I went to Italy! day three

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My breakfast was similar to day one but I noticed a dispenser of Nutella and also decided to eat an egg white with the savory part of my meal. Breakfast was always my favorite on the trip.

On this day I had a reservation to the Academia.

Michealangelo’s David is the big draw of the Academia. The statue was perched up above the crowds so that it was easy to see and photograph.

I did not stay long as I wanted to visit more museums that day. Before I left I bought a few souvenirs from the gift shop.

The Bargello was next. It is the oldest public building in Florence and I was immediately impressed with the courtyard upon my arrival.

I saw this David in bronze by Verrocchio. It is sometimes said that he modeled the statue after his student Leonardo di Vinci.

Then I went to the Palazzo Vecchio. The great hall was enormous and the ceiling was intricately decorated.

There was art everywhere but I was entranced by the building itself.

I was invited to meet my nephew, his fiance and their friends for a picnic of sorts at the Piazza Michangelo. It is a famous look out spot for viewing the whole of Florence from a high vantage point. I went to the Market Centrale to get wine, crackers and salami and trekked up to the piazza, crossing the Arno river.

On the way back I had a fig frutta, which was amazing!

I went to Italy! day two

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My hotel had complimentary breakfast. The coffee was okay and the food was great. I really enjoyed the apricot tart!

I got a Firenze card that allowed me access to the many museums in Florence. That morning I had a reservation to the Uffizi gallery.

I particularly appreciated the sculptures at the Uffizi.

There were was lots of beautiful art as well.

The cafe had a lovely outdoor area and I ate a delicious croissant filed with vanilla custard.

The museum was very close to the Arno river and I explored a little, stopping in shops.

I easily found a restaurant a friend had recommended and had this delicious meal.


I made my way back to my hotel, which was easy to find being near this landmark. 😉

During an evening stroll I visited the Rivoire cafe for a cup of their famous hot chocolate. Surprisingly they have a giraffe.

I went to Italy! travel plus day one

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I went to Florence, Italy to go to my nephew’s wedding that was going to be held in a castle in Tuscany. It was the most exciting trip I had ever planned and it felt so surreal at the beginning.

I flew Air France with a short layover in Paris just long enough to grab a pasta salad and change planes. They have the prettiest public restrooms in hues of pink and red.


The lobby of my hotel.


My room.

The view out the window of my room.

I got checked in at the Hotel Bigallo and quickly realized how close it was to the Campanile, the clock tower of the nearby cathedral called the Duomo. Thankfully I discovered later that it does chime all night. 🙂


First stop was the Gilli cafe.

It was so fun walking around because there is so much to see! I ended up at an Irish pub that evening. I sat outside the establishment and it was right next to the Duomo and also to my hotel.