I had to check out of my hotel after breakfast. I hoped it would not be my last nutella toast/croissant of the trip!

I had wanted to meet up with my sister before we traveled to the Tuscan countyside that afternoon but it did not happen. Instead I had fun seeing many more things.

In a cute shop called Scout I found many American brands and many things with Snoopy emblazoned on them.

I bought myself perfume at Spezeierie Palazzo Vecchio.

I walked around and I mailed many postcards!

I met my sister and her family at the lion door knocker with googly eyes and we departed to the next part of our trip.

I find Castelo Di Ristonchi is as beautiful as I imagined.

For dinner I make a lovely cheese-less pizza and drink a spritz that has equal parts Aperol and Campari. It is a perfect end to this day.

The weather in Florence had been warm and humid with thunderstorm warnings. On day four which was Sunday it was sprinkling and the sky was full of gray clouds. I noticed that many places were closed on Sundays and decided to walk across the Arno to the Altrano neighborhood.

I found a vintage shop that was open and promptly purchased a soft blue cotton coat that I thought was like a cross between a chore coat and a blazer. These are two items of clothing that are better worn in and get more comfortable with age.

Here it is draped over my shoulders.

I found an open air market in front of a church.

The Specola museum was open so I checked out their zoology exhibits.

I loved the building but all the dead things behind glass got to me after a while. Next I went to lunch and got seafood risotto. It was super yummy (and I only chewed one piece of shell). 🙂

The Pitti Palace was next up on my agenda. It was beautiful and golden but I was tiring.

The gardens were larger that I wanted to explore. I had to admit to myself that I was too tired to see much of it.

All along the Ponte Vecchio bridge are jewelry stores.

That evening I went out for a walk and boldly wore my sandals but still carried my umbrella. I found the Rinascente department store and went in. It had lovely clothes and a cafe on the top floor.

When I came out I found Florence wet and covered in huge puddles. It was still raining hard and the lightening and thunder seemed too close. Luckily my hotel was not far and I made it back safely with just wet feet.

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!

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 lots of beautiful paintings 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.