6-9 April 2012
Florence - a City full of Renaissance treasures and the capital of beautiful Tuscany.
We have just returned from a wonderful few days in Florence. Mixed weather didn't stop us exploring the amazing Galleries, Palaces and Gardens. The smaller Museums and collections didn't disappoint either! This is what we got up to in a little more detail:
Friday 6th - Fly from Gatwick to a grey and drizzly Pisa. Train over to Florence. Arrive at the wonderful central station, the Firenze Santa Maria Novella. The station was designed in 1932 by a group of architects known as the Gruppo Toscano and is well worth a few moments of your tourist activity! We grab a cab to Hilton Florence Metrapole, our home for the next few days. Quick unpack and ready to head back into the City. We stroll about and take in the sights. We are getting hungry and head over the tourist heavy Ponte Vecchio bridge and grab some delicious traditional Tuscan food and wine in a quaint little restaurant called Osteria Santo Spirito in Piazza Santo Spirito.
Saturday 7th - The Weather is still a little challenged (raining!!), so we get the free bus into the centre of Florence. We hit the tourist hot spots early! It went a little like this: The amazing Marble clad Medici Chapel. The fine art collection of the Palzzo Medici. The treasure trove that is the Bargello Museum - housed in the splendid Palazzo del Bargello, the oldest palace in Florence. Next up - the Palazzo Vecchio, a gem rammed with the finest statues, Renaissance paintings and the most incredible collection of maps (a copy of Michelangelo's David guards the entrance to this Palace - the sculpture court outside the gates is just a dream). Now off to the big one, the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as the Duomo. We only have to queue for ten Min's or so before we get inside, not bad!... Now off to the art Gallery that is the true hot ticket in Florence, the Uffizi. Renaissance nuggets around every corner including the birth of Venus by Botticelli - beautiful. Phew... what a brilliant day, we head over the Ponte Vecchio once again to sample some beautiful Chianti in a great little wine bar, just up the street from the restaurant where we choose to relax and discuss the days sight seeing.
Dave enjoys the river in front of the Ponte Vecchio
Sunday 8th - Another grey day, but we are not put
off by the clouds, and head straight to the square outside the Basilica
di Santa Maria del Fiore - it's 11:00am and time to cover our ears... we
enjoy Scoppio Del Carro, a crazy (and very noisy) Easter Sunday tradition. Next up - the wonderful Palazzo Pitti, a fantastic collection of small museums and Galleries. We also take a stroll through the Boboli Gardens
and drink in the view of the city and the surrounding Tuscan
countryside. Close by are the more decorative, English style gardens of
the Giardino Bardini, we enjoy more beautiful vistas. Time for a quick snack break before heading to the Accademia Gallery. This tourist hot spot is particularly famous for its sculptures by Michelangelo:
the Prisoners, the St.Matthew and, especially, the incredibly beautiful statue of David which
was transferred here, to the specially designed tribune, from Piazza
della Signoria in 1873. The sun starts to shine so we hit the main sights once more to photograph against the blue sky. We enjoy an early eve snack and a bottle of wine in a cool little bar before heading back to the Hilton to collapse!Monday 9th - The sun is out, quick - get into Florence!! We take breakfast in the back streets and once again head over the river to take in the views. We walk up hill to the Piazzale Michelangelo to take some pics, then carry on up hill to the lovely San Miniato al Monte, more pics then back down hill to start out trip back home from Pisa.
Alex enjoys the view
Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore - The Duomo
Alex shelters from the rain in the Boboli Gardens
10 out of 10
