Florence, Italy- Birthplace of the Renaissance

Florence (or Firenze, to the locals) is the capital of the Tuscany region. Authors and artists alike hailed from the area and it spent a long while under the rule of the powerful Medici family. It was a financial hub, too, Florentine money financing industry throughout Western Europe as far back as the middle ages.The Italian language as we know it originated there, as the local dialect was used as a starting point for Standard Italian, thanks in part to Dante Alighieri, author of the Divine Comedy.

I stayed at Hotel Benivieni, located near the Duomo and a short walk from the train station. The room was cozy and clean and a cafe was located on the bottom floor, so handy for breakfast, which was included.

I walked to Piazza della Signora for a quick lunch. And and Aperol spritz. And maybe some gelato. This piazza was the original home of the famous statue of David. The David was relocated to the Accademia Gallery in the 1800s, but a replica stands in the original location.

For my first full day in Florence, I started off with a Rick Steves Audio Tour of the city. I like these because they are self-guided, easy to follow, and informative. And free! Below are a few highlights.

The Duomo. This is an engineering marvel built by Fillipo Burnellischi starting in the 13th century.

Walking around Florence seems to be like walking around a sculpture gallery. At Orsanmichele, near the duomo, statues are tucked into alcoves, including a couple from the famed artist (and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle), Donatello. No glass. No fence. Just out in the open, with no security. Because I am an American and live in a place where people deface and steal things on the regular, this shocks me. I mean, it would be a hell of a feat to knick it in the middle of the night, but still! So amazing.

The Arno River travels east to west through the city. Ponte Vecchio bridge was built in the 1300s and was originally home to butchers and leatherworkers. As you can imagine, the smell would have been quite pungent. The Medici, the rich and powerful rulers of the city, eventually made them move out and brought in jewelers instead. Much more glamorous! Of course, they didn’t want to have to walk among the common folk, so a path above the bridge was built so they could walk above them to the Uffizi, in the Piazza della Signora.

Despite doing the Rick Steves tour, I had also signed up for a walking tour through Viator that included a Skip the Line ticket to see David at the Accademia Gallery. It was well worth it! I learned a lot more about the history of the area and the buildings.

The tour concluded at the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze, where Michelangelo’s David has resided since 1873. There are a number of other sculptures and paintings in the gallery, but David is definitely the main attraction. The statue was originally intended to be on the roofline of a cathedral, but at almost 6 tons it was decided that would be an impossible task, so it was originally installed at Palazzo Vecchio instead. The statue is often said to symbolize the defense of civil liberties- Florence was an independent city-state at the time, but was always under threat from other city-states, as well as the Medici family, who was residing in Rome at the time. David is thought to be casting a warning, defiant glare in the direction of Rome- the giant he wants to slay.

One of the best activities I did was riding a vintage Vespa scooter through the hills above Florence, once again booked through Viator. I rode a motorcycle for several years, so riding a scooter was no problem. There were several people on the tour that had never ridden and managed to do ok, so don’t let that deter you!

Our first stop was a vineyard growing Sangiovese grapes. Italy has been experiencing a severe drought, so a lot of the grapes were shriveled. In order for a wine to be considered a proper Chianti, they are not allowed to water the vines.

The next stop was a 1000 year old church with a view of the whole city. Unfortunately I don’t have many pictures here because I took them on my regular camera, which I left in my hotel room in Venice and was never able to get back. Sigh. Photo credit goes to my friend, Cat, who I met on this tour. She is doing a solo round-the-world trip! Follow her on Instagram- @catisoutoftheoffice2

The tour ended with a delicious meal at a wine maker’s estate, complete with a glass or two of chianti. Tours are a wonderful way to meet people when you are traveling- especially when solo. There were people from Poland, Sweden, the US, and India in our group. What better way to get to know someone than over a glass of wine and some bread?

I went to the Ufizzi Gallery and did the audio tour. I do not know much about art history (or religion, for that matter), so I the audio tour was very informative. The museum is set up in chronological order. It was interesting to see how art work evolved over centuries. I was struck by how vibrant the color still is on paintings that are 500+ years old.

Florence is known for their beef and a popular dish is bistecca alla fiorentina. I couldn’t leave Florence without indulging in one of the region’s famous dishes, so I met my friend Cat from the scooter tour for dinner. It was probably one of the best steaks I have ever had!

I really loved Florence. I was ready to Under-the-Tuscan-Sun it and move immediately. The Florentine people were warm and friendly and the city was much cleaner than Rome. The food was also much better. Oh! And I saw art work from all of the Ninja Turtles. haha