Florence
On this trip, Florence was perhaps our unexpected favorite of the three cities. Often forgotten about in comparison to Venice or Rome, Florence is the living, breathing heart of Tuscany. Many of the most famous Italians in history (i.e. Dante Alighieri, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, Machiavelli, etc.) resided here, and it's easy to see why they did. There is so much cultural history here. Here we saw Michelangelo's David at the Galleria dell'Accademia and then went to wander through the Uffizi Gallery, a place whose art is some of the world's best.
And then there's the food! We still dream about this food! In Florence, the aptly-named bistecca alla fiorentina (Florentine steak) reigns king. This huge porterhouse steak is bigger than most people's heads and could feed a small family (or, perhaps, one teenage boy). The bistecca alla fiorentina remains just one of many well-known Tuscan dishes. We think it's safe to say that we ate our hearts out in Florence.
And then there's the food! We still dream about this food! In Florence, the aptly-named bistecca alla fiorentina (Florentine steak) reigns king. This huge porterhouse steak is bigger than most people's heads and could feed a small family (or, perhaps, one teenage boy). The bistecca alla fiorentina remains just one of many well-known Tuscan dishes. We think it's safe to say that we ate our hearts out in Florence.
Day 9: Renaissance Florence
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Tips
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Highlights
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Day 10: Cooking Class and Il Volo
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One of the most memorable events that we happened to stumble upon...
The IL Volo "Notte Magica: A Tribute to the Three Tenors" concert with Plácido Domingo.
Amazing food and wine, awe-inspiring music, and a restaurant all to ourselves for the night. Magical.
The IL Volo "Notte Magica: A Tribute to the Three Tenors" concert with Plácido Domingo.
Amazing food and wine, awe-inspiring music, and a restaurant all to ourselves for the night. Magical.
The opening song. We were to the right of Santa Croce Basilica... Our dad eventually was let in thanks to a security guard he became friends with that night.
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We went back to the our favorite restaurant, Boccadama. Half of our tour group joined us. We couldn't resist all of the delicious food. Definitely check out the Tuscan steak.
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Bonus:
The IL Volo men have a CD/DVD from the concert in Piazza Santa Croce. It is definitely worth a listen. Because it was such a memorable experience for us, we surprised our parents for Christmas and got them an autographed copy of the CD (Christina found out they were having a signing in Los Angeles in December.). We'll also be seeing them perform in Chicago in March. |
Day 11: The Uffizi and Duomo
- It was appropriate to start our day with the stunning collection of Italian paintings in the Uffizi Gallery. There are rooms dedicated to major Renaissance artists like Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, and Botticelli. Since they each have their own perspective, read the intros provided insides each of their rooms.
- To take a break from the Renaissance art, we explored Galileo Galilei's scientific accomplishments in the Galileo Science Museum. Seeing his telescopes were awe-worthy.
- Took a break and did a little leather shopping. It was fun to go shop to shop. If you are truly considering making a leather purchase, haggle!! Do not pay full price for a jacket or bag.
- Duomo Museum and checked out Baptistery doors inside. The piety statue was lovely.
- We ended our time in Florence taking in views at the Piazzale Michelangelo. It was within walking distance to our hotel. Make sure you walk down to the street below the overlook. There are much better pictures there. Thanks, Rick!