Breakfast and a Morning Walk
We woke up early and walked across the street to Caffè degli Innocenti for pastries and cappuccino, since our included hotel breakfast wasn’t open yet. We had pre-booked an Uffizi Gallery tour, but it didn’t start until 10:40am, so we had plenty of time to explore. The streets were practically empty! (Very different than a few hours later, when the crowds would get thick. I can’t wait until we’re both retired and no longer have to travel on a teachers schedule. June sucks!)
We walked across an empty Ponte Vecchio (old bridge), which is the only bridge in Florence not destroyed during World War II. The bridge was originally built during Roman times, with the earliest version of the bridge commissioned in 123 AD. The bridge has been damaged or destroyed and re-built several times over the years, with the current incarnation standing since 1345. The bridge has always had shops and merchants plying their wares, but at this time of morning, they were all closed (which was a good thing!)
Photos From Our Morning Walk
Galileo Museum
After wandering through the old city center for a while, we went to the Galileo Museum, which opened at 9:30am. It’s next door to the Uffizi, we a great way to kill some time before our tour. The museum was fantastic! It features a lot of scientific equipment as well as contraptions built to demonstrate scientific ideas such as centrifugal force. The museum isn’t all Galileo, though, as it covers a wide range of scientific ideas (although Galileo’s middle finger is literally on display, so it’s at least *some* of Galileo, lol). There’s even an item from Thomas Edison.
Uffizi Gallery
After the Galileo Museum, it was time for our Uffizi tour. Our guide was a tiny Italian woman (my guess is a bit less than 5ft tall). She was adorable and very knowledgeable. The highlights were the Botticelli paintings, particularly The Birth of Venus. We learned that the inspiration for Venus was Simonetta Vespucci, who was married to Marco Vespucci, and cousin-in-law of Amerigo Vespucci. Botticelli was in love with her, despite her being married. She was originally from Genoa, but lived in Florence after marriage. She was considered the most beautiful woman in Florence. Sadly, she died at 25 from tuberculous..
Another highlight was The Annunciation, by Leonardo da Vinci, which is a masterclass in perspective. At first glance, it appears the painting is flawed, with Mary’s right arm appearing to be much too long compared to the rest of her body, as are her fingers and legs. Similarly, Archangel Gabriel is out of proportion. As it turns out, the original location of the painting was to be over a side altar in a narrow hallway of a church, so would be viewed mostly from an angle instead of straight-on. When viewed at an angle, the proportions appear correct.
In the photos below, you’ll notice a domed ceiling, made from mother of pearl and lapis lazuli inlays. This room was the original room built in The Uffizi (literally “the offices” of the Medici family) to show off some of the art they had collected. Eventually, the offices themselves would be converted into one large gallery. It’s the second busiest art gallery in the world, next to The Louvre.
After the tour we enjoyed an Aperol Spritz and split a sandwich on the rooftop caffè of the Uffizi. A bit more exploring, then back to the hotel for a much-needed pisolino (little nap).
More Photos from the Uffizi Gallery
Dinner at Trattoria 4 Leoni + Our Favorite Gelateria
Dinner was at Trattoria 4 Leoni in the Oltrarno area of Florence, as recommended by my cousin Barbara. It did not disappoint! I had Osso Bucco, which was made with a sauce of roasted vegetables instead of a tomato-based sauce. Teresa had lasagna. Both were delicious! My cousin recommends the pear stuffed pasta, but, while I remembered the restaurant recommendation, I completely forgot about the pear stuffed pasta, so that will have to wait until our next visit.
A big bonus to eating at 4 Leoni is that it’s across the way from our favorite gelateria: Gelateria della Passera! It was a perfect after-dinner treat. It’s a tiny store (the picture below is basically the entire store), but inside you’ll find high-quality gelato made in-house.
View On Art – Drinks With a View!
After dinner and gelato, we did some shopping (I picked up a blazer to wear to the opera in Milan at the end of our trip), then had drinks at View On Art – a rooftop bar a stone’s throw from the Duomo. It rained a bit, but we didn’t mind.
Wrapping Up Day 1
Here are some additional photos from our first full day in Florence, Italy.
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