Buonasera from Tuscany! Tonight’s post has the highlights from our time in Florence. We’ve been in Tuscany for a few days now and it’s taken me a while to get this post together because there’s so much I wanted to cover even though we only had 2 nights in Florence. And the WiFi and cell isn’t great in Tuscany, so it’s taken a bit to get all these photos uploaded.

Back to the start of this leg of the trip, we took the train from Roma Termini to Florence. Roma Termini was surprisingly good. It was clean and had a nice design. We got coffee before our train was ready to board and it was a nice experience.

A woman is standing in a train terminal, smiling at the camera. She is holding a tote bag with small heart designs and wearing a light blue T-shirt, beige shorts, red sneakers, glasses, and a wristwatch.

Our high speed Frecciarossa to Florence.

A modern high-speed train at a station platform under a clear blue sky. The train has a red and silver design, with the number “22” visible on its front. Another similar train is on an adjacent track.

The first highlight from Florence was Palazzo Vecchio, which was the home of the Medici family during the Renaissance. And if you know anything about the Medicis, you know how humble and plain they were. Their home reflected that.

This image shows an interior courtyard featuring ornate columns, arched ceilings with detailed frescoes, and upper windows with stone frames. In the center, there is a fountain with a small statue on top. The courtyard is decorated with historical and artistic elements.

An ornate interior scene of a historic hall or chapel featuring a high, intricately decorated ceiling with detailed paintings and gold embellishments. The large room includes tall columns, arched windows allowing natural light, and classical statues embedded in the walls.

Ornate ceiling painting framed with intricate gold detailing. The central circular painting depicts a regal figure holding a crown, surrounded by cherubs and shields. Latin inscriptions adorn the frame.

A marble sculpture depicting two male figures in a dynamic struggle. One figure stands over the other, holding a large wooden club raised above his head, while the other figure lies beneath, attempting to defend himself with an arm raised.

A grand hall with an ornate, gilded ceiling and large, detailed frescoes depicting historical battle scenes on the walls. Statues line the perimeter of the hall below the frescoes. The hall features tall arched windows and a few visitors walking.

One of my favorite rooms here was the map room, which had detailed maps of all the world that was known to them during the Renaissance.

A large, antique globe is displayed in the center of a room surrounded by wooden paneling and world maps. The ceiling is ornately decorated, and the globe is enclosed by ropes to keep viewers at a distance.

An old, framed map with an ornate wooden border showing a coastal region. The map is primarily in blue and gold with visible terrain details. The body of water is extensive with some islands scattered.

A view of the Duomo.

A cityscape featuring the dome of the Florence Cathedral (Duomo di Firenze) in the center, with surrounding historic buildings and rooftops. The sky above is blue with scattered clouds.

A duplicate of the statue of David displayed outside the Palazzo.

The image captures a replica of Michelangelo’s statue of David displayed outside the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, Italy. Surrounding the statue is a crowd of tourists. The stone facade of the Palazzo Vecchio and a blue banner for the museum are visible.

All of central Florence is a beautiful Renaissance city.

An evening view of the Arno River in Florence, Italy. Illuminated buildings line the riverbank, with reflections dancing on the water. A bridge crosses the river in the background, with a lit tower visible in the distance under a clear blue sky.

The next highlight is the Uffizi Gallery, which is right next to Palazzo Vecchio on Piazza della Signoria. The Uffizi was originally built by the Medicis as an administrative building. Now it houses mainly Renaissance era works of art. Some pieces are older and were acquired by the Medicis and other collectors.

A marble bust of a bearded man with flowing hair, depicted with a stern expression. Carved waves and zig-zag patterns are present on the bust’s base. The sculpture is set against a plain background.

A marble bust of a bearded man in historical attire is placed on a pedestal above an ornately carved wooden doorway. The bust and the door frame are set within an arched architectural niche. The niche has decorative elements including a latticed window.

This building also has a map room. Check out this stone artwork.

This image shows a colorful artwork display featuring a vivid depiction of a coastal scene with a tall lighthouse and several sailboats on a vibrant blue sea. The artwork is encased in a glass display with a decorative, patterned stone frame.

Huge map frescos.

A group of people is viewing a large, historic map of Italy displayed on a wall in a room with ornate gold-trimmed ceilings and detailed paintings. Natural light pours in from a window on the right side of the image.

A view of the Uffizi’s courtyard.

A view of the courtyard of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy. The street is crowded with people, some holding umbrellas for shade. A prominent bell tower and the dome of the Florence Cathedral can be seen in the background.

Vecchio as seen from Uffizi.

The image depicts the Palazzo Vecchio, a historic palace located in Florence, Italy. The photo showcases the building’s tall stone brick tower with a clock and battlements, set against a backdrop of a blue sky with some clouds.

Medusa’s head painted on a shield.

A painting depicting the head of Medusa, with writhing snakes for hair and a pained expression on her face, displayed in a glass case against a red background. The artwork is mounted on a round shield-like surface.

A bridge covered with buildings that are now mostly high end shops.

An old stone bridge with covered arches and colorful buildings above arches spans a river with green water, under a partly cloudy sky. The buildings on the bridge have brightly colored facades and numerous windows.

Just happened to walk past this print shop while they were at work. You could smell the ink as we walked past.

A small, cozy art studio with arched ceilings and exposed brick walls. The walls are adorned with various framed artworks, including botanical prints, portraits, and maps. A person is working at a table toward the back of the room.

Ok, let’s talk about the food. It has been consistently good the entire time we’ve been in Italy. But the pasta at Cibrèo Caffe was amazing.

Spinach and ricotta tortelloni.

A plate of green and yellow tortelloni with grated cheese on top, served with light sauce on a white plate.

Cacio e burro.

A white plate containing a serving of creamy pasta, likely tagliatelle, topped with grated cheese and a sprinkle of black pepper. The dish is called cachio e burro.

Had to have pizza at least once during this trip, and this was our first. I had this quattro formagi and enjoyed it. I’m learning that I like almost anything with Gorgonzola on it.

A fresh, cheese-covered pizza on a dark plate, served with a glass of water. The table includes additional items, such as a bottle cap and a water bottle in the background.

Next highlight is the Duomo. The facade is most intricate I’ve ever seen.

This image shows the intricate and ornate facade of Florence Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, in Florence, Italy. The focus is on the central main doors, which are richly decorated with religious carvings and sculptures.

The interior is austere by comparison, but still beautiful. Check out the clock that was describe as working on “Italian time.”

The image shows the interior of a historic cathedral, featuring a large ornate clock on the wall above a dark wooden door, flanked by intricate stone carvings and religious frescoes. The ceiling is vaulted with stained glass windows above. The patterned marble floor.

An ornate candle stand with multiple lit candles in a cathedral. The background features a large, arched doorway with a mosaic of religious figures above it, flanked by stone columns and additional wall decorations, including painted frescos and statues.

Interior view of a cathedral featuring tall archways and detailed architectural elements. The vaulted ceiling displays intricate fresco paintings, and stained glass windows illuminate the space. A prominent cross stands at the altar, framed by columns.

And that’s the recap of Florence! We saw so many incredible things, it’s impossible to capture it all.

Next, we picked up a rental car and headed into the Tuscan countryside. I’ll recap our time in Tuscany in the next post!

Buonanotte!