It’s our last day in Florence. We don’t have a set plan for the day, other than to walk around and enjoy the city. We’re not ready to leave, but ready or not, tomorrow we’ll have to say arrivederci to Firenze. Continue reading “Arrivederci Firenze!”
Tag: Florence
Il Contesto – The Contest
The year is 1401. In Florence, Italy, the wealthy cloth merchants’ guild – the Arte di Calimala – is sponsoring a design contest. The winner will get the job of making a set of new doors for the Baptistery of Saint John. It’s a big deal. The artist who wins the contest will be highly esteemed and famous forever. Continue reading “Il Contesto – The Contest”
Nighttime in Florence
Emerging from our cozy little restaurant into the dark, wet streets of Florence , we were happy to discover that the rain had stopped. In fact, we were just plain happy. Dinner was so good and so much fun – not the first time that’s happened in Italy. Now it’s time to take a walk and see what nighttime in Florence looks like. Continue reading “Nighttime in Florence”
Dinner in Florence – Mangiamo!
Today we took a day-trip from Florence to Siena. Siena is impressive, even on a drizzly fall day. We had an excellent lunch in Siena, but that was hours ago. We’re ready to have our first real dinner in Florence. Continue reading “Dinner in Florence – Mangiamo!”
Mystery and Intrigue on the Bus Ride Back from Siena
It’s a drizzly fall day in Siena, Italy. We arrived this morning via local bus from Florence. When lunchtime rolled around, we ducked into a cozy little restaurant where we had a wonderful lunch of ribollita. We needed to walk it off before heading back to Florence. Little did we know that our bus ride back from Siena would have a bit of excitement. Continue reading “Mystery and Intrigue on the Bus Ride Back from Siena”
The Costume Gallery in Pitti Palace
It’s our first full day in Florence. We were having a delightful stroll through Boboli Gardens, but the darkening skies were threatening rain. They wouldn’t dare, would they? They would! They did! We made a run for the nearest shelter – Pitti Palace. We ducked into a recess surrounding a side door to the palace. The door was open. We went in. Wow! Continue reading “The Costume Gallery in Pitti Palace”
Florence – Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens
Florence is a great city for tourists. There’s as much to see and do as here as there is in a large city, but Florence is relatively compact, so anything you’d like to see is within easy reach. Our next Florentine destinations are Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens. The overcast sky is getting darker and threatening rain, but let’s go anyway. Continue reading “Florence – Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens”
Lunch in Fiesole – Mamma Mia!
There’s a little town on top of a hill on the outskirts of Florence called Fiesole. The view of Florence from up there is supposed to be great. We’re going to go to Fiesole, have some lunch, and check out the view. C’mon! Continue reading “Lunch in Fiesole – Mamma Mia!”
Michaelangelo’s David – and Goliath?
Florence, Italy – city of beauty, history, and art. Visitors come here for a lot of reasons, but my guess is that the number one draw is Michaelangelo’s statue of David. It’s here in Florence’s Galleria dell’ Accademia. We’re headed there now. C’mon! Continue reading “Michaelangelo’s David – and Goliath?”
First Day in Florence
It’s our first day in Florence. After arriving by train from Venice, we checked into our hotel and headed out to explore the neighborhood. Walking on Via Calzaiuoli toward Piazza della Signoria, we came to a building called Orsanmichele. Statues of saints lining its walls sent us back to the Dark Ages to get the back-story. Let’s finish what we started last time. Continue reading “First Day in Florence”
