Travel Writing

Florence is a city where every street whispers a love letter from the past. It creates a sense of romanticism and inspiration in even the least-creative hearts. The day I stepped off the train in Florence ended up being one of the hottest days of the summer. Still, my body slick with sweat and my shoulders aching, I found myself content with getting lost in the streets to my hostel, savoring the sights and sounds of the city.

Any artist, history lover, or art connoisseur knows the story of Florence, but it is a completely unique experience to actually walk through the streets itself. Florence has been home to Rafael, Donatello, Botticelli, Giotto, Da Vinci, and many more famous names. Florence is also famous for being the home of the famous Medici family, a powerful political dynasty of the Kingdom of Italy. The city is well known for being the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance.

For travelers obsessed with history like I am, you know that getting to learn the stories behind the places you visit is one of the best parts about traveling. Here’s some of my favorite places in Florence to experience the history and the allure of the beautiful city.

Opening Hours: 8:15am - 9.30pm

Tickets: €25

You’ll find yourself in awe at the attention to detail that went into creating the present-day Uffizi Gallery. The building itself was originally built for use as office space in the 13th century, but the Medici’s love for art quickly overshadowed any official meeting. Art was how the Medici family displayed their power and wealth. Murals and carvings cover the walls, and visitors might feel overwhelmed trying to take it all in.

For those who thoroughly enjoy art, I would recommend having a few specific pieces that you would classify as a must-see. Otherwise, you could spend hours wandering the halls, and end up missing the things you would’ve enjoyed the most. The Uffizi Gallery isn’t just a museum, it’s a journey through the works of famous Renaissance masterminds.

Opening Hours: 9am - 7pm

Tickets: €10, reduced ticket €8 for adults under 25

A skyline staple along Florence, the Palazzo Vecchio is a must-see for lovers of grand Italian architecture. Translated to “Old Palace” from Italian, the Palazzo Vecchio began construction in 1299, and has experienced several significant changes in that time. In 1540, the official seat of the Duke was moved to the Palazzo, signaling the security of Medici rule in the city. 

Walking through the halls of this beautiful castle, you’ll find lesser known works from famous artists. Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo both have frescos in the palace, facing each other. Michelangelo never finished his fresco because the Pope commissioned him to paint the Sistine Chapel in Rome instead. Knowing that story alone made me want to visit the palace, but the experience feels surreal. 

Each room is a grand piece of art, sometimes entirely different from the room before it. I spent hours in the halls, eventually making my way into the tall tower that offers a beautiful view of the Florentine skyline and nearby Tuscany hills. Gazing out at the buildings, I could see how this place could inspire so many people to create such beautiful pieces of art.

Opening Hours: 8am - 5pm

Tickets: Free to visit, prices vary at shops

As the sun set over the Arno River, it drapes one of Florence’s most prominent bridges in warm sunlight the color of honey. The magic of the city really shines during this Golden Hour, watching buildings come to life under a gentle evening glow. Ponte Vecchio was almost like a happy accident for me, stumbling through the streets without a sense of direction. The name means “Old Bridge” in Italian, and it is a medieval stone arch bridge with a marketplace built on top. It is also the only bridge in Florence spared from destruction during World War II.

While the bridge is unique today, building shops along bridges was once common practice. Typically, butchers, tanners, and farmers occupied the shops. Nowadays, jewelers, art dealers, and souvenir sellers occupy the Ponte Vecchio. You’ll be surrounded by tourists and street peddlers looking to distract you with a toy that shoots high in the air. Walking through Ponte Vecchio feels like being transported back in time to medieval Italy, and getting to experience the hustle and bustle of a Florentine marketplace. It’s here you’ll fall in love with Florence, and get to experience one of the many wonders the city offers.

Opening Hours: 9am - 6.45pm

Tickets: €16

One of the most popular destinations in Florence, the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, has hosted many artists during its long history, remaining a key institution in art culture. The Academy, which means “academy and company of the arts of drawing” in Italian, originally founded in 1563. There were two parts: a guild for all working artists, and an academy to train a more select group of artists.

Most members of the Accademia were male, with notable names being Michelangelo, Bonzino and Giorgio Vasari. Artemisia Genitleschi was the first woman to be admitted. Today, the adjoining Galleria houses the original David statue. The halls of the academy flow with creative energy. It is evident how young artists over the centuries were inspired to perfect their craft within the very halls that now showcase their efforts. In rooms where soft sunlight bathes the art, it’s easy to imagine the artists who once walked the halls, allowing beauty and inspiration to fill every corner.

Price: €60-70 per night

I cannot talk about the history of Florence without shouting out my hotel as a unique historical spot you have to experience. This hostel is located in the chiesa di San Salvatore di Ognissanti, or “Church of All Saints,” which the Franciscans originally built in the 1250s. 

You live in older rooms, and there’s not much frill, but the grounds are beautiful. It’s worth noting that Botticelli, Carolina Bonaparte, and Amerigo Vespucci, the explorer who America is named after, are also buried there. Staying in a hostel with so much history and cultural relevance allows travelers to have a unique experience where every wall has witnessed centuries of art, faith, and discovery. 

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Florence was a dream destination for me, and I’m excited to make plans to visit it again one day, for a longer period. The energy in Florence was so inspiring, and I spent a lot of time writing, reflecting, and journaling during my time there. Being surrounded by so much history was one of my favorite things about being in Florence, but it felt extra special as an artist. I could connect with my personal fascination with Florence, as well as relate to the writers and creatives who have come here before me.

If you’re a history lover who likes to travel, follow along with me for my new series of travel recs for travelers just like you, where I recommend the historical goodies of the places I’ve visited (or would love to visit)!

My first night in Paris, I was struck by the intense feeling of sonder that refused to leave me with a moment’s relief. Sonder is, as defined by Dictionary.com, “the feeling one has on realizing that every other individual one sees has a life as full and real as one’s own, in which they are the central character and others, including oneself, have secondary or insignificant roles.” It’s a moment of gut wrenching understanding that I am so, so small. The streets I was walking through were a thousand years old, if not older. I was not the first person to take this route, and I wouldn’t be the last. The cobblestones had supported not only my footsteps, but also those of countless individuals whose lives intersected with pivotal historical events. One morning, I sought the front door to Van Gogh’s Paris apartment, only to realize I’d walked by it twice before. And centuries ago, he had walked these same streets. Taking letters to the post, or getting groceries, maybe. He had lived and breathed in these streets just as I had.

This feeling of sonder—the realization that everything has a story behind it—has stayed with me in all my travels since. It made me appreciate the layers of history embedded in city walls, whispered behind wooden doors still locked with skeleton keys.

For travelers obsessed with history like I am, you know that knowing the stories of the places you visit is so important. Here’s some of my favorite places in Paris to experience the history and the grandeur of the beautiful city.

The Louvre

Opening Hours: 9 AM - 6 PM (Closed on Tuesdays)

Tickets: €17 online, €15 at the museum

Best Time to Visit: Early morning to avoid crowds

If you want to be surrounded by so many stories from all over the world, one of the world’s most famous museums is going to be the best place to start. Home to the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory, the Louvre is a must-visit for history lovers. Vincent Van Gogh himself spent a lot of time here during his years in Paris, and so should you.

The museum is located within the greater Louvre Palace, which encompasses the entire building around the plaza where you would enter the Louvre. Originally constructed as a fortress in 1190 to protect Paris from English invaders, the Louvre evolved into a royal palace under King Francis I, who began transforming it into the Renaissance-style palace we recognize today. The oldest still standing structure is from the late 1540s. The royal family inhabited it until 1682, when Louis XIV moved his family to Versailles. During the French Revolution, in 1793, they repurposed the Louvre as a museum to display the nation’s art treasures, symbolizing the democratization of art access to the public. One of the first pieces on display was Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. Its halls have witnessed significant historical events, such as the establishment of the First French Republic and Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise to power. 

Because of its proximity to such a rich, diverse art world in Paris, the Louvre has been a centerpiece behind many legendary names—Salvador Dalí, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein all frequented the Louvre in search of influence and connection. 

You could spend hours in this museum and still have more to see, so you should definitely figure out what you’d be interested in seeing ahead of time. Even cooler–the Louvre partnered with Nintendo to bring Nintendo DS audio guides. While I didn’t purchase them on my trip, I wish I had because they were so cool to see, and I think museum audio guides are the best.

The Palace of Versailles

Opening Hours: 9 AM - 6:30 PM (Gardens open until 8:30 PM)

Tickets: €20 for the Palace, additional fees for gardens and special exhibits

Best Time to Visit: Weekdays to avoid weekend crowds

It’s 1789, and the price of bread is too damn high. At least that’s what the women of Paris think, because they march six hours to the Palace of Versailles and force the royal family to return with them. Lucky you, it will take about 45 minutes to take the train to the Palace of Versailles. One of Paris’s top attractions, and not just for showing the grandeur of the notorious French monarchy, but for playing an important role in the history of France as we know it today.

Walk through the grand halls and stare in wonder at the luxury carved into every piece inside, from the baseboards to the ceiling and everything in between. I think one of my favorite things about visiting the Palace was getting to learn more about the French Revolution and all the different circumstances that created the Revolution. To be in a place of such opulence that existed in a time of extreme poverty really made me feel for the starving women who were angry about bread. It allowed me to really visualize moments of history I’d only read about, and that’s what made this trip worth it.

Van Gogh’s Apartment

While there’s no formal access to this apartment, simply standing before its bright blue door allows you to imagine the vibrant artistic exchanges that once took place here. This building, unique for its bright blue door, once housed Vincent Van Gogh and his brother Theo from 1886 to 1884.

Theo Van Gogh was a prominent art dealer in Paris, who played a key role in the city’s vibrant art scene by connecting artists like Vincent with influential figures and movements. Vincent used his brother’s position as an art dealer to meet other artists. During his time in Paris, Vincent attended classes led by Fernand Cormon. He eventually left the school in order to develop his own style, and this change is noticeable in the paintings we see during this period. Vincent’s style shifts rapidly throughout the years, showing his openness to influence and technique. During his time in Paris, he meets Monet, Pissarro, and Gaugin.

Traveling to Paris was the first time I’d been somewhere that held so much history, and I will never forget how that made me feel so small, but safe. I felt connected to all the humanity that came before me, and everyone who will come after. History is such a special thing to learn when you’re traveling, because the stories are always so unique to each place, and the feeling of interconnectedness you get opens many doors ahead of you.

If you’re a history lover who likes to travel, follow along with me for my new series of travel recs for travelers just like you, where I recommend the historical goodies of the places I’ve visited (or would love to visit)!