From Here to There

April 24-May 2, 2016.  On my first full day “in Florence” I saw nothing of the city at all – instead I took a bus tour to Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa.  (That experience deserves its own post – and space for pictures – which I’ll write later).  I felt the start of a cold coming on (sore throat and sniffles), so as soon as we returned to the city, I found a pharmacy so I could start dosing myself with antioxidants, and pampering myself with tea and honey.

The next day, I started the day with a hop-on/off bus tour to get the “lay of the land”.  While this is a very “touristy” thing to do, I love those buses, and have taken them during many of my travels.  It’s a very cheap way to get a quick “guided tour” of the most famous landmarks in a city, and to get across town without killing your feet in the process.  And, once my sense of direction kicks in, I at least have an idea as to which direction to walk.

I took the bus to Piazza Michelangelo, with it’s wonderful views of the city and surrounding hill towns.  It had been chilly and overcast all morning, but when I got to the plaza after lunch, the sun managed to show itself long enough for me to get a few good shots, and to get warmed up with a cup of coffee at the cafe on the terrace below.  I found my way back to the city center, bought some breakfast foods at the local co-op, and made it an early day. I knew rest and fluids will help to shorten the duration (and severity) of my cold.

On Wednesday I took the bus up to the nearby hill town of Fiesole, where there are some ancient Roman ruins.  Other than a group of school kids on a field trip, it was quiet and peaceful. It’s always interesting to think about what life must have been like in these ancient towns.  The town itself is almost 3,000 years old – and the ruins are only slightly younger.  I know I will see other ruins when I get to Rome, but it was still impressive to see these: my first Roman ruins from that time.

Back in Florence, the church at Santa Croce has an impressive number of famous people buried under it’s floor and in the stunningly elegant sarcophagi that are set against almost every wall.  Michelangelo is buried here, as are Machiavelli and Galileo, to name just a few.  Another stunning collection of art  and magnificent stonework make this a “must see” church while in this beautiful city.

After lunch I wandered through the central market – shops outside are all selling scarves and leather goods and souvenirs, while inside vendors sell fresh produce, meat and all sorts of food goods. I discovered an open area with lots of great looking dining options on the second floor, and wished I’d waited to have my lunch there.

Took the bus again, this time to the Pitti Palace, which doesn’t allow you to bring in your purse or camera, so I decided to skip it and instead chose to climb the hill through the Boboli Gardens behind the palace.  I’m not in very good shape, so it was a challenge, but I managed to make it to the top of the hill where the views are stunning.  As a collector of teapots and teacups, it was a delight to visit the Porcelain museum, also at the top of the gardens, and the rose garden was in bloom – the scent was heavenly!

I strolled back down the hill, pausing for views along the way, and then crossed the Ponte Vecchio (bridge).  It’s still lined on either side with vendors selling gold – just as it was in ancient times. Lots of beautiful jewelry – it’s a good thing I’m sticking to my budget.

I spent Thursday morning at the Uffizi Gallery, Florence’s premiere art collection, housing works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Michelangelo, da Vinci and Botticelli, to name just a few.  I stood in awe in front of the Birth of Venus.  Not a reproduction – the real thing.  It’s kind of a “wow!” moment when you get to see, in person, these works of the masters.

A few blocks away at the Gallery de Accademia, nothing prepares you for your first glimpse of “the David.”  Michelangelo sculpted this magnificent masterpiece out of a single block of marble, and it’s not life-size; it is immensely larger than life, in more ways than one.

I ended my day by touring the church of St. Sebastian, which was commissioned by the Medici family and houses more wonderful artwork as well as the tomb of Donatello, who was involved in parts of the church’s design and creation.  Another one of many splendid examples of interior architecture in Florence.

On Friday I was up early to take the train to La Spezia – the gateway to the Mediterranean hill towns known as Cinqe Terre.  That’s another blog post – and more photos of course.

Other than attending the opera on Saturday night (“La Traviata”), my last few days in Florence were spent just relaxing.  It’s been a long 4+ weeks of travel, with another 10 days of exploring to go.  It felt good to stay in, and when the rain started it felt even better to not be out there getting soaked.  My feet appreciated the break too.  They said so themselves.