Hi friends, welcome back to my Italy series! After checking into our hotel and having our first Italian meal, it was time to explore Florence. You never would’ve guessed it was hailing and nasty earlier because the sun came out and it felt like a brand-new day. I immediately fell in love with the quaint streets and charming buildings. The city center is closed to cars except taxis, buses, and residents so Florence was pretty quiet.
We passed by the Duomo and I’d seen it so many times in pictures and YouTube videos, but it was even more stunning in person. Walking by it every day never got old or less amazing. It was larger than I expected and very tricky to fit in one picture. I’ll be sharing more about it in a future post 🙂
We passed by Piazza della Repubblica with its iconic Merry Go Round, Column of Abundance, and Arcone Triumphal Arch. Back in Roman times, this was the forum of Florence. In the mid 1800s the square went through a major overhaul when Florence was briefly the capital of Italy. The square was widened and many buildings were destroyed in the process.
Jon and I walked alongside the Arno River and got our first look at Ponte Vecchio. This famous bridge was built in 1345 and the passageway at the top goes from Palazzo Vecchio through the Uffizi Gallery, and up to Pitti Palace. The ruling Medici family used the passageway to get around the city and butcher shops occupied the lower level. The butchers would throw the garbage in the river, but now gold, silver, and souvenir shops have taken residence. This bridge is very photogenic so make sure you go in the morning to get your shot before the sun moves behind it in the evening.
I had originally planned to explore the Pitti Palace on this afternoon, but the apartments in it were closed for restoration, so we enjoyed the slow start to our trip. The Bobli gardens were also on my list, but gardens after inclement weather are usually pretty muddy. So we wandered through a free rose garden on our way to Piazza Michelangelo. It was the perfect distraction from our exhaustion.
It takes around thirty-five minutes to walk from our hotel to Piazza Michaelango if you don’t stop to take pictures of everything, but you know I can’t resist. This piazza is a bit of a hike to get up to, but so worth it for the best views of Florence. It’s a popular spot to watch sunsets, but our sleep deprived selves enjoyed the early evening views just fine. There is also a bronze replica of Michelangelo’s David and a handful of vendors if you need refreshments or souvenirs.
Jon and I had a great first day roaming the streets and getting a bearing for this beautiful city. We went to bed early to ready ourselves for a busy day of sightseeing the next day starting with the Uffizi Gallery. Stay tuned for more 🙂
Posts in this series:
Florence
