I spent months planning my first trip to Florence. A lot lived up to the hype, but I found some of the best spots after I arrived.

I recently visited Florence for the first time with my sister. We found the best spots to eat, drink, and shop.

Morgan Rizzo

Growing up in a big Italian family, I always enjoyed Sunday afternoons filled with bowls of spaghetti and meatballs cooked by my nana. Winters meant my dad would grind meat in the basement to make soppressata, or "soupy."Throughout middle school, high school, and college, I took six years of Italian, attempting to grasp a handle on the beautiful language while researching and admiring photographs of the Italian cities I dreamed of one day visiting.When my younger sister studied abroad in Florence this past semester, I finally had an opportunity to visit the country for the first time. For 10 days, I immersed myself in Italian history, culture, and — of course — the most amazing food.Thanks to a perfect itinerary (and a few spots we found along the way), the trip was just as sweet as I'd hoped.A pasta and tiramisu-making class was the highlight of our trip

I'm so glad we decided to take a pasta-making class.

Morgan Rizzo