Final days of February and firsts of March were terribly cold. There was a day in which thermometers dropped to almost -8ºC, and we wore our coats and even gloves around the classroom. Suddenly, the display windows of the shops surrounding the university which were days before filled with the remains of Winter accessories (such as wool scarves and velvet turbans) were emptied by customers like me, who looked for fur diadems as they were an extremely rare jewel.

Even though it was pretty damn cold, I decided it was the right time to try if my layering-theory was correct and I could wear almost any piece in my wardrobe (even if it was a Spring little black dress) for Winter. And I think I succeeded! I chose this Shein little black dress with ruffled sleeves as the base to which add things to keep warm. I used it as a sort of overall piece, putting a white basic structured shirt underneath to add a long sleeve and covered neck, in which I laced the ribbon which came with the dress. As this little black dress is a little under the knee length, I decided to wear high boots with thermal tights and a pair of woolen socks underneath. This way, I could be warm while keeping everything stylish and comfortable!

The touch of color to the outfit was added with this faux-fur brown diadem and the coat, which doesn't appear in the pictures but was light grey. I must admit that of course, this isn't your regular attire when it's -15ºC average outside, but in fact, this day was pretty cold and with just a couple of layers well put together and some thermal pieces of clothing I managed to survive. As I always say, the key is to look for the little details and adjust those things depending on your personal preferences, or the place where you live (if I had to wear this outfit in Valencia, I would just skip the thermal tights and go for a regular pair). My rule of thumb is that fashion does have to adjust to our necessities as well to our personal tastes and that if it makes you feel uncomfortable, or cold, or too tight, it isn't fashion but a lie we try to fit in!

Christmas is right behind the corner guys! I can't believe it's already been three months since I arrived to Italy, and I'm about to leave home for holidays to see my family and friends and do a bit of recap on how the Erasmus experience is going. So, Firenze has been covered up already in tons of lights, colorful garlands and you can spot the slight difference in the amount of people running down the streets respecting the previous weeks. As for me, I'm getting my things packed quickly to land back in Spain by the end of this week, and everything set up for the time when I'm coming back to the flat after Christmas, as not to find everything absolutely messed up.

In today's post I wanted to share with you guys some of my favorite spots here in Firenze to enjoy an evening walk while watching the Christmas lights or just go shopping or grab a capuccino. Also, things you can do for free if you're visiting this amazing Italian city or you are planning a visit this Holiday Season! Let's get started with it:

#1 Piazza della Repubblica

You can have a walk around the square and enjoy the massive tree at the very center of it. It's a very familiar and cozy place to visit almost every day of the year. Due to the carousel there're always plenty of children around, and now that La Rinascente has switched on their façade lights, the whole place looks a bit like something which just came out of a booktale! You can also go to La Feltrinelli bookshop to either grab a warm cuppa or get lost into thousands of books and stationery.

#2 Piazza del Duomo

Might be one of the most touristy spots in this city, but it's also true that Firenze's Cathedral and its cupola are something to be amazed at. I love going through the Piazza del Duomo every single day to my classes, because although it might be hard to believe, it's the less crowded way other than going by San Lorenzo. If you want to have spectacular views of Brunelleschi's Cupola, there's the Oblate Library just a very few steps from the square in which you can enjoy a fantastic view at the terrace's café.

#3 Piazza della Signoria & Piazzale degli Uffizi

This two places which are super close to each other are one of my favorite and personally, most majestic and representative sights of Firenze. Now that it gets dark earlier, I love watching people come and go to the Palazzo Vecchio and how the lights and shadows showcase the sculptures at the Loggia de' Lanzi. There's also this light festival I've discovered recently, which projects some short films and images in the city's main monuments, and this place is one of those in which you can enjoy the show!

#4 Piazzale Michelangelo

It might be one of the best sights in Firenze from the heights. Although climbing to it it's a bit tedious, there's also a regular line bus that drives you there to enjoy the sunset and the city filled with its colorful lights. Besides, you can enjoy a snack or early dinner in one of the many trattorias in the neighbourhood below the Piazzale.

#5 Boboli Gardens

OK. This one's a bit of a lie from me, because it isn't actually a place in which you can see the Christmas lights, and also it's not free. But the Ceramic Museum at the top of the Boboli has one of the best sights in Firenze in which you can see the Tuscan landscape as high as in Piazzale Michelangelo, which is right in front of you. I didn't know it before I went to visit the Palazzo Pitti for the first time, and now it's one of my favorite sightseeing spots in Firenze.