Bo and I arrived in Florence yesterday afternoon following a quick, one hour flight from Geneva! I am so glad we took everyone’s recommendations and chose Florence as our five year wedding anniversary destination! The city is beautiful, the people are friendly, compared to Geneva everything is reasonably priced, the service is fabulous and the depth of culture is almost limitless!
After settling in our hotel we headed across the river to the Pitti Palace or Palazzo Pitti, a large Renaissance palace which is best known for being the Medici family residence. It was the official residence of the Florence rulers until 1919, when the Savoys gave it to the state. Visitors can spend all day exploring the vast museums and grounds, including the spectacular Boboli Gardens. As we only had two hours to explore, we prioritized the Royal Apartments and the Palatine Gallery. In case you visit in the future, please note that the ticket process is VERY confusing but you can do research in advance online. There are 3 levels of tickets, the 3rd being the most inclusive and unbeknownst to us at the time, it is valid for 3 days!
![IMG_3409[1]](http://www.healthyhappierbear.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/IMG_34091.jpg "IMG_3409[1]")
We followed everyone’s recommendations and enjoyed a glass of champagne at the Westin Excelsior rooftop bar, Se-Sto, while watching the sunset in the distance.
We spent the next hour reflecting on our five years of marriage and eleven years together, reminiscing over our favorite memories.
Our next and final stop of the day was a delicious, casual dinner at Trattoria 13 Gobbi. We asked our hotel to make us reservations at a relaxed, casual Italian restaurant with very good food. The last thing we wanted was fancy or stuffy. Trattoria 13 Gobbi, located just a few blocks from our hotel, met these requirements perfectly! The restaurant has a cozy, intimate atmosphere and specializes in local Tuscan cuisine. We enjoyed steak Florentine and a delicious rigatoni pasta served in a melted mozzarella and tomato sauce, unlike anything we’ve tasted before. 
Based on how wonderful our first twelve hours in Florence were yesterday, I can only imagine what the rest of the weekend will hold! We’re off to enjoy a bike ride through Chianti today, including stops at local vineyards, a castle and an olive oil factory with I Bike Italy!
