Firenze

We kicked off 2011 with two separate trips to Florence, with both friends and family. We took a 3 day weekend in January with Dave and Lynn Gertiser then returned to meet the Cienskis - Jo, Todd, and Alma - in February.

By the Arno River

On the first trip, we drove the Fiat down and learned what people mean when they say driving around Florence is crazy. Without Dave's iPhone we would probably still be lost in the back streets to this day. But once we arrived we were treated to a lovely hotel and great sushi next door. We hit the town Saturday and Sunday and toured the Uffizi gallery and the Duomo.
The Uffizi gallery is home to many great pieces of Renaissance art, including numerous paintings by Raphael, Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Caravaggio. We enjoyed seeing all the wonderful paintings that we had learned about in art appreciation classes.

Us with the Duomo in the background

The Cathedral of Florence, or the Duomo, is one of the most iconic sites in Florence. Decorated with white, green, and pink marble, the facade of the Duomo is unlike any other church in Italy. We hiked to the top, passing the inside of the dome where we were able to see the ceiling paintings up close. The views from the top were breathtaking and we enjoyed the panoramic perspective of this beautiful city. We wrapped up our trip with a stop by the Basilica of Santa Croce, where Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli are buried. All in all it was a great weekend of culture, wine, and great friends.

Caleb, Jordan, Dave, and Lynn from the top of the Duomo

In February, we returned to Firenze to meet Todd, Jo, and Alma for a quick visit before returning to Sacile. They took the train up from Rome and we drove down, this time with more luck than before. It was a short trip, but packed with Florentine culture.

The bridge with shops on it is the Ponte Vecchio,
You can see the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio on the right

Our first stop was the Academia, the home of The David. Even after seeing photos, the statue is more stunning and impressive than one can imagine. A stroll through the leather markets took us back to the Duomo. This time, it was the fam's turn to scale the 460+ steps to the top as we waited for them at the bottom.

Jo, Todd, and Alma in front of the Duomo

The Duomo as seen from the Palazzo Vecchio

The next day we toured the Palazzo Vecchio, former home of the Medicis and the current city hall of Florence. While Todd, Jo, and Alma toured the Uffizi, we strolled through the chocolate festival in the Piazza Santa Croce. Although it was a quick visit, we couldn't pass up the chance to spend time in one of our favorite cities.

Inside the main hall of the Palazzo Vecchio

The chocolate market in front of the Basilica of Santa Croce

Ciao!