Florence!

Florence is the second of three cities in Italy experience with my mom

Thursday (July 26^th):

We took the boat up to Venice’s train station and we were off to Florence.  We were able to find our hotel very easily as it was in eye sight of Florence’s train station so we quickly dropped off our bags and we started our sightseeing. 

Traveling into Florence

We purchased a “Venice Card” which cost 50 euros but gave us unlimited access on the transportation system and access to most major museums within the city without having to wait in line.  We used a card to go to the top of the hilltop “Piazzale Michelangelo” which was on the hillside and could see all of Venice.  It was quite stressful trying to find out how to get to the top of the mountain side as I was not familiar with the train system and was guiding my mom within along the different routes within the first hour of arriving to the city. 

Piazzale Michelangelo (view of the city from the hill)

From the hill, we walked down to the Ponte Vecchio and then past the “Colonna dell’Abbondquza” and “Dumom” where we had dinner.  I befriended a Russian girl sitting next to us and asked her about my trip to Moscow and listened/took notes of her suggestions.

Ponte Vecchio

After dinner, we got gelato in “Della Repbulica” and watched the sun set.  It just so happened that a festival was taking place just down the street at Duomo to celebrate “Saint Anne” so we stopped there on our way back to our hotel.

Friday (July 27^th)

We had an early start so that we could visit the “Duomo Cathedral” before the large crowds started to gather.  My mom didn’t have the energy to walk up the 463 steps but I was determined to visit this famous peak and hiked/squeezed my way up through the congested steps for the best view of the town.  After my trip up there, I meet up with my mom and we went to “Museo dell’Opera del Duomo” and saw Michelangelo’s Pieta, Donatello’s Marry Magdalene, and much more.

View of the Inside of the Duomo

View on top of Duomo

Then we headed off to “Plazzo Verchio” (City Hall) where the Medici family lived and came into power.  Inside, I saw the “Grand Hall” (holds 500 people), Michelangelo’s “Victory”, the Room of Four Elements, and up into the tower.  We stopped for lunch and then off to “Bargello” where we saw various Medici treasures, coats of arms, Michelangelo’s earlier wooden carvings of Jesus and statues.

Plazzo Verchio

Then we were off to the famous Uffizi Gallery to see Botticellis’ “Birth of Venus” and “Allegory of Spring,” Paolo Uccello’s “Battle of San Romano,” Titian’s “Venus of Urbino” and a few other Leonardo da Vinchi and Michaelangelo paintings.  My mom was pretty tired after visiting all of these cites so she went back to the hotel and I continued to “Chiesa di Santa Croce” where I saw Giotto’s “Death of St. Francis” and the tombs of Galileo Galilei and Michelangelo.

Tomb of Galileo Galilei

Tomb of Michelangelo

Saturday (July 28^th):

After a long Friday, we decided to sleep in a bit and got a late breakfast in the hotel on the roof.  Once we were done eating, we went to “Chiesa de San Lorenzo e Cappelle Medicee” (Florence’s oldest church, started in 393) and was the official church of the Medici family where we saw works from Brunelleschi and Michelangelo.  We went into the chapel and saw “Cappella dei Principi” and Pope Leo X’s memorabilia before seeing Michelangelo’s New Sacristy where the Medici’s most famous family members are buried.

We then went to the famous “Accademia di Belle Arti” and saw several Michelangelo’s sculptures (including the 15^th century famous David statue), Giambolognn’s “Rape of the Sabines”, and the museum’s ancient musical instrument collection. 

We then got sandwiches at a grocery store across the museum before going to “Chiesa e museo de San Marco” where we saw Friar Angelico’s 43 painted munk cells and bedrooms.    We then decided to do a quick stop in “Plazzo Medici Riccardi” which housed the Medici family during their political gain during the renaissance movement.  We got dinner and then drinks on the rooftop where we watched the sun set for our last night in Florence.

View from Hotel Roof

View from Hotel Roof