Reel Around the Fountain

Our Italian trip to Tuscany and beyond had been over two years in the making, so it felt slightly surreal to finally be on the flight to Pisa. The initial signs were good as we spotted the famous leaning tower from the plane window as we swung over the city on our approach to the airport. 

We were heading straight to Florence so had to give Pisa a miss on this occasion. But we did head into the city's main train station which is easily reached from the airport via the Pisamover, the automated (and ecological) rail shuttle. It's marvellously simple to use and will whizz you from Pisa airport to the main central train station in a flash, or three minutes to be exact.

Beautiful Florence on the River Arno

Speeding through the beautiful green countryside of  Tuscany it took just over an hour on the train to reach the hot, busy, cobbled streets of the capital city of the region. Arriving in Florence can be a little daunting. The streets are teeming with people making it very difficult to navigate with luggage - I recommend a taxi. Although I don't know how the drivers can differentiate between roads that were pedestrianised and roads that weren't, or roads that were a hybrid of both. It is a slightly nerve-racking free-for-all, but you'll quickly acclimatise to it!

The historic centre of Florence

Florence is packed with big hitters in the sight-seeing stakes so our plan was to pre-book (an absolute given as many museums sell out months in advance) and get in as early as possible before the hoards descended.

The famous Ponte Vecchio, Florence

So on day one we found ourselves strolling along the river Arno to the to Uffizi Gallery at the crack of dawn mulling around with the few other canny souls waiting for the doors to open at 8pm. The wonderful Uffizi building has an imposing position on the river and is a stones throw from the delightful Ponte Vecchio, one of the most famous bridges in Italy. So we took the opportunity granted by our early start to stroll across one of the busiest thoroughfares in Florence and found we had the bridge pretty much to ourselves. That would be a very different story later in the day! .

Uffizi Gallery

In the Uffizi the two floors of treasure-lined rooms are linked by dazzling corridors that are crammed with sculptures of all descriptions and jaw- dropping paintings. The 'Birth of Venus’ by Sandro Botticelli is obviously a big draw but beyond that room the early start means the crowds (taking a little longer than ourselves to survey the wonders) start to dissipate and for the majority of our visit we had the pleasure of viewing the rooms in relative solitude. 

Uffizi Gallery

And that's how we found ourselves alone in the room host to ‘Doni Tondo’ by Michelangelo, the only surviving panel painting by the genius. You can inspect and admire the brushstrokes at such close quarters it's almost like being in the same room with the great man.

Medusa by Merisi da Caravaggio

Another highlight was the head of Medusa painted on a shield by Merisi da Caravaggio. The lighting in the striking red room was stunning. You be pleased to know you can buy a Christmas decoration featuring the severed head of Medusa (reflected in the mirrored shield that was her downfall) in the vast gift shop at the end of the museum tour, which of course we did.

Statues of the Loggia dei Lanzi

Exiting the Uffizi away from the riverfront you'll find yourself on the stunning Piazza della Signori. On the square in front of Florence's grandiose town hall the Palazzo Vecchio is the original site for the statue of Michelangelo's' David. There now stands an identical replica of this famous biblical figure and he's certainly not short of company. Adjacent to the Palazzo Vecchio is the Loggia dei Lanzi, an outside gallery home to a family of imposing statues including another striking Medusa, this time Perseus is holding aloft her decapitated head courtesy of Cellini dating back to mid 1500s. Across the square is the huge Fountain of Neptune and at this point it's worth mentioning that it's very easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the beautiful sights on offer in the Piazza della Signori. And that goes for the whole of Florence. As with Rome this city delivers incredible architecture and sights around every corner.

The Fountain of Neptune, Piazza della Signoria

The gargantuan Central Market is also a must see, with the stalls spilling out from the market hall building to fill endless avenues of leathers stalls and shops.

Leather stalls outside the Central Market of Florence

The rooftop terrace café bar of the La Rinascente department store is the perfect place to enjoy a cappuccino and a cake with incredible  views of the Duomo and Florence's tiled rooftops. 

Ok, you've seen the replica of one of the most famous statues in the world in the Piazza della Signori, but do take the time to check out the original. The Galleria dell'Accademia is the current home of Michelangelo's sculpture of David and as such is always busy. But that doesn't take away from the impact the marble statue can have on it's audience. Standing at over five meters tall the statue dominates the magnificent hall it was moved to around 150 years ago and it demands your attention from every angle. You do feel in the presence of greatness and it's a humbling and moving experience.

 Michelangelo's David,  Galleria dell'Accademia 

On another early morning start we walked through the near empty streets to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. I suffer from a fear of heights and was dreading the climb to the top of Brunelleschi's Dome, but it was something I couldn't leave Florence without completing.

Brunelleschi's Dome, Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore

The first part of conquering the Duomo requires a decent number of steps up to the lip of the dome and coming face to face with the largest painted fresco in the world. The frescoes depict scenes of the Last Judgement and were painted by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari between 1572 and 1579.  The astonishing proximity to the terrifying visions painted on the dome towering above you combined with the vast expanse of the cathedral opening up a long way below is a severe test of vertigo, but one worth overcoming.

The fresco of the Duomo, Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore

Having edged myself around the walkway which circumvents the base of the dome there was the simple matter of ascending the ancient stairs that are somehow squeezed between the multiple layers of the dome itself. Only then will you finally step outside into the fresh air high above the bustling city streets.  It was breath-taking and once I'd come to terms with the imperious heights the views of Florence were simply astonishing.

The shadow of the Duomo, Florence

For our whirlwind tour of Florence we based ourselves in Santa Croce which is just a short walk along the river to the center of the city. At the center of Sante Croce is the fabulous piazza of the same name that is dominated by the magnificent Basilica. This is actually home to the tomb of Michelangelo which we didn't see on this trip. The Piazza is a fabulous place both day and night to relax with a drink or grab some food away from the bustle of busy nearby central Florence whilst still enjoying wonderful ambiance and atmosphere. 

Basilica of Sante Croce

From Santa Croce, crossing the River Arno at Ponte a San Niccolò you can ascend to Piazzale Michelangelo.  From there you'll have wonderful views of the city, but be warned it is is essentially a carpark. Much more easy on the eye is the return descent if you go via the terraced gardens of Giardino delle Rose. On this side of the river you'll also find Oltrano, with it's unique antique shops, and the Bellosguardo district which has some great bars and restaurants around the Pitta Palace Art Museum on Palazzo Pitta. 

Florence from the Piazzale Michelangelo

There is so much to see and do and eat and drink in Florence that by the end of our short stay here we  were exhausted. It was now time to crank down (slightly) the busy schedule of our Italian tour.
Next stop, the historic capital of Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, the food heaven of Bologna.

Florence by night