This morning we drove into the heart of Florence (Firenza) Italy. We parked on the outskirts of the city and took the tram into the heart of Old Town It let us off near the main Piazza Duomo. The Cathedral of Florence, with its magnificent dome, was the first thing we saw walking through the narrow cobblestoned streets. In the heart of the city stands the Cathedral, Campanile (bell tower), and the Baptistery, a typical set of buildings in most Italian city centers.

We climbed 453 steps to the top of the white stone, green marbled 14^th century Campanile. It was noon and the bells began to ring while we were in the tower! At the very top we were treated to views of the Renaissance era red tiled roofs of Florence.

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Once back down the tower we meandered into the Baptistery. The dark wood and brown marble cast a warm glow inside the octagonal building. The ceiling was amazing with it’s golden trimmed panels depicting scenes from the Bible. Because of the octagon shape it made the panels even more eye-catching.

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We stood in line for a bit in order to enter the Cathedral. We passed the time by indulging in a refreshing gelato. The Cathedral cast a pleasant shade and allowed us to observe some of the local artists who lined the pathway in the Piazza Duomo. They had set up their art stands in the shadow of the mighty Cathedral.

The outside of the Cathderal of Florence was ornate with religious carvings, white stone, and green marble stripes. The turned columns and geometrically memorizing architecture were unique. Once inside we were a bit disappointed because it was dark and rather bland compared to the ornate outside. However the high alter mosaic, marble floors, and a painting of Dante’s Dive Comedy were lovely.

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We ate a nice lunch at a restorante overlooking the Duoma. We did a little shopping in the area and purchased 3 Florentine paintings for family and ourselves.  The kids had a characters done by a wonderful funny artist. They drew quite a crowd as he interacted with the kids.

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We walked through the Piazza del Signora and saw statues of Neptune and of David. Unfortunately, we were not able to see Michelangelo’s real David because tickets were sold out. A copy of the world famous statue was made and placed in the Piazza.

At 5;15 we entered by ticket the Uffizi Palace Gallery.  The art gallery is one of the most important in Italy. The Uffizi Palace was once home to the powerful Medici family. This family is responsible for the beginning of the Renaissance. Inside the gallery we viewed busts of Roman Caesars and politicians, art by Boticula, Raphael, DaVinci, and Michelangelo as well as priceless self-portraits of Rembrandt, Gallilio, and Martin Luther.  I enjoyed looking at all the various masters and their different interpretations of similar cultural and historical themes. My favorite painting was called The Adoration by Gerrit van Honthorst ca. 1619/20.

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We left the Uffizi Palace and had a late supper before driving home along the dark hedge-lined country roads of Tuscany.