View from the top of the Campanile
Vittoria and Albert, Firenze, 2012
The famous David just outside the City Hall
Florence or Tallinn (Estonia)?
The Campanile bell tower (7 bells, 414 steps)
It was cold in Florence that winter (2012), locals couldn't remember anything like it for the previous 50 years or so. But at the same time pictures like the city's red-brick roofs covered with snow and picturesque white hills outside city (imagine olive trees wrapped up in snow!) for us tourists are a godsend! But as always some help is at hand: we "discovered" in a local shop a herbal liquor (very strong!) made by monks (some old recipe I guess). It kept us warm and did its "magic"! But the best soup to beat freezing temperatures is no doubt Ribollita (it must be reboiled next day) - vegetable minestrone, almost like a stew (thanks to the soaked stale bread in it). Just before serving they put new slices of bread in it and drizzle with olive oil. Interestingly, this soup reminds me of the similar one I tasted while on holidays in southern Russian village!
Such cold spell scared even us usually brave tourists: a notoriously long queue to UFFIZI (up to 3-4 hours in summer) was non-existent, just a small group of Japanese numb with cold. Anyway we did get in without queuing using Firenze Card (50 euro, valid for 72 hours). It allows you to visit over 40 different museums, villas, gardens and churches, including free access to public transport. A must-see of course is Galleria Degli Uffizi ("offices" - used to be the administrative office of the Tuscan State). My favorite would be Botticelli and especially his "Primavera" and "The birth of Venus". Going from Uffizi to Pitti Palace you will walk across Ponte Vecchio ("Old bridge" - 1354), full of shops selling gold and silver jewelry. Even retreating Nazis spared it! In Galleria Dell'Accademia you can see several sculptures by Michelangelo and notably his famous masterpiece David, who is rather gigantic in size - 5m 20 cm! By the way the David of the normal height is free to observe just outside of City Hall (Palazzo Vecchio). Don't miss a chance to visit one of the most important synagogues (La Sinagoga, 1882) in Europe. Though be ready for a rigorous screening of your belongings.
Piazza del Duomo is now traffic free and it allows you to enjoy in full "a cathedral wearing pajamas" (adorned with the green, white and red marble stripes) - Duomo (1294-1417). For beautiful views of the whole city climb the Campanile (414 steps, 6 euro) - it's amazing at sunset!
Pitti Palace - one-time residence of the Medici family has lovely Boboli gardens with rather peculiar shaped trees in the form... of Jewish menorah! (Jewish gardener?!)
The beautiful San Croce church can't be visited by Firenze Card (it's not in the system) but it has walk-in side entrance just for prayers. All welcome!
Probably the most memorable event for me was to meet my former classmate... after 27 years! She lives in Florence now, speaks fluent Italian and even looks like the Italian donna (beautiful as she is).