We didn’t have high expectations coming to Florence. We knew that there were lots of art museums and churches to see (this is of course the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and famous for the works of Michelangelo and the legacy or the powerful Medici family), but we didn’t expect Florence to be so beautiful.
Because we only had about a day in Florence (our train from Venice got in about noon and we leave for Pisa/Rome tomorrow), we knew that we didn’t have a lot of time to browse the art museums fully. So we instead followed a walking tour suggested by Trip Advisor and the receptionist at or hotel that took us all around the city.
We started off at some of the chapels commissioned by the Medici family (whose wealth and political and religious influence allowed them commission lots of architecture and art to glorify their family). Many of the ceilings of the Medici chapels were painted my Michelangelo and were beautifully intricate.
Next we set off for the Duomo, the huge dome structure that undoubtedly is the centerpiece of the Florence skyline. Following suggestions on Trip Advisor, we climbed the 400 steps of the bell tower next to the dome instead of the dome itself to get a nice view of the city (and a nice view of the dome next door)
View of the Duomo and surrounding city from the top of the bell tower
After taking a look at the other cathedrals and chapels around the area, we headed off to this small gelato shop called Vivoli hidden away on a street for what Trip Advisor says is the “best gelato in all of Italy.” Sure enough, the gelato was great and the little shop had been owned by the same family for generations.
After taking a stroll and having dinner at the Piazza Della Signoria, which is the center of secular life, with the town hall and a number of sculptures (including a replica of Michelangelo’s famous David), we walked across the Ponte Vecchio bridge up a hill to the Piazzale Michelangelo (clearly this city loves Michelangelo).
From the top of this hill, we got amazing views of the entire city of Florence and sat there (with a bottle of Tuscany wine we bought earlier) and watched the city turn a hundred different colors as the sun set. Though our stay in Florence was short, we really got a taste of the grandeur of the medieval and renaissance period when Florence was the center of artistic and intellectual life, as well as the quaint lifestyle of the Tuscany region with its rolling hills, golden sunsets, good food and good wine.
The hundred beautiful colors of the Tuscany sunset