Florence

Founded by an emperor named Julius Caesar, Florence is now the capital of Tuscany (arguably the most beautiful province in Italy) and the indisputable capital of Renaissance art.

On Saturday morning we wasted no time exploring the city. Luckily, our apartment was less than a block from the Duomo so we didn't have far to walk! Even without the main attractions, Florence is a beautiful city with plenty of pedestrian-only boulevards lined with shops selling handmade leather goods, custom suits, and great food. It seemed that whenever we needed to let Allison and Ethan out of the stroller, a piazza magically appeared, giving the kids plenty of space to tire themselves out!

Perhaps the best known art gallery in Italy is the Uffizi Gallery. It is filled with the most comprehensive collection of Renaissance art in Europe - from paintings to sculptures. We gave the kids a bag full of crackers thus affording us a precious 1/2 hour to explore the gallery in peace. Earlier in the day we visited the Accademia which features several of Michelangelo's most spectacular works including the magnificent David. Do you think Allison or Ethan will ever remember the phenomenal pieces by Da Vinci, Michelangelo, or Raphael? Didn't think so! In fact, when Allison saw the David she loudly blurted out: "Mommy, he's NAKED!!" I guess, in the end, Michelangelo entertained us all!

Before we knew it, Monday morning came! It was an incredible visit to a wonderful city!

Some of the beautiful buildings in the city.

The David!

The Ponte Vecchio bridge, filled with shops.

An ornate courtyard just off Piazza della Signoria.

The main room of our apartment, just a block from the Duomo.