my day in florence
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| Ponte Vecchio |
Recently an old friend from college asked me about some of my favorite Italian places, and ever since then I cannot stop thinking of Florence. Although I preferred the quaint, cobblestoned villages in the countryside of Italy, my favorite city (and perhaps one of my top favorite places in the whole, wide world) is Florence, also known as Firenze—city of delicious food, breathtaking architecture, and amazing art. If I could spend the day in Florence here is what I would do…
I would wind my way to the center of the city to peer up at
one of the most beautiful church facades in existence—the Florence Duomo.
I might take a peek inside before paying the few Euros it costs to climb the 414 steps to the top of the accompanying bell tower to breathe in Florence from a bird’s eye view.
I would see the baptistery doors from the top of the bell tower and make a mental note to take a closer look at them, to observe the amazingly intricate details—after all, Italian master artists with quite recognizable names like Ghiberti and Pisano ushered them into existence.
Hearing the growling of my stomach I might stop by one of the small grocery stores in Florence to buy some bread, cheese, and an orange, one of my favorite lunches—simple and delicious.
After lunch I would visit the Accademia Galleria to stand before one of the greatest and most famous statues in art history: Michaelangelo’s David. Some of Michaelangelo’s lesser known works, as well as a room full of sculpture, call this place home too. Before leaving I would stop by the gift shop. I found a great little drawing journal with the lovely lady from Boticelli’s The Birth of Venus on the cover when there before. It’s a delightful souvenir I cherish to this day.
After picking up another small souvenir I would find a gelato shop and order two scoops of hazelnut gelato. My favorite! Gelato, like the art and architecture in Italy, is divine. After savoring every last drop of my creamy gelato, I would make my way to the Ponte Vecchio (“old bridge”) and wander around. I would enjoy the mingling of tourists and craftspeople, the tangling of languages from all over the world.
I would then take a slow walk along the Arno River, standing along the wall of a bridge to watch the water turn all kinds of colors as the sun sinks below the horizon.
Before leaving the city I would (obviously) have to dine Florence-style, which (to me) means sitting outside on the cobblestones in front of a small ristorante, sipping delicious white wine, and eating risotto or spaghetti or any of the amazing pasta dishes you cannot find anywhere else in the world.
Perhaps another scoop of gelato for dessert before heading home, and there you have it—a busy, wonderful day in Florence, Italy. Oh if only I could call off work tomorrow and make it happen!
I might take a peek inside before paying the few Euros it costs to climb the 414 steps to the top of the accompanying bell tower to breathe in Florence from a bird’s eye view.
I would see the baptistery doors from the top of the bell tower and make a mental note to take a closer look at them, to observe the amazingly intricate details—after all, Italian master artists with quite recognizable names like Ghiberti and Pisano ushered them into existence.
Hearing the growling of my stomach I might stop by one of the small grocery stores in Florence to buy some bread, cheese, and an orange, one of my favorite lunches—simple and delicious.
After lunch I would visit the Accademia Galleria to stand before one of the greatest and most famous statues in art history: Michaelangelo’s David. Some of Michaelangelo’s lesser known works, as well as a room full of sculpture, call this place home too. Before leaving I would stop by the gift shop. I found a great little drawing journal with the lovely lady from Boticelli’s The Birth of Venus on the cover when there before. It’s a delightful souvenir I cherish to this day.
After picking up another small souvenir I would find a gelato shop and order two scoops of hazelnut gelato. My favorite! Gelato, like the art and architecture in Italy, is divine. After savoring every last drop of my creamy gelato, I would make my way to the Ponte Vecchio (“old bridge”) and wander around. I would enjoy the mingling of tourists and craftspeople, the tangling of languages from all over the world.
I would then take a slow walk along the Arno River, standing along the wall of a bridge to watch the water turn all kinds of colors as the sun sinks below the horizon.
Before leaving the city I would (obviously) have to dine Florence-style, which (to me) means sitting outside on the cobblestones in front of a small ristorante, sipping delicious white wine, and eating risotto or spaghetti or any of the amazing pasta dishes you cannot find anywhere else in the world.
Perhaps another scoop of gelato for dessert before heading home, and there you have it—a busy, wonderful day in Florence, Italy. Oh if only I could call off work tomorrow and make it happen!
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