My last day in Florence started with an early (for us) wakeup call in order to make it to the Uffizi Galleries… and the queue. We’d heard that it could take ages, but in reality it moved fairly fast and we were inside and exploring within an hour.
As well as housing one of the most stunning art collections in the western world, the Uffizi is beautiful in its own right, and has a fantastic view of the Ponte Vecchio and the Vasari Corridor (which readers of Dan Brown’s latest literary candy floss, ‘Inferno’, will recognise). The Corridor runs from the Palazzo Vecchio to the Palazzo Pitti, and meant the Medici could move between their palaces without worrying about running into any plebs!
Ponte Vecchio and the Vasari Corridor
The works in the Uffizi are truly special – the collection includes The Birth of Venus, The Annunciation, Madonna with the Goldfinch, and works by everyone from Titian to Durer. I loved seeing the Birth of Venus, and Michelangelo’s beautiful Dondi Tonto.
Next on our list was climbing the dome of the Duomo. I wouldn’t recommend it for those with claustrophobia or a fear of American tourists, but the views from the dome are stunning.
The Duomo, looking considerably brighter than the day before!
Inside the vast Basilica it is fairly plain, quite the contrast to the opulence of St Peter’s in Rome. The highlight is definitely the massive painting of the Last Judgment on the interior of the Dome. It certainly makes hell look like an awful proposition!
The climb is mostly very narrow winding stairs inside of the cathedral walls, although you are able to have a brief respite part-way up, where part of the corridor passes around the base of the dome.
People already looking tiny!
All the squeezing up against the wall to let people past is worth it when you reach the top and can admire the panoramic views over the city.
Santa Maria del Croce
I can see our hotel!
View from the Ponte Vecchio – storm coming again!
The next day we headed to Pisa, where I was flying home from. Tip: Pisa is Tuscany’s main airport, not Florence, and flights are both much more frequent, and MUCH cheaper! Plus you get a train ride through the gorgeous countryside of Italia, and a chance to visit the Tower… a win all round.
Had to be done
So weird to see.
I was stoked to get a window seat for the flight home, and had awesome views of Pisa and the Tower from on high.
Arrivederci means ‘until we see each other again’… and after this amazing trip, I will definitely be making sure I see Italy again soon.
