Lunch in Italy is nothing less than a sacred affair. Learn how to do it like a local in the cradle of the Renaissance with our guide to the best lunch spots in Florence! When you visit Florence, there’s a lot that draws your attention: the architecture, the Arno River, the vivacious locals, and the […]
6 Typical Tuscan Dishes: Ribollita, Pappa al Pomodoro, Tripe & More
So you’re headed to Florence? We imagine your mouth is already watering just thinking about the famous bistecca alla fiorentina! Of course, the steak has reached world fame for its excellence. But while a delicious luxury, this dish is actually not the ideal representation of Florentine cuisine. In fact, while the Medici family and other […]
Best Pasta in Florence: Cacio e Pepe to Wild Boar Ragu
Be careful when asking a Florentine (or Italian) where the best pasta in Florence is. To any Italian, there’s no pasta like their Nonna’s—even when faced with a world-renowned chef. Luckily, we have the ultimate list of the best places for pasta in Florence. Follow this list and you’ll never go wrong. So buckle up—we’ve […]
Best Gelato in Florence: 10 Local Picks (+ Gelato Dos & Don’ts)
Let’s face it—when you visit Florence during the spring and summer months it’s going to get hot. The powerful Mediterranean sun is no joke. Thankfully it’s easy (and delicious) to cool off the Italian way with a cold, sweet, flavorful gelato. Gelato isn’t hard to find in Florence, but how do you know you’re getting […]
Secret Bakeries in Florence: Vocab, Tips & Locations
Come to the dark side of the Florentine streets: they’ve got much more than cookies. Stop by one of these secret bakeries in Florence to indulge your sweet tooth after dark. During long midnight walks through the Tuscan capital, you might catch an angelic smell. Freshly baked bread, it seems, and melted butter, and… what […]
7 Best Places for Aperitivo in Florence (& How to Do It Like a Fiorentino!)
Sometimes travel introduces you to flavor. Sometimes it’s history. And sometimes, in the case of Italy’s beloved aperitivo, it’s a little bit of both. Dining in Italy is almost always an experience above and beyond the meal, and aperitivo is no exception. Aperitivo is about unwinding after work, having a light snack and a drink […]
Best Breakfast in Florence: 5 Can’t-Miss Spots
Wandering around Florence is a full-time job, what with the sightseeing and eating and drinking and “wow”ing around every corner. If you want to stay on schedule and not find yourself exhausted at the end of the day, starting your day with the best breakfast in Florence is essential. As any true Florentine knows, a […]
Guide to Tuscan Truffles (Including Truffle Hunting!)
We here at Devour Tours love the kinds of stories that food can tell us about a place. So when there’s a food story that includes witchcraft, Marilyn Monroe, and the Roman god of thunder, we’re even more eager to share. Few foodstuffs inspire devotion like the truffle—and we don’t mean the chocolate kind. We’re […]
2 Days in Florence for Every Kind of Traveler
Only have 2 days in Florence and want to make the most of every second? We’ve got you covered! Read on to discover how to make the most of your time in the cradle of the Renaissance, including itineraries for all types of travelers. If you’ve always thought that you need at least a full […]
Solo Travel in Florence: Everything You Need to Know
Solo travel is the closest thing to complete freedom, and solo travel in Florence is as perfect as it gets. It’s the right destination for every kind of solo traveler—both experienced and first timers. There’s nothing that shatters your comfort zone more than solo travel. You hop on the plane and leave everything behind. […]
Top 8 Day Trips from Florence: Empoli, Pistoia, San Gimignano, & More
Have you ever wondered what else to do in Tuscany after you’ve already seen all of Florence? You’ve got plenty of options—these day trips from Florence will help you fall in love with this beautiful region even more. If you’re running low on places to visit in Florence and you already know the Uffizi Gallery […]
Eating Alone in Florence: Tips & Restaurant Recs (UPDATED)
Sharing the joys of solo travel: a contradiction? Not here; not in Italy. Eating alone in Florence doesn’t have to be lonely at all! Traveling around Italy is not an easy task for your stomach. There’s lots of food everywhere, and everything is so delicious. Italians will never stop bragging about our incredible food, and […]
Best Wine Bars in Florence: Our Top 5
We’ve got to be honest: No day in Florence would be complete without a glass of wine. Wine is a tradition, a ritual, true Tuscan heritage, and probably one of the main reasons Firenze was calling your name. You’ve most likely heard of Chianti, but there’s much more waiting for you to discover in Florence’s […]
Best Steak in Florence: 8 Essential Bistecca Spots
If you think you’ve had excellent steak dinners in your life, just wait until you experience bistecca alla fiorentina—the best steak in Florence. With a juicy, rare center and blackened grill marks on the exterior, bistecca is a mouth-watering must try. Finding the best steak spots in Florence can feel overwhelming, so here’s our list […]
5 Vineyards Near Florence & How to Get There
You might have heard the one thing you must do while visiting Florence is a little wine tasting. And what could be better than enjoying wine right at the source? You don’t have to go far to find beautiful vineyards near Florence, and most of these family-run wineries are more than happy to welcome visitors […]
Perfect Italian Tiramisu Recipe
Quite appropriately, “tiramisu” translates to something along the lines of “pick me up.” And that’s exactly what it is—a sweet pick-me-up that’s well worth saving space for, no matter how much carbonara or cacio e pepe you may have already eaten. Coffee-dipped ladyfinger cookies and sweet, fluffy mascarpone come together in a beautiful symphony of […]
How to Read an Italian Menu (And Order Like a Local)
One of the best parts of traveling is experiencing the culture through food, and in many cases, eating out can be the highlight of your trip. But how are you supposed to eat like a local if you don’t understand how to order off the menu? While understanding how to read an Italian menu can […]
How Italians Do Christmas: The Foods You’ll Find on Every Table
Like any other country, Italy has its own Christmas traditions. Italian Christmas foods are uniquely distinguished by their variety, richness, and seasonality. Christmas is a time for abbondanza, literally, “abundance.” Italians sit down for long – we’re talking six or seven hours – feasts of many courses, even more extreme than on Easter or other […]
A Thing of the Heart: Holidays in Italy, and the Sweets that Define Us
Food has always been a celebration of happiness for me. The moments of joy in my life have always seen me with happy additional inches around my waist. Sadness or loss take away my appetite, and when I was younger, if I came home lean from a trip, my dad would always say, “tell me […]
A Love Letter to Christmas in Italy (and the Family Meal that Starts the Season)
The Christmas season in Rome is the stuff of legends. I’ve always loved the holidays back at home, but the Italians manage to take it to a whole new level, with seven giorni di festa throughout the months of December and January. Every single Catholic holiday is celebrated with enormous quantities of pasta, roasted meats, […]