The Joy in the Journey: Sisterhood, Travel, and Florence’s Magic

Emi La
Sep 21
5 min read

Updated: Sep 22

There are many ways one can celebrate a milestone:

Going on a cruise (not my vibe)
Skydiving (we're not there yet)
Fine dining with loved ones (please don't wait for milestones to do that. That should be just what you do)

A very special person in my life was celebrating her EPIC birthday and she decided a quick tour in Florence, Italy was her speed. (Quick, because in America, time off is an expensive privilege!) All packed and ready to go, we embarked with excitement, anticipation, and way too many outfits for a week stay.

I loved that trip because it revealed a side of me that I could've only met while traveling in a group and because it was filled with random moments that still cause me to spontaneously burst out laughing especially at 1 AM, when I should be asleep.

Let's begin: get settled, eat, walk, and shop!

A sisterhood of seven black women smiling with luggage at their arrival in Florence, Italy. Bright day, casual attire, a mix of suitcase colors, and relaxed mood. — Exhausted but so happy we're finally together after months of planning :)

Tall, Plaza Duomo in Florence, Italy, ornate with intricate geometric patterns, viewed from below against a partly cloudy sky. White, red, and green tones dominate. — Piazza del Duomo

A night to remember

Six black women in elegant dresses pose together, smiling in front of a large wooden door in Italy. Mood is joyful and setting is a stone building. — All the shades of beauty - The birthday girl is in the white dress and we were necklace twinning :)

I'm wearing a blue dress by Express. Shoes by Bebe. Necklace by Aris, @jewelrybyaris.

Two black women smiling. One wears a blue dress and the other wears an emerald green dress. Both women have luscious curly hair and red lipstick. Background shows plants and a brick wall. Evening setting. — A closeup of the necklace by Aris, @jewelrybyaris. Also, "Hi Sue!"

I'm not sure how we ended up at a club after dinner. The birthday girl is one who shamelessly and CONTINUOUSLY promises epic partying with a side of "painting the town red" only to CONSISTENLTY return back home way before 11 PM! But, somehow, we always fall for her over-promising. As they say, HOPE IS LOUD. So, that night, after a lovely dinner with a very attentive host, we headed out to a club. The vide was chill. They played mostly American music which always strike me odd because I travel to go away from America. Of course, the first thing we do before getting drinks is take pictures while we're still fresh. (One of us is an avid social media documenter). At one point we asked this lovely, sexy chocolate man (pictured left below) to take a picture OF us but instead, he asked his friend to take a picture of us WITH him in it.

A sisterhood of smiling black women pose in a dimly lit bar with leafy ceiling decor and blue lighting. — The boldness of Mr. Chocolate! Loved it :)

The next few days we spent visitng various places and snapping pictures.

"Door to Heaven". Orange dress by Zara. Black purse by Aldo.

Sunset over a cityscape in Florence, Italy, with bridges, silhouetted buildings, and a colorful sky in shades of orange and pink, creating a serene mood. — Residents and tourists alike watching the sunset and clapping when the sun disappeared over the horizon.

Watching the sunset was such a sweet moment! A lot of the tourists there seemed to be from other European countries. I guessed that because I like to play this game of “where are they from?" by listening to different accents. I rarely ask the speakers to confirm my guess. Yes! I am THAT confident in my ears. At times, I can’t guess the exact language but the region. Close enough! --- Slightly off-topic, the first time I heard Portuguese and Croatian, my ears DID NOT COMPREHEND WHAT WAS HAPPENING! They sounded like an awkwardly remixed Quebec French. Quebecois, don’t come for me :)

Back to that sweet, fleeting moment. Sunsets have always felt like magic to me. There’s something soul-stirring about watching the sky bleed into a breathtaking gradient of purples, oranges, and pinks. It’s not just beautiful. It’s intimate. Like the universe is wrapping me in a fiery embrace, whispering warmth into my soul. And to witness a crowd of strangers pause, silent, just to drink in that same sky... it felt sacred. As if, for one brief moment, we were all connected in awe.

Where energy clashed, stillness spoke: listening for joy in the journey

Speaking of special moments, traveling with a group of women, even those you admire, can sometimes feel like simmering in a pressure cooker. Not all energies naturally align with mine. When things get too loud, too aggressive, or overly flamboyant, I tend to retreat inward, almost shrinking myself to avoid being suffocated. But this trip offered more than just scenic views; it offered travel growth. I began to notice how I respond to overbearing personalities and asked myself: how can I still embrace the joy of a city steeped in Renaissance masterpieces while navigating emotional discomfort? My answer came in: I had to find joy in the journey. Plus, let's face it, I didn't spend thousands of US dollars, leave the comfort of my home, to be undone by anyone's thunder. I reminded myself there’s room for me, just as I am. I learned that my light is not meant to compete. It simply is. Some time away from the group did me well. Some quiet time away from the group did wonders. Rooted in softness, radiant in stillness, I reclaimed both peace and personal power in that truth.

Chef Fiori visibly falling in love with a group of black women

Another unforgettable moment was the smitten Chef Fiori. We had a dinner reservation at a local restaurant, and the moment we walked in, the restaurant manager seemed instantly alert. Two notes: A- we did not know Chef Fiori. B- with no prior communication, we all packed floral dresses and wore it that night. GREAT MINDS PACK ALIKE! The manager took one look at us, turned on his heel, and went straight to the kitchen to fetch the chef. Moments later, Chef Fiori emerged. Clearly delighted by the unexpected bouquet of guests! At the end of dinner, we were treated to bottomless limoncellos, desserts, and an inviation to visit his kitchen (where we took the picture below) and his other restaurants :).

A sisterhood of black women in floral dresses smile in front of a bar stocked with bottles. Bright setting, convivial atmosphere. — The restaurant Manager wearing the white shirt. Chef Fiori is the tallest gentleman in the far right.

He took so many selfies with us LOL

I should also mention that the restaurant manager graciously offered to drive us back to our villa, and we kindly accepted. But as we wound our way down the serpentine roads, it quickly became clear he had an ulterior motive: he wanted to stop and proudly show us off to all his friends along the way. And oh, was he proud of himself!

Ah, the Italians! We had a great laugh.

It was one of those serendipitous, joy-filled moments of being seen abroad, not just for our beauty, but for our collective energy, style, and spirit. And yes, the rumors are true: Italians do have a thing for black women.

Woman in floral dress smiling, holding a cocktail in an outdoor setting. Soft lighting, blurred background with a relaxed, joyful mood. — Wearing a dress by Akira, @shopakira. Earrings by Bebe.

Smiling black woman in a floral Akira dress adjusts her hair at a table. Bright indoor setting with blurred background, creating a cheerful mood in Florence, Italy. — I didn't finish fluffing my hair

Last stop: Amalfi Coast

We wrapped up the trip with a boat tour, more food, more laughter, and more vacation photos in Amalfi Coast.

I enjoyed recounting those moments that fuel me and inspire me to pour my creativity in my day-to-day and into my fashion rental business, Fly à la MODE. These stories are reminders of my travel growth, where the best memories find themselves in the quiet ones and spontaneous laughter... always with a glass of bubbly in hand.