We stayed at the Albergo Firenze, a cute little hotel that was perfectly comfortable and clean, a surprise to us since Lisa had warned us more than once that the place really earned its two star rating. Florence feels very different than Rome - its streets are wider, as are the cobblestones, which makes for easier transportation. Instead of the constant barrage of motorini, the preferred mode of transportation is by bicycle, complete with carrier basket in the front. Florence is much smaller than Rome as well. On most days we walked from one end of town to the other more than once. We spent our mornings in class, focusing on Renaissance art and the Medici family, and had afternoons generally free, giving us time to do our readings and daily assignments (as well as spend a hefty amount of time in the leather market, as you can see on my Italian wardrobe blog). Over the week, we visited several important Florentine sights, including the Uffizi, which holds one of the most impressive collections of art in the world, the Museo dell'Academia, where Michelangelo's "David" is located, the famous Duomo, Santa Croce, a church which holds the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, Dante and Machiavelli,and the Palazzo Vecchio, which housed the Medici family during their years of power in Florence.
I was freezing the entire time in Florence. On our first day, it poured on us as we walked back from Santa Croce, and when we got back to the hotel, Katie and I soaked our feet in the tub to regain feeling. This is a picture Lauren took of our feet-warming endeavor. The water
wasn't even that hot, our feet were just such icicles that it was pretty intense trying to warm them up. It didn't rain much more that week, but the temperature up north was significantly lower than back home in Rome.We had some amazing food in Florence, and in Tuscany in general. One night at dinner, Lisa ordered this steak that was coated in balsamic vinegar and it was one of the most fantastic things I've ever tasted. We even got a picture to remember it
by. YUM. Every meal was delicious though, way more flavorful than the overpriced, touristy restaurants that dominate the area around the Campo de'Fiori.My favorite part of Florence was the Arno River. Its color is a little strange, this unnatural, murky shade that I guess I would call turquoise? But it's still beautiful, especially because of the gorgeous building facades and the rows of bridges visible when you glance up and down the river. Underneath is a really cool picture that Katie took of the Arno. I love this shot! Well done, Furia.
It was a really fun week and I loved Florence, despite the fact that I was plagued by a prickly cold feeling the whole time. I solved that problem with my new gloves and scarves anyway. Oh, one more notable thing to mention about Florence - the gypsies. On our very first day, within an hour of arriving, we were seriously harassed by a teenage gypsy in Piazza della Republica while Lisa attempted to give us a intro lecture on the Medici. Let me tell you, this girl was persistent. She wove in and out of our gruppo, shaking her cup of coins and asking each of us for money at least twice, probably more. I'm pretty sure Lisa was contemplating physically removing her from the area, with good reason.
So that was my trip. It was a lot of fun, and I was really glad I got to take my dad back to visit these places last weekend. Naples next week! I'll try to post something about that in a more timely fashion.
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