secrets, secrets are no fun....

Unless they lead you to a delicious chocolate filled croissant.


After leaving a way too crowded American club, Christina's feet were killing her and we were cold and ready to head back to the sweat pants waiting for us at our apartment. It was around 2:00 and we were just starting to make the trek back home when we decided to try to stumble upon a Florentine delicacy: a treat from an infamous "secret bakery".

We were a little skeptical that we would find it. A) we haven't really been in Florence long enough to earn the stripes to merit one of these coveted baked goods and B) we don't know our way around well enough or have enough Italian vocab in our back pocket to follow the directions any local would give us. Nevertheless, we decided we were out late enough and craving chocolate badly enough to at least attempt it.

After a little courage and an, "it's ok we'll never see these people again" we decided to use our Italian (Christina can actually form entire sentences!) and ask a group of girls if they knew anything about one of these so called secret bakeries. For the hundredth time that day we were answered with, "we speak English" and amazingly, these girls knew what we were talking about. They affirmed our crazy treasure hunt and told us where to go.

Taking a right, another right and a left past the landmark we were given, we found it. An unmarked wooden door that we knew must be it. We walked up to it, softly knocked and then with the wafting aroma of fresh pastries in the air encouraging us, loudly rapped on the door.

Nothing.

Guess tonight wasn't the night to find it after all.

Cold and about ready to give up Christina spotted two people with white paper bags walking down the street towards us. Just a few feet away we turned a corner to see a group of about 10 people standing outside of an unmarked door. Getting into line behind them we were just questioning why we were standing out in the freezing cold waiting for what could potentially be nothing when a woman peered out from the cracked door and instantly put a finger to her lips to quiet her hungry patrons. Making our way to the front of the line we ordered 2 croissants with chocolate and waited. Thirty seconds later we were greeted with the warmth of a warm croissant and the amazing smell of freshly baked bread.

Let's just say they were amazing and a secret worth keeping.