Renaissance Travelers in Florence
May 29, 2008 – Florence, Italy
Buon Giorno Firenze. Hello, Florence!
Tim: There we were in this birthplace of Renaissance art, the capitol of Tuscan food and culture. I couldn't wait to get started.
The darkening sky and portent of rain didn't cloud our enthusiasm for what we were about to see. After settling into our hotel, we headed out with our guide Rick on our first look at this amazing city.
Lois: Michelangelo slept here. I can tell by the fresco he left over the bed.
To get us oriented, Rick led us a few blocks over to the Piazza San Lorenzo to see the unusual façade. There he began to explain a little history of the place and what we were about to see. A block further and we were at the Baptistery and Piazza Duomo. Never mind the sprinkle, we wanted to see Florence's most famous resident at the Accademia Museum.
Tim: Lois, Lois, you look a little faint. Yes, that's David, Michelangelo's masterpiece, the original.
Lois: Oh-h-h-h.
Having a hotel located so close to the center of everything made it easy for us to meet the next morning for the walking tour of Florence.
Our local guide, Simone, knows everything about Italian history and started us out at a 12th century building and then the Palazzo Davanzati, a wonderfully restored palace home of a 14th century merchant. From there we walked through Piazza della Signoria, past the Palazzo Vecchio, the courtyard of the Uffizi, and down the Arno River to the Ponte Vecchio. This pedestrian-only bridge has a fascinating history, but we headed further down river to cross the next bridge, the Ponte San Trinita, through some earlier century working class neighborhoods and to the Brancacci Chapel inside the Church of Santa Maria del Carmine.
Tim: Our group met again for a wonderful group dinner at a restaurant specializing in regional cuisine. Risotto and Florentine beefsteak—typical Tuscany fare. But I think you may remember something else we had that night.
Lois: Yes, and I wanted tiramisù for desert every night.
Guide Simone was ready the next day for a lengthy tour of the Ufizzi Gallery. As before, we were so glad to go right in, skipping the lines of those trying to get tickets and thus spending more time touring the many galleries.
Lois: Later that day we went over to the Duomo Museum. I was surprised there were so few visitors there. There were so many beautiful paintings, sculptures, and artifacts.
Tim: Yes, the original panels from the Baptistery door were there. I was able to get inches away to see the intricate details of these panels. But the most impressive thing in this museum is Michelangelo's Pietà—the second of three and an absolutely stunning sculpture. How could it be that it seemed that we were there all alone? This is a don't-miss museum in my opinion.
Lois: Remember what you did next? I was tired and returned to the hotel to rest a bit.
Tim: Yes, the sky was clearing and I had one more thing I wanted to do before leaving Florence—climb to the top of the Duomo.
Winding stairs, narrow passages, low ceilings, great heights—that's just the kind of strange sights Tim would pay to see. On top, though, what a panoramic view!
Rendezvousing later, we headed out for a four-course treat: raspberry, coconut, lemon, and apricot gelato at the best shop in all Florence, Grom.
The food, the art, the historic sites, the people—in three days we just had time to taste a bit of what Florence offers. We have no regrets, for that leaves us with lots to see the next time we travel to this wonderful city.
Our bus left for Rome the next morning.
Tim: Grab your bag, Lois. It's time to meet our bus.
Lois: I'm starting to see the benefits of packing light.
