We were in Florence, Italy, for three days last week. I should call it Firenze, as that is the Italian name, though that calls to mind a certain centaur and Divination teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Highlights of Day One:
We used our Firenze Card (a 72-hour pass for all museums and attractions, plus line-skipping) to visit the Duomo Cathedral, plus climb up to the dome, designed and painted by Brunelleschi.
We also entered the octagonal Baptistry associated with the church, known as the oldest building in Florence. Its interior is stunning, perhaps due to a beautiful gilded ceiling.
And then there was gelato.
Highlights of Day Two:
We visited the Museo di San Marco, a former monastery. It is a museum in order to exhibit the incredible artwork that is housed here, but also part of the building. Frescoes were painted in the cloister, refectory, cells, etc. Add to this the offer of a free guide, which came our way when we entered from two highschool girls. For a school project their entire class is acting as guides (sometimes for English-speakers like us) to display what they have learned. Our guides were very knowledgeable but also very entertaining, as they seemed to be nervous.
In the afternoon, we saw Michealangelo's David. I took a picture of his back side, because only his front seems to appear in publications.
Finally we visited the Palazzo Vecchio, home of the powerful Medici family. The rooms and art were incredible, but I have to say my favorite was climbing the clock tower to have a view of the Duomo a few blocks away.
Perhaps my favorite experience in Florence was enjoying antipasto and wine at a small restaurant called Il Santino. We could not read the menu and simply asked the waiter for a small plate of breads, meats and cheese. He definitely delivered, with pecorino cheese and prosciutto, all of which was delicious.
Highlights of Day Three:
We toured the the Palazzo Pitti museums and the gardens. Again we were shown around the rooms by highschool students, which was a treat. A special feature of the ceiling paintings here was the attempt to make the room appear taller by paintings upper stories, columns and statues in very convicing 3D.
In the afternoon, we walked through the Galleria degli Uffizi, the Medici family's art collection. This was beyond impressive, and works include the Birth of Venus and this one of the disciple Thomas.
More gelato!
Florence is filled with so much artwork and so many beautiful things that it is almost difficult to appreciate them. Well, we tried, and we will continue on in Rome.
Highlights of Day One:
We used our Firenze Card (a 72-hour pass for all museums and attractions, plus line-skipping) to visit the Duomo Cathedral, plus climb up to the dome, designed and painted by Brunelleschi.
We also entered the octagonal Baptistry associated with the church, known as the oldest building in Florence. Its interior is stunning, perhaps due to a beautiful gilded ceiling.
And then there was gelato.
Highlights of Day Two:
We visited the Museo di San Marco, a former monastery. It is a museum in order to exhibit the incredible artwork that is housed here, but also part of the building. Frescoes were painted in the cloister, refectory, cells, etc. Add to this the offer of a free guide, which came our way when we entered from two highschool girls. For a school project their entire class is acting as guides (sometimes for English-speakers like us) to display what they have learned. Our guides were very knowledgeable but also very entertaining, as they seemed to be nervous.
In the afternoon, we saw Michealangelo's David. I took a picture of his back side, because only his front seems to appear in publications.
Finally we visited the Palazzo Vecchio, home of the powerful Medici family. The rooms and art were incredible, but I have to say my favorite was climbing the clock tower to have a view of the Duomo a few blocks away.
Perhaps my favorite experience in Florence was enjoying antipasto and wine at a small restaurant called Il Santino. We could not read the menu and simply asked the waiter for a small plate of breads, meats and cheese. He definitely delivered, with pecorino cheese and prosciutto, all of which was delicious.
Highlights of Day Three:
We toured the the Palazzo Pitti museums and the gardens. Again we were shown around the rooms by highschool students, which was a treat. A special feature of the ceiling paintings here was the attempt to make the room appear taller by paintings upper stories, columns and statues in very convicing 3D.
In the afternoon, we walked through the Galleria degli Uffizi, the Medici family's art collection. This was beyond impressive, and works include the Birth of Venus and this one of the disciple Thomas.
More gelato!
Florence is filled with so much artwork and so many beautiful things that it is almost difficult to appreciate them. Well, we tried, and we will continue on in Rome.
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