I was at first worried about the location of Matteo’s place, because it is not within walking distance of the places we were trying to visit, like the Uffizi Gallery and Duomo. However, those fears disappeared as soon as I saw our view. We experienced the most beautiful sunset of our lives! Even though we weren’t close to the places we wanted to visit, the bus was super easy to navigate and within 20 minutes, we were in the heart of Florence. It was actually really nice to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, and it was here we were able to form more genuine connections with the Italian people. For example, one of my friends and I were hungry late one night and we ventured out into the rain to see what would be open in the square. Nothing was open, except we noticed the lights were on at Caffe Desiderio. We pushed open the door, despite the schedule saying the restaurant was currently closed, and popped our heads inside. We saw the owner, Michele Busanero, and asked if he was still open. He said no but that he would whip something up for us. Michele was so kind and generous! He made my friend and I a sandwich not offered on the menu, poured us some of the most delicious wine, and chatted with us the rest of the night about Florence, giving us the down and dirty. We truly made some special memories at Matteo’s, who was so friendly and helpful. I so hope that I get to return one day!