Florence … in the heart of Tuscany

We drove through the rolling countryside of the Tuscan region to arrive in Florence. Home to some popular museums, churches and local markets, we knew we had a full day of exploring ahead of us.DSC_0471_thumb8

One of our highlights is the Basilica of Santa Croce, which is the final resting place for some notables including Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Galileo Galilei. The Basilica of Santa Croce, which is the largest Franciscan church in the world, has a stunning marble exterior and contains 16 chapels inside.

DSC_0494_thumb1During the day the piazza is filled with people admiring the basilica and enjoying the bustle of the square. There are also local artists selling leather goods, pashmina scarves, and local artwork. Austin and Danielle bought some artwork here. We also saw the Baptistry with its famous golden bronze doors. The piazza has a replica of Michelangelo's David; the original is safe and sound, next door at the art gallery.

We visited the Duomo otherwise known as the Church of Santa Maria del Fiore. DSC_0642_thumbThe best way to see the Dome is to climb its 463 steps through the interior of the dome where you can see up close the frescoes of the Last Judgment. Despite the heat of the day and the close quarters, we continued climbing upwards through the two shells of the cupola and out onto the lantern, where we had terrific views of the city.

We also visited the enchanting Ponte Vecchio. This medieval stone DSC_0678_thumbarched bridge crosses over the Arno River. What makes this bridge so unusual is that it still has shops built along it, as was once common. The present tenants are jewellers and art dealers – we didn’t spend much time browsing the shops as we didn’t see many items even close to our price range.

Before wrapping up our visit to Florence, we shopped for more local art, indulged in gelato, and visited this popular lookout to take in this spectacular view of the city skyline where we could see the Church of Santa Maria del Fiore … with its imposing dome from a distance.

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