Florence, Italy

Located in the heart of Tuscany, Florence has been a popular tourist destination for many centuries. It is the birthplace of Leonardo Da Vinci, Florence Nightingale, Lisa del Giocondo, Michelangelo, and many other famous people. It is the capital city of Tuscany and is considered to be the home of the Renaissance, the cultural and artistic rebirth that left the Middle Ages behind. It is the home of Gucci, opera, gelato, and the piano. According to UNESCO, close to one-third of the world’s art treasures are found in Florence. Forbes Magazine considers it to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. We visited in October, 2017 and I can’t wait to visit again someday.

The famous Duomo is probably the most popular and recognized site here. It is an absolutely amazing cathedral both inside and out. It was designed by Fillippo Brunelleschi and dates back to the 13th century. The combination of pink, white, and green marble adorn the outside of the structure.

The famous clock was designed by Paolo Uccello in 1443, and is still a highlight.

There is so much more to see in Florence, including the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, a historic library containing ancient manuscripts and books. It was designed by Michelangelo, and finished by Tribolo, Vasari, and others. I was interested in one of the many documents here, written by Leonardo Bruni in the 15th century, and was titled “Oration against a foul mouthed scamp.” I guess some things never change.

Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens are other interesting places to visit. The palace was the home of the Medici family beginning in the mid 1500s. It is a beautiful place to visit with some amazing views of Florence. The gardens date back to the mid 1700s.

Florence is a large city, but easily walkable with so many other beautiful historical and artistic sites to see. The river Arno, cuts through the city and has with many bridges, including the oldest bridge in Florence, Ponte Vecchio.

We recently watched Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy on CNN. (A very informative and entertaining special, by the way, which I highly recommend). Anyway, his guide in Florence introduced him to Wine Windows, small windows built into the sides of buildings as a means of selling wine directly to the consumer to avoid the spread of the bubonic plague in the 1600s. They went out of service many years ago, but have recently made a comeback due to COVID. Stanley refers to them as little doors of paradise. I never noticed these when we visited, but I hope to go back someday and experience them first-hand.

We stayed at Hotel Bigallo Florence, a perfect location for exploring the city on foot. The hotel is quiet, comfortable and comes with breakfast. It was Lucy Honeychurch in A Room With a View who said, Don’t you agree that, on one’s first visit to Florence, one must have a room with a view? I was completely blown away when I opened the shutters in our room and saw this; Lucy would have approved.

I haven’t even mentioned the amazing restaurants and food! We had so many delicious meals, including seafood, pasta, pizza, there are too many options to mention.

Florence is a major tourist destination, it has been for centuries, and probably will be for many more years, but don’t let that put you off. It has so much to offer, and you’ll be glad you visited.

Everything about Florence seems to be colored with a mild violet, like diluted wine. Henry James.

This is the fairest picture on our planet, the most enchanting to look upon, the most satisfying to the eye and spirit. To see the sun sink down, drowned in his pink and purple and golden floods, and overwhelm Florence with tides of color that make all the sharp lines dim and faint and turn the solid city to a city of dreams, is a sight to stir the coldest nature, and to make a sympathetic one drunk with ecstasy. Mark Twain

Wishing you grand adventures,

Tricia