Where: Florence, Italy
When: February 7-10, 2012
With: Loren and Rachel
Day 1
Stop two on our trip through Italy was Florence. After a 2 hour train ride from Rome, we exited onto the winding streets in search of our hotel. It was less than half a mile from the train station, so we decided to try to walk it.
We knew that our hotel was in the piazza that had the Duomo. But the address of "1 Piazza Duomo" was not as easy to find as we though it would be. We ended up wandering in circles for about an hour with packs on our backs (around the Duomo though, so at least the views were nice) . After having walked past it 3 times and attempting to get directions from postmen and store clerks, we found it, hidden away as inconspicuously as could be.
The hotel was called the Soggiorno Battistero. An American woman from California and her Italian husband bought a floor in this old apartment building to convert into a small hotel. It's location could not have been better - hard to see, but that is the Duomo shining in from our window.
After settling into our room, we headed out for some lunch. We found a small panini shop run by a little old lady who spoke no English. Our broken Italian was apparently not very good - she wouldn't accept our attempts to pronounce words like formaggio and prosciutto and kept telling us to point at the sandwich we wanted.
We then decided to head for the Galleria dell'Academia to see the statue of David. Click here for the story.
After the museum, we decided it was high time for our first gelato. We stopped by a place by our hotel before heading back to rest up for the night. I went for strawberry and it was incredible.
For our first evening in Florence, the planned event was the opera! After having a delicious meal (lasagna for me), we headed across the Arno river for the show. It was performed in a small church called St. Mark's English church. There were only about 50 seats and a super tiny stage. The show was La Traviata. Now, given the recent confirmation that my great great great uncle was actually the guy who wrote this opera (Giuseppe Verdi), I really wanted to be turned into like a super opera buff, who just melts into tears and like, gets it when I see it. In reality, my opera gauge fell somewhere between Loren (who nodded off a couple times) and Rachel (who was audibly bawling at the end). I really did like it, but I didn't have my great "spiritual connection with a dead relative" moment. However, we all agreed that if the lead male was played by someone younger and mildly attractive, we all would have loved it more - though not sure if there would have been enough tissues available for Rachel in that case.
That night, we walked home across the bridge and had a lovely view of the Ponte Vecchio from afar. A wonderful day of introduction to Florentine life.
Day 2
The next morning, breakfast was served to us in our room by our lovely host. You know your day is going to be good when your table looks like this: breakfast, wine bottles, and tour books.
For our first activity of the day, we set out to explore the Duomo. Click here for the pictures.
After the Duomo, we had plans to spend the afternoon the Tuscan way: wine tasting. First stop on our way to the vineyard was a small village called Santa Brigida.
There was a small church that was built on the site of a cave where someone had lived for 3 years. I didn't really hear the whole story cause I fell asleep on the bus ride there...
In the courtyard of the castle, we learned about its history. It was originally the castle of the Pazzi family. The Pazzi were constantly in contention with the largest and most powerful family in Florence, the Medicis. A murder plot was devised by the Pazzis to take power by killing the two main brothers of the Medici family in the 1400s. Unfortunately for the Pazzi's, they only killed one brother and the one that survived made everyone turn on the Pazzi's. Most of the family was murdered, their family crest destroyed, and their name banned from public use. This plaque is the only remnant of the family crest. It was saved from destruction out of respect for the artist (Donatello).
Now the castle is owned by a family that took it over, refurbished it, and continues to live in it today. Since it is still a private home, you can't take pictures inside the castle. You can, however, take pictures in the wine cellar that has been in use for hundreds of years.
At the end of our tour, we had a lovely wine tasting and food sampling: cheese, cured meat, olive tapanade, creamed bruschetta, and olive oil made on the premises. For wine, we had some of their best Chiantis and Vin Santo.
When we got back to the city, we headed out for dinner at a place recommended by Rachel's little brother. We ended up staying in the restaurant all night, trying local wines and eating amazing food. The waiter said we were his favorite kind of customer - so different from the usual attitude of "get in, get out" you see in most places. After shots of Limoncello on the house, and a kiss on each cheek from our waiter, we called an end to another wonderful evening in Florence.
Day 3
After a very slow start to the morning (due very much to the copious amount of wine consumed the evening before), we headed out for our day to explore Florence.
Next, we wandered over to Il Ponte Vecchio. Click here for pictures.
From the Ponte, we were at the Uffizi Gallery. Click here for pictures.
After the museum, it was time to just wander Florence and do some shopping. The streets were all windy and narrow, it was easy to just get lost.
It was then time for lunch. We didn't know where to go, so we wandered a bit. Luckily our wandering landed us in the Piazza della Signoria because I'm not sure we would have seen it otherwise. Click here for pictures.
After another delicious lunch of pizza, we decided to some shopping. And what shopping do you do in Florence? Leather shopping - we thought the Leather School in the Basilica di Santa Croce would be a good place to start. Click here for pictures.
For the rest of the afternoon, we wandered in and out of shops, browsing leather goods (that were still ridiculously expensive, even when the quality seemed to take a severe dip) and speciality shops filled with random things (calligriphy and quills are apparently a huge market). Rachel got herself a new wallet, Loren and I bought some little bracelets, a few gifts for home, and we were done. We closed our walk out with one more trip for gelato, then back to the hotel.
For our last meal in Florence, we headed to another hole in the wall restaurant. We all were tired and expected an early night. However, the house wine started flowing, we couldn't seem to call it a night. One highlight of dinner was when my bread plate was forcibly removed by the waiter/chef/owner because "you're pasta is a-ready NOW". I did not argue with the man. We ended up spending another 5 hours eating and drinking - the owner loved us so much, we got free shots of grapa and vin santo (or was it limoncello? can't remember...). Around 11pm, a bunch of locals came in, the front doors were shut and locked up, and we were told that "now you smoke if you like". We were happy to be considered one of the regulars. Needless to say, it was not an early night at all, and we happily (and probably very loudly) headed back to our hotel for one last sleep in Florence.
A fantastic way to end our time in Florence. The next morning, off to Venice - click for next part!
When: February 7-10, 2012
With: Loren and Rachel
Day 1
Stop two on our trip through Italy was Florence. After a 2 hour train ride from Rome, we exited onto the winding streets in search of our hotel. It was less than half a mile from the train station, so we decided to try to walk it.
We knew that our hotel was in the piazza that had the Duomo. But the address of "1 Piazza Duomo" was not as easy to find as we though it would be. We ended up wandering in circles for about an hour with packs on our backs (around the Duomo though, so at least the views were nice) . After having walked past it 3 times and attempting to get directions from postmen and store clerks, we found it, hidden away as inconspicuously as could be.
The hotel was called the Soggiorno Battistero. An American woman from California and her Italian husband bought a floor in this old apartment building to convert into a small hotel. It's location could not have been better - hard to see, but that is the Duomo shining in from our window.
After settling into our room, we headed out for some lunch. We found a small panini shop run by a little old lady who spoke no English. Our broken Italian was apparently not very good - she wouldn't accept our attempts to pronounce words like formaggio and prosciutto and kept telling us to point at the sandwich we wanted.
We then decided to head for the Galleria dell'Academia to see the statue of David. Click here for the story.
After the museum, we decided it was high time for our first gelato. We stopped by a place by our hotel before heading back to rest up for the night. I went for strawberry and it was incredible.
For our first evening in Florence, the planned event was the opera! After having a delicious meal (lasagna for me), we headed across the Arno river for the show. It was performed in a small church called St. Mark's English church. There were only about 50 seats and a super tiny stage. The show was La Traviata. Now, given the recent confirmation that my great great great uncle was actually the guy who wrote this opera (Giuseppe Verdi), I really wanted to be turned into like a super opera buff, who just melts into tears and like, gets it when I see it. In reality, my opera gauge fell somewhere between Loren (who nodded off a couple times) and Rachel (who was audibly bawling at the end). I really did like it, but I didn't have my great "spiritual connection with a dead relative" moment. However, we all agreed that if the lead male was played by someone younger and mildly attractive, we all would have loved it more - though not sure if there would have been enough tissues available for Rachel in that case.
That night, we walked home across the bridge and had a lovely view of the Ponte Vecchio from afar. A wonderful day of introduction to Florentine life.
Day 2
The next morning, breakfast was served to us in our room by our lovely host. You know your day is going to be good when your table looks like this: breakfast, wine bottles, and tour books.
For our first activity of the day, we set out to explore the Duomo. Click here for the pictures.
After the Duomo, we had plans to spend the afternoon the Tuscan way: wine tasting. First stop on our way to the vineyard was a small village called Santa Brigida.
There was a small church that was built on the site of a cave where someone had lived for 3 years. I didn't really hear the whole story cause I fell asleep on the bus ride there...
Can you imagine living in this little cave for 3 years? Yikes...
Next up, the Castello del Trebbio for wine tasting.
In the courtyard of the castle, we learned about its history. It was originally the castle of the Pazzi family. The Pazzi were constantly in contention with the largest and most powerful family in Florence, the Medicis. A murder plot was devised by the Pazzis to take power by killing the two main brothers of the Medici family in the 1400s. Unfortunately for the Pazzi's, they only killed one brother and the one that survived made everyone turn on the Pazzi's. Most of the family was murdered, their family crest destroyed, and their name banned from public use. This plaque is the only remnant of the family crest. It was saved from destruction out of respect for the artist (Donatello).
Now the castle is owned by a family that took it over, refurbished it, and continues to live in it today. Since it is still a private home, you can't take pictures inside the castle. You can, however, take pictures in the wine cellar that has been in use for hundreds of years.
Just some of the family's private collection of wine...no big deal.
The old dungeon has been turned into the olive oil storage unit.
More of the private collection.
At the end of our tour, we had a lovely wine tasting and food sampling: cheese, cured meat, olive tapanade, creamed bruschetta, and olive oil made on the premises. For wine, we had some of their best Chiantis and Vin Santo.
Afterwards, it was time to go. Luckily we had some beautiful weather on our way out so we could enjoy the Tuscan views. This was also the time I asked Loren why, exactly, our families decided to leave this gorgeous country.
When we got back to the city, we headed out for dinner at a place recommended by Rachel's little brother. We ended up staying in the restaurant all night, trying local wines and eating amazing food. The waiter said we were his favorite kind of customer - so different from the usual attitude of "get in, get out" you see in most places. After shots of Limoncello on the house, and a kiss on each cheek from our waiter, we called an end to another wonderful evening in Florence.
After a very slow start to the morning (due very much to the copious amount of wine consumed the evening before), we headed out for our day to explore Florence.
We stopped whenever we saw markets to do a bit of shopping. This square held the Mercato Nuovo. The boar is Il Porcellino. Rubbing his snout ensures a return to Florence.
Next, we wandered over to Il Ponte Vecchio. Click here for pictures.
From the Ponte, we were at the Uffizi Gallery. Click here for pictures.
After the museum, it was time to just wander Florence and do some shopping. The streets were all windy and narrow, it was easy to just get lost.
It was then time for lunch. We didn't know where to go, so we wandered a bit. Luckily our wandering landed us in the Piazza della Signoria because I'm not sure we would have seen it otherwise. Click here for pictures.
After another delicious lunch of pizza, we decided to some shopping. And what shopping do you do in Florence? Leather shopping - we thought the Leather School in the Basilica di Santa Croce would be a good place to start. Click here for pictures.
For the rest of the afternoon, we wandered in and out of shops, browsing leather goods (that were still ridiculously expensive, even when the quality seemed to take a severe dip) and speciality shops filled with random things (calligriphy and quills are apparently a huge market). Rachel got herself a new wallet, Loren and I bought some little bracelets, a few gifts for home, and we were done. We closed our walk out with one more trip for gelato, then back to the hotel.
For our last meal in Florence, we headed to another hole in the wall restaurant. We all were tired and expected an early night. However, the house wine started flowing, we couldn't seem to call it a night. One highlight of dinner was when my bread plate was forcibly removed by the waiter/chef/owner because "you're pasta is a-ready NOW". I did not argue with the man. We ended up spending another 5 hours eating and drinking - the owner loved us so much, we got free shots of grapa and vin santo (or was it limoncello? can't remember...). Around 11pm, a bunch of locals came in, the front doors were shut and locked up, and we were told that "now you smoke if you like". We were happy to be considered one of the regulars. Needless to say, it was not an early night at all, and we happily (and probably very loudly) headed back to our hotel for one last sleep in Florence.
A fantastic way to end our time in Florence. The next morning, off to Venice - click for next part!
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