inspired
It was a few years ago when I went to Russia, so it may be a little difficult to remember some of my experiences and places I visited. A few things have stuck in my head over the years, and some of these photos definitely …
Florence is one of the most amazing cities in the world. It’s hard to believe for it’s size, but it is incredibly rich in history and art. That’s why millions of people visit from all over the world every year. If you find yourself in this beautiful city, I hope you stay long enough to enjoy it and visit some of the amazing places nearby.
Some of these places are right outside Florence, while others are a little further, however, all of them are lovely and can be visited in a single day by bus or train. If you’re interested in reading a bit more on the cities, click the title of each one.
Let’s start off by mentioning the beautiful city of Siena. A place of medieval brick building and a famous square, Piazza del Campo, that hosts many events throughout the year. Try going from Florence on a day when they have one of their events and you won’t be disappointed. I was lucky enough to go during the Chocolate Festival! Also, make sure to visit the Cathedrals while you are there.
Getting There: You can take a bus for less than two hours or a train from the Firenze S.M.N.
Cinque Terre is actually five cities, but they are all small and close together making them easy-ish to visit in a single day. It’s such a beautiful place and perfect if you’re in the mood for something very different from Florence. Plan on leaving early in the morning from the train station so you have enough time to visit them all before the last train leaves in Cinque Terre.
Getting There: Take a train from Firenze to the La Spezia station. From there, get a one-day Cinque Terre Card which allows you to ride the trains from La Spezia to Levanto and stop in between the five different towns.
Fiesole is the closest to Florence as well as the easiest and cheapest to get to. It’s a good town to visit for amazing views and to see something a bit different. The coolest things to visit here, in my opinion, are the Fiesole Archaeological Area and Medici Villa. There are plenty of other things to visit in and around Fiesole depending on your interests.
Getting There: You can take a Florence city bus (Number 7) to Fiesole.
How could we ever forget Pisa? Pisa and Florence seem to go together like tomatoes and mozzarella. If you’re looking up tours to go on in Italy, you’ll see quite a few that combine Florence with Pisa. Some will even visit both in a single day. I personally wouldn’t recommend a tour like this unless you are limited on time and enjoy bus/walking tours. Make sure to read my post on Pisa for more details and lots of photos!
Getting There: You can either take a single train from SMN Florence to Pisa Centrale and walk around once you get there or find a tour bus that will take you (most likely) to Miracle Square and back to Florence after a few hours. If you need help finding tours, I would recommend GetYourGuide which has this exact tour I’m mentioning here.
While in Tuscany, make sure to visit one of the wineries outside of Florence. Even if you are not much of a wine drinker, it is still an excuse to see the beautiful Tuscan Countryside that can be missed when in the city center.
Getting There: Florence has many wineries nearby that you could get to using a bus tour or taxi. You can look through some visitors brochures or ask the staff at your hotel to find one you can go to.
There are other day trips you COULD take from Florence. However, these are my favorites and easiest! Rome is a city you can go to in one day, but one day really isn’t enough. Rome should be at least a weekend. Are there any other day trips you would recommend from Florence? Let us know in the comments!
-Ayla♥
The city of Monterey is a popular weekend getaway for those living in Northern California. However, the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium attracts visitors from all over. Possibly because it’s the best aquarium in the world! And I’ve heard this said by an oceanography professor, so …
This week I wanted to write about a trip I took in summer to Arnold. I’ve been posting a lot of flowers and gardens on my blog so I thought Arnold would be a good place to write about to separate all those posts. That way it doesn’t feel like I’m writing the same thing every week.
Arnold
Before making a reservation, I had never heard of Arnold. I am guessing that almost all of you haven’t either. It’s a small town right at the edge of the Stanislaus National Forest (next to Yosemite). The only reason we ended up going here is because of our timeshare. With the specific timeshare that we have, we can go on week long last minute trips for an extremely affordable price. A whole week in Arnold cost us only $400. And since we live two hours away, we didn’t have to fly either. The drive to Arnold was also very easy. It was manly empty roads and driving through farmlands.
Accommodations
Address: 936 Cypress Point Drive, Arnold, CA, 95223
Resort: (209) 795-4447
Reservations: (866) 469-8222
My favorite part about Arnold would have to be our resort. Even though it wasn’t some new fancy resort, it was very homey. The whole time we were there I was thinking about how incredible it would be to come here in winter with a large group of friends. For one, it would be dirt cheap with my timeshare and if everyone split the cost. The condo slept 8 people, so one week would be the same as a single night in a hotel. Going in winter would be fun because there’s skiing and snowboarding in the area.
The condo was two floors plus a loft. The down stairs floor had two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The floor we entered on was where the kitchen, living room with pullout couch, and another bathroom were located. There was a loft above the kitchen that sleeps two more people. It would be the perfect place for a getaway with friends or for large families. The lobby of the resort had a nice indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, gym, theatre, and game room.
I didn’t take any pictures of the resort, but their website has photos that accurately depict what the resort looked like when I went.
Things to Do in Arnold
Golfing
Swimming
Fishing
Camping
Hiking/Biking
Horseback Riding
Exploring Caverns
Snowmobiling
Skiing/Snowboarding
Places To Eat
Giant Burger – 846 Highway 4, Arnold. We went here twice during our stay because I really wanted to try more milk shake flavors. They had so many unique flavors and they tasted delicious. The menu was extensive for a family-owned burger place!
Sarafina’s Italian Restaurant – 794 Highway 4, Arnold. If you’re craving Italian food in Arnold, this is the place to go! Sarafina’s is popular and was crazy busy almost every night. Make sure to check if they have availability before you go or you may have to wait to be seated.
El Vaquero – 925 Highway 4, Arnold. The second highest rated restaurant in Arnold right after Sarafina’s. They have authentic Mexican entrees that taste and look great! It’s definitely the local favorite for Mexican food.
Mercer Caverns
Since the Caverns were on our way home, we decided to head there right after packing up and leaving Arnold. I’ve never had an interest in visiting caverns before but I’m so glad I got to experience it!
The Mercer Caverns were discovered in 1885 by Walter Mercer. I don’t remember all the history of how it was discovered, but I do remember feeling like I was taken back in time.
The Caverns mining company did a wonderful job displaying their panning and fossil recovery activities. The gift shop and tours inside the caverns were also out of this world. I loved looking through the piles of cool rocks, stones, gems, and geology nicknacks in the gift shop. Their selection was impressive for a place that feels so secluded.
It felt a bit surreal being 165 feet below ground. It can be a little frighting for some people because you’re basically in a dark, weird looking hole in the ground. But even though I get claustrophobia, I felt okay. It was a little scary when the guide was pointing out all the tiny tunnels men would have to crawl through. It sounded exactly like my worst nightmares.
If a trip back to the wild, wild west sounds fun to you, I think you’d really enjoy all that Calaveras County has to offer.
Overall, our time in Arnold was a nice little retreat away from home. It’s definitely a place for those who enjoy the great outdoors and camping more so than the hustling and bustling of a large city.
-Ayla♥
It was a few years ago when I went to the wonderful Filoli estate in Woodside with my parents and friends. We went in April which was an ideal time to see all the newly bloomed flowers that were welcoming us into spring. The weather …
