As I rolled into Tuscany, the vineyards and farmhouses started to appear, and I made the decision to skip the city "sosta" in favour of a campsite in Fiesole. It’s a celebrity-favourite region high in the hills, and when I saw the views looking down upon Florence, I could see exactly why it’s so popular.

However, Google Maps didn't quite explain the final approach. I hit an incredibly tight hairpin bend that led up to the campsite, which turned out to be a near-vertical climb. I hit the incline with nowhere near enough momentum and yep I stalled.

I’m now mid-turn, feeling almost vertical, and the handbrake wasn’t holding. To top it off, I have an immobiliser that requires a specific pattern of actions to unlock. I managed to turn the van over without rolling backwards off a Tuscan hill, wheelspinning my rear-wheel drive and reving the crap out of it until I made it up! I’m not going to lie, it made me feel quite scared of the roads, and I felt a massive wave of relief once I finally parked up.

But oh, the parkup... I arrived late afternoon and had no intention of going anywhere. It was the perfect opportunity to sit by the campsite pool, drink a Peroni, and watch the sun setting within a deep orange sky over the city of Florence. I was high up in the hills looking down with a clear view of the Duomo. Another movie scene moment! I would have happily stayed in Fiesole, but I was here for the food specifically the street food and a fix from the birthplace of gelato.

After surviving the shuttle ride back down that "horrible, horrible hill" the next morning, I headed into the city. Florence initially felt overwhelming huge, busy, and full of different districts. I found a backstreet cafe, grabbed a pistachio cornetto (croissant) and a cappuccino, and used the "Get Your Guide" app to book a food tour. Perfetto!

It was the best decision I made. We ate Cantucci with sweet wine, Coccoli (which translates as a "cuddle" a fluffy pastry filled with prosciutto and cheese), and a Florence-style ragu that was less tomatoey and richer than the Bologna version.

The tour ended with a masterclass in avoiding tourist traps. Being the birthplace of gelato, Florence is full of fake, overwhipped stuff. Here are my top tips to find the real deal:

• Check the Colour: Avoid brightly coloured gelato. Use pistachio as a guide it should be a dull khaki colour. If it’s bright green, walk on past.
• Look for the Lids: The best gelato is often stored in metal-covered tubs to keep the texture right.
• Avoid the "Fluff": If the gelato is fluffed up high and fancy-looking in the tray, it won’t be the good creamy stuff.
• Trust the Backstreets: The main high streets are full of the fake stuff; the tiny holes-in-the-wall are where the gold is.

I enjoyed the tour so much I immediately booked an evening "Old Town" tour in the Oltrarno district, crossing the iconic Ponte Vecchio. Our guide, Antonella, took us to meet the "King of Cheese" (where I snagged some black truffle Pecorino) and the "King of Wine."

This was where I first fell in love with Chianti Classico. It’s not as bold as a Primitivo, but it has a roundness that just flows across the palate. We learned to make the famousFlorentine Negroni, and things got a little blurry from there! We ate Gnudi (spinach and ricotta dumplings in sage butter) and a wild boar ragu I’ll remember forever.

We even drank from the Buchette del Vino the ancient "wine windows." Back in the 16th century, nobles sold wine through these tiny hatches. They were blocked up for years, but thanks to the pandemic, some have been unblocked. You knock on a tiny wooden door in a stone wall, hand over your coins, and wine appears. How cool!

The next day, I succumbed to the "Instagram effect." I queued for an hour for a legendary Schiacciata sandwich I'd seen online. It was huge and tasted amazing, but it dawned on me: this isn't how Italians eat. The authenticity was lost in the sheer size of it it felt created for social media, not for tradition.

I decided to go back to basics with a Lampredotto (tripe) sandwich. It’s the fourth stomach of the cow, simmered and piled into bread. It was... unique. Texturally interesting and full of flavour. I wouldn't say I’d rave about it, but it was the "real" Florence I was looking for.

I really enjoyed the city it was beautiful, educational, and vibrant. However, I was "citied out" and ready to go cross-country.

Street Food & Peasant Soul

• Lampredotto: The famous tripe sandwich with salsa verde. Proper Florentine soul.
• Schiacciata (Savory): Flat, oily bread, perfect when stuffed with cured meats.
• Ribollita: A thick, satisfying bread and vegetable soup, reheated until dense and savoury.
• Pappa al pomodoro: A simple, perfect blend of tomato, bread, and garlic.

Main Events

• Bistecca alla Fiorentina: The famous T-bone steak. Huge, rare, and unapologetic.
• Peposo: Beef slow-cooked with garlic and an outrageous amount of black pepper.
• Pappardelle al cinghiale: Wide pasta ribbons with earthy wild boar ragù.
• Gnudi: Ricotta and spinach dumplings literally "naked" ravioli.

Sweet Finishes

• Cantucci e Vin Santo: Almond biscuits meant for dunking in sweet dessert wine.
• Schiacciata alla Fiorentina: A light sponge cake dusted with icing sugar.

Florence… what a stunning city with some of the best food across Italy! I highly recommend spending a lot of time in this city! Bellissimo!