiDire, and it’s not far from the Ponte Vecchio.  You can also find pieces at many of the vendor stalls selling leather goods, scarves, and souvenirs.  This shop was quiet, though, and had a place to try things on, which is nice since the pieces aren’t sized.

We also visited a shop that carried some nice fountain pens.  A fountain pen was on my shopping list, and I had come up empty-handed so far.

I tested an Aurora fountain pen, which was lovely, and I was very tempted, but I decided to pass.  I couldn’t honestly say I loved it more than my favorite fountain pens already in my collection.

Before grabbing some lunch at a cafe, we walked around the city a bit.  It was a beautiful day, although it was a bit warmer than it had been during our stay in Italy.

Mom and I split a Margherita pizza at a cafe near our hotel and did some people watching on the sloped piazza in front of the Pitti Palace.  As the late morning turned to early afternoon, the umbrella we were sitting under no longer provided shade, and we were baking!  Just as we were considering seeking out a cooler place to wait for our room to be ready, I received a text that we could check in.

This is the Piazza Pitti Palace, which is conveniently located right across the piazza from the Pitti Palace.  Hence the name.

We’d already stayed in two different rooms at the hotel, and now we were going to see a third.  There was only one room left for these dates when I booked, so the only option was the deluxe suite.  It was a splurge, but we felt like it would be worth it to stay somewhere familiar.

We first walked into a windowless bedroom, and I was pretty disappointed.  It was beautiful, but not what I was expecting for the high price tag.  I thought we had booked something that would be even more luxurious than the last two rooms we stayed in.  You can see our other rooms HERE and HERE and understand why this didn’t feel like this room should cost three times more.

But I had judged too quickly.  I walked through the doorway to see where the bathroom was and realized this first room was just the beginning.  There was also a living room, a second bedroom, and two bathrooms!  I went from feeling like we overspent to being elated.  It was a beautiful suite and, for the first time in our travels, Mom and I wouldn’t have to share a room.

This was the second bedroom…

And the larger of the two bathrooms…

And a required hotel bathroom selfie.  (I carried my cash, cards, and passport in the neck wallet, and would just tuck it under my dress when I was walking through the streets or at the museums.)

Our tickets for the Uffizi Museum were scheduled for a 3:00 entry, so we had time to get settled and rest in the A/C for a while.  It wasn’t that hot, but we both got a little overheated sitting under the sun at lunch.  It has also been cool our entire time in Italy, so we weren’t prepared for a warm day.  I sat in the living room and got some computer work done, called Jeff, and caught up in my journal.  Mom took a power nap for a bit.  She had been battling a cold for a few days, and all the traveling and busy days were catching up to her.

We felt revived and ready to visit the Uffizi…

You can find my previous posts about our trip to Italy here –

the last day in Sovicelle, Italy

marbled paper & bookbinding workshop

Best view in Siena

Walking Through Siena, Italy

Shopping at the Siena Market

Plein Air Painting in Italy & Podere Tour

Dinner in a Castle | Tuscany Creative Retreat

Travel Journal Workshop

Arezzo Antique Market