Our Last Day in Florence

After breakfast at Villa Olmi, Barbara gathered our group together to board a motorcoach for a day in Florence. I was happy to return to that amazing city because there is always something to experience there.

I was surprised, but pleased, when we began our tour with a drive up to Piazzale Michelangelo. It was a different experience today than our earlier afternoon visit, mostly because of the early morning light and fog over the city. I don’t think I could ever get tired of that view.

Florence in the Early Morning Fog

We next crossed the Arno River and were dropped off outside the historic area of Florence to begin our walking tour. Although the tour covered much of what we had already seen, it was a good refresher and offered new insights. Plus, we started with a visit to a new-to-us piazza and spent way more time admiring and learning about the Duomo.

This was my first visit to Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, often said to be the most beautiful and harmonious square in Florence. We learned that this square exemplifies the ideals of Renaissance architecture with works by some of the greatest artists and architects of the period. The piazza is surrounded on three sides by balanced porticoes, and I was especially intrigued by some of the details. At the center of the square is the equestrian statue of Grand Duke Ferdinando I.

Piazza della Santissima Annunziata

The Buildings Surrounding Piazza della Santissima Annunziata

We next walked the short distance to the Duomo, where we also admired Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Baptistry, with Ghiberti's beautiful doors that Michelangelo called the “Gates of Paradise.”

The Duomo

The Duomo, Bell Tower, and Baptistry

Ghiberti's "Gates of Paradise"

We continued our tour through the city’s many piazzas, passing some of our favorite places, and were treated to a different view of Ponte Vecchio. We were then on our own for lunch and had the afternoon free to explore the city.

Favorite Sites in Florence

During the afternoon, Tim and I considered touring the Duomo, but the lines were just too long, and it was unlikely we would be able to get tickets. Instead, we decided on the Basilica of Santa Croce, where we visited the “dead people,” as Tim referred to all the tombs and funerary monuments inside the church. I was surprised to find that Machiavelli, Galileo, and Michelangelo, to name just a few, were all buried there.

The Basilica of Santa Croce

A Sampling of the Funerary Monuments and Tombs of the Famous "Dead People"

The Interior of Santa Croce

By the time we finished our tour, it was time to proceed to Villa Machiavelli, a fifteenth-century estate that was once the home of Niccolò Machiavelli, whose tomb we had just seen. As soon as we arrived, we toasted the evening with a glass of Blumond Blue Bubbly, a brilliant blue prosecco. I had never heard of a blue wine, but the color was beautiful and the wine very tasty.

After wandering through several of the rooms where Machiavelli lived, and seeing historic wine cellars that dated back to his era, we sat down to a delicious dinner featuring Tuscan specialties.

Our Evening at Villa Machiavelli

After returning to our hotel, Tim and I learned that we had missed eight inches of snow at home over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. One more reason to appreciate our stay in Italy!