Friday in Florence

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Can't believe it is Friday already. We headed off to Florence after breakfast with our plan for the day. First visit was to the Duoma. With our Firense cards we bi passed the queues. Not so impressive inside as the Sante Croce but the exterior is beautiful - neo Gothic marble with a huge dome that dominates the skyline Brunelleschi's dome 463 steps to the top which we decided against. To think that the dome was built without scaffolding! We then headed to the Orsanmichele Church quite small in comparison - Gothic in style and depicts the City's patron saints of the City's trade guilds.

The afternoon was spent in the Ufizzi Gallery built in the 16th Century and is the oldest gallery in the world. It is crammed with ancient Greek and Roman sculptures and there is a vast range of famous paintings including Michelangelo Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Reuben, Van Dyck and a whole range of Flemish art. Exhausting but worth it!

We finished the day after sampling the frozen yoghurt and ice cream yet again by a visit to the Plazzo Vechio which had been a palace and is now the town hall with beautiful paintings on walls and ceilings but have to say they could do with replacing the chairs set our for conferences! Bit tatty.

Lovely meal in restaurant in Impruneta a village near Antella. Moving on tomorrow to Arrezzo. Hope all is well with you all. x

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