Three more Florintine days!

October 6, 7, 8

Will share the highlights of our next three days in Florence- realizing that I just up loaded 46 pictures and obviously can't post them all. We are proud to report that after 6 very full days in Florence, we can now navigate through the historical center of town without whipping out our tourist map!

Started off Sunday 10/6 with good weather, so thought it a perfect day to hit some of the prominent outdoor sites. We walked and walked, and then walked some more! We strolled though the Boboli Gardens adjoining the Pitti Palace on the oltrarno (other side of the river)...making it all the way across town and up the steep climb to Piazzale Michelangelo for fantastic views of the city. We enjoyed a glass  of wine at the same outdoor terrace cafe we visited when last in Florence together 28 years ago!       

Perfect tourist pose #2

We even climbed a bit further up the hill to see the San Miniato church and then went back down hill and across the rivet to see Santa Croce-a 14th century grand church and home to the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, Dante and Machiavelli, among others. 

Santa Croce 

Tomb of Michelangelo

The highlight of Monday Oct. 7, was to experience the amazing Masaccio frescoes of the Brancacci Chapel. They were truly breath-taking and we felt this site to be among our favorites.

Brancacci Chapel: Massacio's St. Peter

Massacio's "The Expulsion"

Massacio's story of St. Peter continues

We saw a lot that day including the Duomo Museum to see Ghiberti's  original, amazing, perfectly restored doors from the Baptistery.

We climbed 413 steps to the top of the Campanile for some more awesome views, and went inside the Baptistery.

View of Duomo from the Campanile

View from Campanile

Mosaic ceiling of the Baptistery

By that time the Duomo was closed so we elected to pay a brief visit to the Palazzo Vecchio and see that amazing building and the art treasures still housed there. One of our favorites was a small perfectly carved wooden crucifix by Michelangelo.

Palazzo Vecchio with Coats of Arms on walls

Michelangelo's wooden crucifix

One of our goals while traveling is to find a cute little restaurant (trattoria). We were happy to stumble upon this one-and although near he Duomo, it was run by two older men that spoke only Italian.

Little (snack) bar for lunch

Buon appetito!

Our last day in Florence (10/8), we elected to fit in the rest of the sights on our list, starting with the magnificent sculptures by Donatello, Michelangelo and others at the Bargello (sadly no photos there).  We were jealous at the sight of a group of college kids (mostly American study abroad students) attending a lecture right at the foot of Donatello's "David". We finally went inside the Duomo to view the magnificent dome from the inside, whipped by the Orsanmichele and then actually walked back across the Ponte Vecchio to see the Materpieces of the Pallatine Gallery at the Pitti Palace. You can bet we were  starving and celebrated with a juicy bistecca alla fiorentina for dinner that night!

Inside the dome

Inside the Duomo

Favorite by Raphael