20th Chapter – Florence
Florence/Cannes, Tuesday, Nov 5, 2024
I booked first-class tickets to make the return a bit easier after a long visit.
Our return trip to Cannes was as follows:
Florence, Monday, Nov 4, 2024
Rebecca was feeling a bit better so we went to a favorite coffee shop. They had an old typewriter which I shot.
We then walked over to the art college where Rebecca had originally booked classes to scope it out.
Later I stopped by a paper store to view some of their products.
That evening we enjoyed another stunning sunset as we prepared for our return trip to Cannes in the morning.
I stopped in to visit the local gelato shop one final time.
Florence, Sunday, Nov 3, 2024
The first Sunday of the month is Free Museum Day. I went out early, the lines were long but moving briskly.
My first stop was the Accademia Gallery Museum where the David and other great artworks reside.
The Museo dell’Accademia ( Museum of the Academy ) was founded in 1563 by Bartolomeo Ammanati, Agnolo Bronzino and Giorgio Vasari, artists of the aforementioned Mannerist art style. This made the Galleria dell’Accademia the first art academy in Europe. In 1784, the academy hosted an art collection with the aim of providing students with examples to study and copy. In addition to famous sculptures, the museum also houses an important collection of paintings by Florentine artists, a collection of works of art made by students of the Accademia, religious prints from the Middle Ages and Russian icons.
What most impressed me were the uncompleted works by Michelangelo. Examining the works emerging from their stone imprisonments was quite amazing.
There were several rooms of outstanding art.
My next stop was the Medici Mausoleum.
The decision to build their family mausoleum in this church dates to the 14th century (Giovanni di Bicci and his wife Piccarda were buried in the Old Sacristy, on a project designed by Brunelleschi). The project of building a proper family mausoleum was conceived in 1520, when Michelangelo began work on the New Sacristy upon the request of Cardinal Giulio de Medici, the future Pope Clemens VII.
After completing the architectural works in 1524, Michelangelo worked until 1533 on the sculptures and the sarcophagi that were to be featured on the chapel walls. The only ones actually completed were the statues of Lorenzo, the Duke of Urbino; Giuliano, the Duke of Nemours; the four statues of the allegories of Day and Night, and Dawn and Dusk.
The Mausoleum, with its large dome and lavish interior ornamented with marble, was conceived to celebrate the power of the Medici dynasty which had successfully ruled Florence for several centuries. The octagonal room designed to contain the bodies of the Grand Dukes is in fact almost entirely covered with semi-precious stones and different-coloured marbles. The sarcophagi of the Grand Dukes are contained in niches and complemented by bronze statues .
I headed out to do a bit of clothes shopping today at Cotton & Silk and purchased a few t-shirts and a puffer coat.
This became a bit of an adventure as I originally bought a different coat and returned to the store to exchange it. It turns out that they don’t do refunds and the first coat cost a bit less than the original cost. I told them that an even exchange would be fine.
Nope, that didn’t work in their system. So after a half hour with three managers working the register, I finally added a pair of socks to make up the difference. By paying an additional 20 cents we were able to make the exchange.
Florence, Saturday, Nov 2, 2024
Our trip is winding down now (we leave on Tuesday) so I hit my sushi place yet again for lunch. Then walked it off with a stroll around town.
Some bars/restaurants have wine windows where you stand outside and order through a small window. They ring a bell when your pour is ready.
Florence, Friday, Nov 1, 2024
I visited the Church of Ognissanti
The church of San Salvatore di Ognissanti, or more simply church of Ognissanti, is a Franciscan church located on the square of the same name in central Florence, region of Tuscany, Italy.
The church was part of the conventual complex founded in 1251 by the Umiliati, who had come to Florence from Lombardy in 1239. It had been founded as a lay congregation for both men and women devoted to Evangelical perfection and poverty, and to physical labour rather than alms-begging. Between 1251 and 1260 the complex was completed.
In the sacristy there are 14th-century works, including a frescoed Crucifixion by Taddeo Gaddi and a painted Crucifix by a follower of Giotto. In the 15th century both Botticelli, who is buried in the church, and Ghirlandaio worked at Ognissanti. The church was re-consecrated in 1582. It was renamed San Salvatore a Ognissanti (St. Saviour at All Saints).
In 1637 the elegant façade was finished, to a design by Matteo Nigetti (restored in 1872, and crowned with the arms of Florence). Above the doorway was placed the 16th-century glazed terracotta Coronation of the Virgin with Saints, attributed to Benedetto Buglioni.
After lunch, I picked up a shirt at the tailor where I had it mended.
Later in the day, the Arno was still and very reflective.
Florence, Thursday, Oct 31, 2024
Happy Halloween
Rebecca is still a bit under the weather so I wandered around the town and caught another great sushi lunch.
Pisa, Wednesday, Oct 30, 2024
Today, I took the train to Pisa, a city about 1H/15M due west of Florence. The Pisa Centrale station is about a 25M walk to the city center and the Leaning Tower.
Pisa is a city in Italy’s Tuscany region best known for its iconic Leaning Tower. Already tilting when it was completed in 1372, the 56m white-marble cylinder is the bell tower of the Romanesque, striped-marble cathedral that rises next to it in the Piazza dei Miracoli. Also in the piazza is the Baptistry, whose renowned acoustics are demonstrated by amateur singers daily, and the Caposanto Monumentale cemetery.
I purchased a 28 Eu ticket which included a trip to the top of the tower (about 250 steps inside the tower). Climbing is a bit strange as the steps to the tower change in orientation as one circles the tower going up and down.
After the tower, I explored the baptistery and surrounding buildings.
Before returning to the train station I walked around the old town and bought a sandwich for lunch.
Florence, Tuesday, Oct 29, 2024
Aimee and Doug left the flat early to fly back to Chicago and our landlord dropped off new towels.
I stopped in to visit the Duomo – the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore and then headed out for yet another Sushi lunch. Rebecca was feeling a bit under the weather and stayed home.
Santa Maria del Fiore is one of the largest churches in the world. The plan consists of a triple-nave basilica with the presbytery area nested within, dominated by the large octagon of the immense dome, around which are three radial apses (or “tribunes”), each consisting of five chapels. The cathedral is 153 meters in length, 90 meters wide at the transept, and 90 meters high from floor to base of the lantern. The title “Santa Maria del Fiore” (Lady of the flower) alludes to the name of the city, “Florentia”, or “city of flowers”, “destined to bloom”, and to its emblem, the Florentine lily.
The first stone of the new cathedral was laid on 8 September 1296, and the task of erecting it was entrusted to Arnolfo di Cambio. His project was similar in plan but smaller than the current building, which instead corresponds to the expansion developed by Francesco Talenti, beginning in the mid-14th century. The church was consecrated at completion of the dome, by Pope Eugenio IV, on 25 March 1436.
Later in the day, I explored more of Florence.
Florence, Monday, Oct 28, 2024
Today was Aimee’s Birthday.
We began the day with a visit to the Basilica of Santa Croce. It houses the interment of some of Italy’s most notable people. It has been called the Pantheon of Florence It houses nearly 300 tombs including those of Michelangelo and Galileo.
The Basilica of Santa Croce is the largest Franciscan church in the world . With 115 meters long and 38 meters wide, it is only larger than the Cathedral in Florence .
Construction of the church began in 1294, on the same site where a small chapel had been built to commemorate the death of St. Francis of Assisi. When the construction of the Church of Santa Croce was completed, the Church of Santa Maria Novella was pushed into the background .
Although the interior of the church is not as striking as that of Santa Maria Novella (with exposed wooden beams), the sculptures and paintings that adorn its walls are very valuable. Inside the chapels you can see frescoes by artists such as Giotto, Brunelleschi or Donatello.
We set out to find a famous sandwich shop in Florence, not remembering its name or location. We finally found it (All’Antico Vinaio) but decided to pass for now. The street was filled with people enjoying their sandwiches.
We opted for a great pizza place instead –Menchetti – (Piazza del Grano, 5,) and were not disappointed.
After lunch, we returned to the flat and then set out to enjoy the views from Piazzale Michelangelo in the late afternoon. We took a taxi from the Ponte Vecchio area to the top of the overlook.
We took a local bus back to our neighborhood. The bus driver ignored our requests for a stop and finally dropped us off a few stops passed our desired location.
After regrouping for wine and cheese at our flat we headed out to dinner at Trattoria La Casalinga (Via dei Michelozzi 9/R) a popular outdoor neighborhood eatery. We enjoyed a pleasant evening.
San Gimignano, Sunday, Oct 27, 2024
We took the two-bus ride South to San Gimignano via Poggibonsi (1H/30M).
It is best known for its towers and stunning views of the countryside. We had lunch at Forno Moderna.
‘San Gimignano delle belle Torri’ is in Tuscany, 56 km south of Florence. It served as an important relay point for pilgrims travelling to or from Rome on the Via Francigena. The patrician families who controlled the town built around 72 tower-houses (some as high as 50 m) as symbols of their wealth and power. Although only 14 have survived, San Gimignano has retained its feudal atmosphere and appearance. The town also has several masterpieces of 14th- and 15th-century Italian art.
On the return trip, we connected busses in Poggibonsi. As we waited for the second bus at the proper stop a bus pulled in at a stop up the road. I walked over and asked the driver if they were going to Florence and she said yes. So we all got on there. It was fortunate because she then skipped the main stop and headed back stranding those who were at the proper stop for another hour.
We had dinner at Hostaria de Fulvio (Via Sant’Agostino, 12,).
Later that evening we returned to Florence after dark to discover a very lively scene with people dancing in the street.
Cortona, Saturday, Oct 26, 2024
We took the train and a short bus ride to Cortona, 1H/30M south of Florence.
Cortona’s appeal lies in its lofty setting, splendid views and medieval mood. Set close to the Umbrian border, 30 km south of Arezzo, Cortona is one of the most delightful hill towns in Tuscany. It was founded by the Etruscans, colonised by the Romans, and, after its sale to the Florentines in 1409, thrived under the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Cortona is perched majestically on a ridge of Monte Sant’Egidio, dominating the Val di Chiana. The approach road winds through terraced olive groves and vineyards, past villas, farms and monasteries.
We explored the village on market day, the Etruscan museum and we purchased several items at a local pottery shop – Clelia Tondini (Via Guelfa 20/22)
We lunched at La Dispensa before returning home.
Florence, Friday, Oct 25, 2024
Doug and Aimee continued exploring Florence including the morning at the Uffizi palace with the benefit of a guide.
The Gallery entirely occupies the first and second floors of the large building constructed between 1560 and 1580 and designed by Giorgio Vasari. It is famous worldwide for its outstanding collections of ancient sculptures and paintings (from the Middle Ages to the Modern period). The collections of paintings from the 14th-century and Renaissance period include some absolute masterpieces: Giotto, Simone Martini, Piero della Francesca, Beato Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Mantegna, Correggio, Leonardo, Raffaello, Michelangelo and Caravaggio, in addition to many precious works by European painters (mainly German, Dutch and Flemish).
Moreover, the Gallery boasts an invaluable collection of ancient statues and busts from the Medici family, which adorns the corridors and consists of ancient Roman copies of lost Greek sculptures.
I headed back for my sushi fix.
Afterward, Rebecca called to share a little Florence gem she discovered – Museo di Orsanmichele. Rebecca made friends with one of the guides, a Florence native.
Orsanmichele is a unique Gothic building set into the very heart of Florence: splendid views of the old city are framed by the large biforas on the top floor. Built in the Middle Ages to house the city grain market, it was later transformed into a church, while the upper floor is now home to a museum of the great collection of sculpture coming from the building itself.
Being one of the main building of fourteenth century Florence, Orsanmichele houses on the ground floor the oratory dedicated to San Michele in Orto (hence the name), realized by closing the original loggia of the grain market, while on the upper floors there are two large halls, formerly intended as cereal warehouses of the cereals, built by the city government to guarantee food to the Florentines and avoid famine.
Bologna, Thursday, Oct 24, 2024
Undeterred by the ongoing drizzle we took the train to Bologna, while Rebecca rested. It was a short 40/M train ride north.
Bologna is the lively, historic capital of the Emilia-Romagna region, in northern Italy. Its Piazza Maggiore is a sprawling plaza lined with arched colonnades, cafes and medieval and Renaissance structures such as City Hall, the Fountain of Neptune and the Basilica di San Petronio. Among the city’s many medieval towers are the Two Towers, leaning Asinelli and Garisenda
We explored the town, visited the Basilica, a local municipal building, and caught lunch at a popular local sandwich shop Simoni (Via Drapperie, 5/2a).
The Basilica of San Petronio, dedicated to the city’s patron saint, is located in Piazza Maggiore and is the largest and most important church in Bologna.
Its construction began in 1390 under the supervision of Antonio di Vincenzo. In 1514, Arduino degli Arriguzzi suggested a new Latin-cross model that would have been larger than St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome but, according to legend, Pope Pius IV blocked its construction and insisted on the erection of the Archiginnasio instead. The façade also remained unfinished, being only partly covered in marble by Giacomo Ranuzzi starting from 1538. The interior, completed in different eras, is divided into three naves, which open onto twenty-two chapels decorated by artists, including Francesco Francia, Lorenzo Costa, Parmigianino and Donato Credi.
We returned mid-afternoon and regrouped for dinner that evening at Giovanni’s Trattoria (Via Sant’Agostino, 38 Rosso)
Florence, Wednesday, Oct 23, 2024
We visited the Pitti Palace in the morning.
Purchased in 1550, the Palace was chosen by Cosimo I de’ Medici and his wife Eleanor of Toledo as the new Grand Ducal residence, and it soon became the new symbol of the Medici’s power over Tuscany. It also housed the Court of other two dynasties: the House of Habsburg-Lorraine (which succeeded the Medici from 1737) and the Kings of Italy from the House of Savoy, who inhabited it from 1865. Nonetheless the palace still bears the name of its first owner, the Florentine banker Luca Pitti that in the mid-1400s started its construction – maybe after a design by Brunelleschi – at the foot of the Boboli hill beyond the Arno River.
Today the Palace is divided into five museums: the Treasury of the Grand Dukes and the Museum of Russian Icons (with the Palatine Chapel) on the ground floor, the Palatine Gallery and the Imperial and Royal Apartments on the first floor, the Gallery of Modern Art and the Museum of Costume and Fashion on the second floor.
After our visit, Doug and Amiee continued their exploration of Florence, and I headed to my Sushi place for lunch. Later I headed off to the Florence flea market and caught some amazing gelato (Il Procopio/ Via Pietrapiana 60/62R) before returning home.
Florence, Tuesday, Oct 22, 2024
Our Airbnb hosts wanted to stop by in the morning so we met them. Marta and her brother Tomaso own the flat and inherited it from their parents who were artists.
We had a nice chat.
Two friends from Chicago, Doug and Aimee, were arriving mid-afternoon, and we met them at the apartment. They had hosted us in Paris a month ago, and it was good to see them again.
We set out for a walk around town and then stopped by L’Addl, a neighborhood restaurant, for a simple dinner. The weather was a bit drizzly.
Doug and Aimee both had a bit of jet lag so we made it an early evening.
Florence, Monday, Oct 21, 2024
I left the flat early to wander and shoot some pix and Rebecca started later.
I made my first stop for lunch at Sushinami ( Via Matteo Palmieri, 9 red) my favorite sushi place in Florence. I was not disappointed.
As I was out Rebecca called me to report on an incredible bookstore (Giunti Odeon. Bookshop and Cinema) Piazza degli Strozzi, that she found. It was an old movie theater where they sold books and played movies all day. It was quite remarkable.
We had lunch together and I then headed off to visit the Piazzale Michelangelo for a stunning view of the city at sunset. I attempted to take the bus but got off at the wrong stop and had to slog up the hill to the viewing point. It was worth it. The view attracts crowds who sit on the steps to watch.
That day I informed our Airbnb host that we would have two guests staying with us for the next week. That caused a bit of a kerfuffle but we smoothed over the issue by paying a few more euros. I had originally negotiated a discount for the place so I was still ahead of the game
Florence, Sunday, Oct 20, 2024
We have several days of light drizzle ahead.
We headed over to a familiar restaurant ( Café Pasticceria Gamberini –Via Curtatone, 4/6/8/10,) for lunch where we had a great pizza on a previous trip. As we ordered we discovered that our favorite was no longer available. Our lunch was far short of the memorable one from a previous trip. Rebecca reported that at least the coffee was excellent.
We headed out to stock the flat with some groceries and explore the city.
Fortunately, Rebecca discovered a favorite shop that we knew from Cannes that closed. There we restocked a set of glasses that we loved and purchased some bath towels.
We wandered about town and enjoyed a nice sunset at day’s end.
Florence, Saturday, Oct 19, 2024
Today we began our 17-day visit to Florence.
As often is the case with travel our trip included a few surprises and challenges.
The original plan was to take a train from Cannes to Florence via several connections. Booking the trip was a challenge. We were offered an incomprehensible number of fares and options all in convenient Italian. I finally settled for a combination of senior and two-for-one fares.
