Sightseeing

Shopping for leather in Florence: our tips and tricks

Shopping for leather in Florence: our tips and tricks

If there’s one question we get a lot, it’s how to shop for leather in Florence. We have been to Florence enough to know that it’s not always easy! Leather shops are a dime a dozen in this town, and if you aren’t careful, you can return home with a piece that will likely fall apart in no time. But good news — we’ve done the research so you don’t have to! We’re going to run through the top tips and tricks we’ve found for purchasing some leather to love while in Florence, Italy!

Off the beaten path of Rome: seeing the Appian Way & Aqueducts by bike!

Off the beaten path of Rome: seeing the Appian Way & Aqueducts by bike!

There is so much of Rome to see. But if you’re like us, sometimes you need a break from the fast-paced city. 

Enter a bike tour to the Appian Way. We can’t imagine any other way to see it!

We met at 10:30 in the morning for a lengthy day of biking. Once we got outfitted with our bikes, helmets, and rain ponchos (which were thankfully never needed!), we were off to see the catacombs, Appian Way, and aqueducts!

Wine Touring in Tuscany

Wine Touring in Tuscany

We set off from our downtown Florence apartment around 9:15 am for a day of wine touring. We crossed the Orno River, got a snap or two of the Ponte Vecchio, and in no time arrived at the Grape Tours storefront. We checked in, grabbed some coffee, and soon met our tour guide, Katherine.

We got in our big white van and headed South, into Tuscany! Our first stop was Corzano e Paterno, a fully-operational farm, that is a 40 minute drive from Florence. They make their own wine, olive oil, and sheep cheese, all of which are exquisite! The farm's name comes from the two surrounding hills — Corzano, where the grapes are grown, and Paterno, where the sheep graze.

A Guide to Visiting the Empire State Building

A Guide to Visiting the Empire State Building

This was one of my Mom’s requests during our stay in New York City — to go to the top of the Empire State Building. So what did we do on the record-setting coldest day of the year? You guessed it; it was the top of the Empire State Building for us! Read on to get some tips on how to make the most of your visit to the Empire State Building! 

Exploring DC: Blogging from the Library of Congress

Exploring DC: Blogging from the Library of Congress

I've lived in DC for years, and have done my fair share of touristy events: tours, monuments, concerts, foodie meccas...you name it. And years ago I went on a Library of Congress guided tour when my parents were in town. I was battling the tail end of a migraine, so didn't fully appreciate it at the time, if I recall correctly.

But I recently found out that you can get a Library of Congress CARD. And you can work in a place that looks like THIS. Like a boss. For free.

A Perfect Day in Rome

A Perfect Day in Rome

Oh Rome, it is a city so beautiful. The big energy, the constant nods to history, and the food -- oh, the food -- makes me think of this city often.

If I were dropped in Rome for just one day, this would be my rough plan for the perfect day; a mix of off-the-beaten path destinations and a few of my favorite highlights. Oh, and food. Lots of food.

Looking for the perfect day in Rome? Let's get started. 

Photo diary: Colosseum

Photo diary: Colosseum

Guido the Guide. He was the man on our Walks of Italy tour of the Colosseum. We started bright and early, with warm temps welcoming us to the epic structure. We learned that building the Colosseum was like building with Legos -- it was a feat of organization more than anything. Stones were cut off-site, and then cheap labor was brought in to simply place the giant stones in the correct spots.