Firenze

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Geo: 43.7687, 11.2569

It's time to move on again, this time to Florence, which is located inland away from the coast. No more swims at the end of the day to cool off in the hot weather we have been experiencing.

As the highway that we need to travel on passes reasonably close to Pisa, we stopped off to have a look at the iconic landmark. The building really does have a significant lean. I remember in recent years the tower was closed to underpin the foundations to stop it actually falling over. You will see from the photo that Kim actually stopped the tower from falling over.

After our quick detour to Pisa, we headed for Florence. The Hotel David where we are staying is a former luxury multi storey residence with marble flooring, very high ceilings and antique furniture and furnishings everywhere. We feel like Italian royalty staying here, but someone has to do it.

Florence was originally an Italic settlement, then taken over by the Etruscans, then a Roman town, and then fought over by wealthy families and the Papacy in subsequent centuries. The Medici Family name is stamped all over the city, as it is all over Europe. An unbelievably wealthy and influential family throughout Europe in the middle ages.

After settling into the hotel, we went for a walk along the River Arno which flows through the town. We headed straight for the Palazzo Uffizi, which houses one of the world's greatest collections of seventeenth and eighteenth century art, including works by Raphael, Rubens, Rembrandt, Velasquez, Da Vinci and Michaelangelo. It was a bit of a line up to get in, but worth the wait.

After the Uffizi, we walked across the Ponte Vecchio, the ancient bridge that spans the river. It was built in 1345 and was one of the few bridges in the town not to have been destroyed in WWII. It has shops on either side of the covered walkway, all of which are jewellery shops. The bridge was originally dedicated to Goldsmiths, and the tradition has continued.

After walking back home, we were recommended a restaurant just around the corner. The service and food was just first class, all at a reasonable price.

A big day planned for tomorrow, with so much to see in Florence and not enough time.

Jim and Kim

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Photos

Last View of Vernazza
Not wanting to leave this place.

Leaning Tower of Pisa
Just as well Kim was on hand to stop the tower from falling over.

Ponte Vecchio
Built in 1345 and sceptics at the time said the bridge would never last.

The River Arno
The river that flows through Florence.

Piazza della Signoria
Built around the end of the thirteenth century, it is located adjacent to the Uffizi.