Santa Croce piazza is a cultural hub. This massive square hosts a variety of events from concerts (for all you George Michael fans) to German Christmas markets, in addition to it’s beautiful history-inside and out. To drop some names, venturing inside its ancient walls, one will find the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, Ghiberti and the false tomb of Dante. This photo depicts the annual German Christmas market where you can indulge in mulled wine, the best fucking sausages of your life, ornaments, and countless hand made crafts.

Monkey Bar is the first place I discovered in Florence. In this small pub I found myself comforted with its dive bar feel. Lorenzo and Freddy, the bar tenders, greet their patrons with a kiss on each cheek, a sarcastic comment and cheap drinks. I have grown to love this small place; its welcoming atmosphere brings me instantly home in a city constantly bustling with mainstream tourism.

Florence may be beautiful, but with the amount of tourists it can get quite overwhelming. Todo Modo is a wonderful escape located near the centre that provides a space to sit, sip, read, and reflect. A quaint bookstore in the front, with a bar/café in the back, Todo Modo is one of my favourites in Florence. The hanging plants, the smell of books, the wood covered interior, all provide a cosy nook to sink into. Recommendations: a glass of chianti classico + a pen and journal.

La Specola is one of my favourite museums I have ever visited. The museum is a branch of the Natural History Museum of the University of Florence and is one of the oldest science museums in Europe, built in 1775 with the aim of gathering the natural treasures collected by different generations of the Medici family, such as fossils, animals, minerals and exotic plants. You really have to go. The displays are stunning and odd, also the Zoological Collection is full of specimens and old taxidermy pieces. On top of that there is also a quite "scary" collection of about 1,400 pieces of anatomical waxworks (made between the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century).

Amazing setting with a nice chill garden and really good drinks