Just to let you know - Florence is one of my favorite cities in the world (next to Tokyo and Sydney). Every time I've been there...I've L-O-V-E-D it. It's a two-way street really. I continue to give Florence my time and money. I also am one of the best PR people that Florence has ever had. In return, Florence continues to reward me with relaxing and awesome vacations. What a deal...
The best way to arrive in Florence is by train. You can try flying there, but it just doesn't match the old-world romance of a train. On one of my trips, I went all the way from Paris to Florence on an overnight train. Sleeping in bunk-beds was no big deal to me:
Just as long as I have my Diet Coke...
I slept like a baby - perhaps it was the gentle rocking of the train. Or, maybe it was the 12 hours of walking around Paris. Who knows?
When you arrive in Florence, you'll discover quickly that it's a WALKING town. Almost everything is within reach by foot. Now, you may have to cover several miles in a day - but that's no big deal (more on that later). This is one of the reasons that I love this city. I love to walk, and the streets just lend themselves to that. In addition, Florence actually has many streets that are blocked from auto traffic, to encourage walking. You gotta love that.
Florence has an amazing array of architecture, cathedrals, gallerys, plazas, gardens and restaurants. I think I'm gushing ; ) Let's start with just a few:
Probably one of the most famous gallery/museums is the Galleria dell Academia. This is best known for a single work of art - the statue of David by Michelangelo:
This statue is really TALL. It stands about 17 ft. high, on top of an already-tall pedestal. It's considered by most to be the most important sculpture by the master, Michelangelo. It was sculpted from 1501 to 1504 and this building was constructed specifically to house the piece in 1873. There are usually a ton of tourists at this particular destination. It's pretty hard to take a good picture of David, as you have at least 50 flash bulbs all going off at the same time.
It's a shame that people don't take the time to really look at the other pieces of art in this museum. There are plenty of other sculptures and paintings that are incredible to look at:
One of the most famous parts of the Florence skyline is the Duomo. Completed in 1436, it's an entirely self-supporting dome. In fact, it still stands as the largest masonry dome in the entire world:
It's hard to explain just how beautiful this dome is. In the right lighting, the 4 million orange bricks can be seen for miles and miles away.
Inside, you'll find what looks like a cathedral - by Italian standards. Massive frescoes and sculptures line the walls. The ceiling is another masterpiece:
Seven levels of people - perhaps Dante's Inferno?
Another fantastic part of the Duomo is that there is a way to climb to the top. Just like my post about the Vatican, it's a steep climb (something like 500 steps). However, it's totally worth the effort. From this height, you get an unforgettable view of the city - which hasn't changed much over the last 500 years:
Right next to the Duomo, is the Santa Maria del Fiore. A Gothic-style cathedral, it has a massive facade that is magnificent. I spent quite a while just looking at the intricate carvings:
Another great stop in Florence is Ponte Vecchio. The bridge here, crossing the Arno River, was only one of six bridges left standing by the Germans during WWII:
The bridge is lined with jewelry shops. However, the way it started, is a very different story. Originally built in 1345, it was lined with butcher shops - and they would dump their waste directly into the river. You can imagine how lovely that whole area must have smelled. Royalty issued a decree to replace the butcher shops with goldsmiths to improve the smell. And now, you have a thriving jewelry trade. On one of my trips here, my girlfriend found some of the most amazing cameo pendants (look it up, if you don't know what these are) that were hand-carved in Italy.
Usually, it's fun to just sit on the bridge...usually with an ice cream or gelato...and watch all the tourists walk by:
Another friend of mine - that likes gelato more than jewelry ; )
That's it for Part 1. Stay tuned, as I reveal the reason why I love that this is a WALKING city, in Part 3...
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