While visiting Rome for 5 days, I decided to venture out of the city. I took two day trips, one to Florence and the other to Pompei.
Florence
Florence is easily accessible by train from Rome. The train ride is an hour and half one way. It is home to the absolutely stunning Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral and the Museo Di Orsanmichele.
Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral
Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral is the third largest church in the world, after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Additionally, the Cathedral’s dome, designed by Arnolfo Di Cambio, has come to be known as the symbol of Florence. A ticket is needed to enter the Cathedral and the cheapest ticket(3 options) is 10 Euro. The Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore| Florence Cathedral (duomo.firenze.it)
Museo Di Orsanmichele
Museo Di Orsanmichele is filled with exquisite sculptures and paintings. The Madonna de Bernardo Daddi is just one of the pieces you will see as you stroll through the first and second floors of the museum. This also requires a ticket which costs 4 Euro.
Shopping
While strolling through the city, I came across several leather shops that caught my eye. Leather stores are common throughout Italy but nothing jumped out at me until I got to Florence and I ended up buying two handbags. If you look hard enough, you can find a bag that has the Florence stamped on the leather.
The Arno River runs through Florence. Before you head back to Rome, I recommend taking a peaceful yet beautiful walk along the water while enjoying a cup of coffee or tea.
Pompei
Pompei is a city that was destroyed when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D. The well-preserved buildings of Pompei make it the only archaeological site in the world to provide a complete picture of an ancient Roman city. I was on the fence about going as I was told by the locals in Rome that the sights are similar to the ruins around the Colosseum.
I am glad I went as Pompei, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sits on a green hillside with a very pretty view. Visiting Pompei was part of a paid tour through Viator which has a few stops along the way, including Naples.
What the ruins of Rome does not have is preserved bodies shown in their final moments. When Mount Vesuvius erupted, the city occupants chose not to evacuate. Volcanic ash and toxic gasses exploded killing everything. The preserved bodies are the result of the layers of volcanic ash covering them and then calcifying, creating a hard exterior. Florence and Pompei are both beautiful cities and even just visiting one of them is worth it.
Weather
Unlike most of my other trips which take place in December, this trip was in February and it was perfect weather. I couldn’t have asked for a better temperature and the days were clear and sunny. A t-shirt and cardigan with jeans was my attire during the day, along with a light jacket for the evening.
