During a trip in Florence, my BFF and I were looking for a taxi to take us to our hotel. It was a particularly busy time and we were waiting for one quite a while. Suddenly a brightly painted car, with an equally cheerful lady behind the wheel, stopped. The lady and her taxi seemed to have escaped from a fairy tale. My BFF and I looked at each other for a moment and then decided to get into this very special taxi.
Taxi Milano 25
The colourful lady behind the wheel was Caterina. Her partner died in 2001 from a tumor and she inherited his most precious possession, Taxi Milano 25. She promised to keep driving the taxi. Since then, Caterina and her Milano 25 drive through the streets of Florence. She dedicated herself to making the lives of young cancer patients in Instituto Meye a bit easier. She offers the children and their families a free ride to the pediatric hospital. By doing so, she makes the trip to a party and the children can forget reality for a moment and just be a kid, driving through the streets of Florence.
Her slogan: It's not the destination that's important, it's the journey you travel to get there!
I think it's incredible that people like Aunt Caterina exist. Nowadays, you only hear stories about bombings and terror, but if you meet Aunt Caterina, you know that there is still hope for our world.
Taxi Milano is not the only fun thing in Florence. Read Kate's post 60 fantastic & fun things to do in Florence.
If you're traveling to Florence with children, try to prebook a ride with her taxi. It’s a moment they will never forget.
Caterina indeed proved that she is really a wonderful woman. She dropped us at our hotel, 30 minutes outside of Florence. Most taxi drivers don’t like such a trip because they have to drive back empty. When I walked into the hotel, I realized I had left my jacket in the cab. I explained my problem at the front desk and they told me it was impossible to find that taxi. When I described our taxi, he immediately knew who I was talking about. He called Caterina and she promised to bring the jacket the next morning. Of course I told the clerk that he could call me so I could pay the cab fare. The next morning, however, he brought my coat and told me that Caterina delivered it free of charge. I never got to thank her, but Caterina, if you're reading this: Thanks! You make the world a better place!
You can find Caterina on facebook and youtube. Watch the movie to see Caterina and her Milano 25.
If you want to read more about the things to do in Florence, you can find a 2 day itinerary over here.
