Ah, Firenze! – Dolly Travels

Duomo - FlorenceYes! We are in Firenze….that is Florence, in English. Florence is my favorite city in Italy. Although I do enjoy being in most of the other Italian cities, Florence is the place where I feel like I have come home again. Florence is not as big as Rome, and its historical treasures are more recent than Rome’s. While Rome was the center of civilization in its time, Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance; art, literature, music, the architecture of the grand palaces are the treasures here. We had reservations at the Accademia Galleria for 9:00 a.m. Last Friday. We got there early and the guard let us in. We had the place almost to ourselves for twenty minutes or more. We were able to see Michelangelo’s “David” without so many other tourists in the hall. I have seen this statue many times, but I never get tired of looking at that guy. The workmanship still amazes me. The muscles of his torso and limbs are so well defined. The veins in his hands, arms and feet stand out. I know I could start an IV in that right hand without a problem. Then there is the Duomo. We walked past here our first night back in Florence. The beauty of this cathedral still brings tears to my eyes. Our apartment is not far from the Duomo, so we walk past it every day. However, this nighttime view is one of my favorites. Only a few people were out that night and there was no traffic. Our view was unobstructed as we walked around the church. Getting around Florence by foot is really quite simple. Florence is not hilly like Rome, and most of the must-see sights are within a short walking distance from the center of the old city. Piazzale Michelangelo is one exception, though. It sits high on a hill, overlooking the Arno River. Getting there is quite a hike; however, the views from the piazza are worth the trip. If one really doesn’t want to walk up the hill, city buses make that trip frequently. The white church on the hill is San Miniato, just above Piazzale Michelangelo. Today we outdid ourselves. This is our last full day in Florence. We started our day early, getting to the Uffizi Gallery for our 9:00 appointment by 8:20. Once again, we were early, and the door guard let us in. The Uffizi has the largest collection of Italian art in the world, so going there is a must. We went straight to the Botticelli room, as that room can get so crowded that it is impossible to see anything. After two hours in the Uffizi, we went to the Bargello Gallery then to Santa Croce church, where many famous Florentines are interred. Among them: Leonardo di Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo, Macchiavelli, the composer Rossini, plus a large monument to Dante Allegheri, father of the Italian language, though he is not buried here. Frank wanted to go to our favorite leather shop, so we did that. Frank made a purchase and we visited with the owner, who, like several others in Florence, have become our friends. So now we are going to relax for a bit, then prepare dinner, as our friends, Massimo and Magda, are coming here for dinner. Tomorrow we will leave Florence and go to Venice for a few days. Our trip is going by quickly. There is always some place that we want to see that has to be bypassed, as we simply run out of time. However, life is good. Being in Italy is indeed “la dolce vita”, the sweet life. Until next time, Ciao for now, Dolly

By Dolly Goolsby – Full Story at Dolly Travels

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