Florence
Florence is an amazing city .. the Uffizi, the Duomo, the cooking class, the Bargello Museum, the churches and, of course, Michelangelo's "David". There was so much to see and do in three days!
This brings us to one of the best parts of this trip - the planning. We didn't have to do any of it! I recently spoke with a friend who did Italy in a 10 days as well, but didn't get to see as many sights as we did because he spent so much time waiting in line and buying tickets. Nowhere was that more obvious than in Florence. Sarah, our guide, made the reservations, got us to the location and handed out tickets. All we had to do was walk right in. Great, right?
The "David" is the must-see and for good reason! That first evening in Florence, after a short rest at our hotel, and beverages on the patio, our group headed out to the Accademia. Despite the fact we were arriving only about an hour before closing, the line of people waiting to enter was around the block. But, as previously mentioned, thanks to Sarah, we were quickly going thru security. Once inside, our guide regaled us with stories of Michelangelo and David.
Click on the photos below to see some of the most remarkable things we saw in Florence!
Birthplace of the Renaissance
The Santa Croce church is part of the guided tour. In addition to artwork, it holds tombs and monuments to historical figures such as Dante, Machiavelli, Galileo and, of course, Michelangelo.
When you enter a place like this, you realize the influence that Italian history and culture has on the rest of the world. It's astounding!
We spent hours at the Bargello admiring the variety of pieces from master artists, including exquisite marble and bronze sculptures. The building itself was once a prison. It has a wonderful open air feel with a huge courtyard.
Don't miss out, go to the cooking class!
One of the nice things about a Rick Steves tour is that you can opt out of participating in any of the group activities; however, though you may think you might want to skip the cooking class in favor of visiting another museum or some extra free time - don't do it. The cooking class was a blast!
Our chefs were funny, informative and very talented. The recipes reminded me of the pasta and pan chicken our grandmother (Nonni) used to prepare, which made the experience a little extra special.
After creating our masterpieces in the kitchen, we moved to the quaint basement dining area and enjoyed the fruits of our labor, so to speak. Who knew home made pasta was so easy?
We walked away with a delicious memory and Tuscan recipes, to boot, thanks to everyone at In Tavola!
Order the steak
While in Florence, Darrell and John were determined to sample the Bistecca (steak) that the area was famous for. Our last night, we tried to make reservations at one of the restaurants listed in the Rick Steves guidebook; unfortunately we waited too long and were not able to get in.
No problem ... we asked the Concierge at the hotel to recommend a restaurant. He suggested one that was a short walk away and we loved it.
The restaurant, Osteria Antica Mescita, was small but had a dining area in the basement that had wonderful ambiance. The waitress was very friendly and though she didn't speak much English, and we don't speak much Italian ... we communicated just fine.
We knew the steak would be large, and the boys had already decided to split it between them. I think it's safe to say they enjoyed it.
Home away from home.....
The Hotel Silla was first rate. The patio where breakfast was served was beautiful and a wonderful way to catch up with fellow travelers; we did so frequently. In fact, one evening we bought meats, cheeses, bread and cookies from a local store and then headed to the patio for a light dinner under the stars. We arrived to find that others from our group had had the same thought. We had great fun with our new friends!