It’s hard to believe that we’ve been gone nearly a month! We wrapped up our stay in Florence after a glorious a week. We loved every moment despite the 100+ degree weather, and I can’t imagine how we could have packed more into the 7 days we were there. Florence is like a page from a giant art history book. There’s something to love everywhere you turn. The art alone is amazing; however, there’s also the rich history of Florence and Tuscany…..and yes, I learned more about the Medicis this week than I ever really wanted to know. It’s easy to forget that our own country is still in it’s infancy compared to Europe and Great Britain. Our hotel in Florence, the Il Guelfo Bianco, is housed in a building erected in 1450—-42 years before Columbus discovered the New World. This is also the city of Michelangelo, Donatello, and Dante. We could have spent days in the Uffizi and Academia Galleries. Then, there is the food and the wine…….that’s another topic in itself. For now, I will leave you with a few of the iconic views of Florence.
The view from Michelangelo Piazza high above the city.
The Ponte Vecchio was the only one of Florence’s historic bridges to survive the bombings in WWII. It is now lined with shops–especially jewelry shops.
A replica of Michelangelo’s “David” in Plazza della Signoria outside the Vecchio Museum. The original is now in the Academia Museum.
The Florence Cathedral at night with Giotto’s Belltower to the right.
Donatello’s “David” in The Museo Bargella–the National Museum– in Florence.
Crowd gathering outside the Uffizi Museum.
Another version of The Pieta by Michelangelo. The most memorable is in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. This one is in the Cathedral Museum in Florence.
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