Surprisingly, despite being the “Cradle of the Renaissance”, home to Michelangelo, and brimming with art and culture, Florence didn't immediately thrill us the way Rome had done. Perhaps it was the drizzling rain that greeted us off the train, and the completely disorganized hostel owner, who spoke little English and was constantly rummaging through his pockets for the scraps of paper on which he'd recorded all his reservations. Or the disappointment when he eventually shuffled us off to a far less appealing albergo next door, where one of our rooms had a bizarre smell that could only be described as “pickled”.
But most likely, Florence is simply a victim of its own success. Every street and piazza felt clogged with tour groups, and it was harder to stumble upon those hidden back alleys full of quintessential Italian life. And of course Beckie and Luke were by now suffering from serious culture fatigue: to them Florence looked distinctly like more of the same: more churches, more piazzas, more famous works of art, and more statues!
Still, there were some very memorable moments, including crossing the beautiful Arno River on the bustling Ponte Vecchio bridge, seeing Michelangelo's sculpture “David” in all his glory, and climbing to the top of the enormous Duomo cathedral for panoramic views across the city, and a close-up appreciation of the artwork on the ceiling of the dome.
Of course Beckie and Luke were also happy to discover more wonderful food, including fabulous traditional Italian lunches at the historic fiaschetteria, La Mescita. And we went easy on the museums, skipping the craziness of the Uffizi, and instead strolling through Galleria del'Accademia where (besides gazing at David) we discovered a fascinating exhibit on musical instruments, and Museo del Bargello which houses many of Michelangelo's early works. And as in Rome, children who are EU citizens get into most museums free, so Beckie and Luke's British passports continued to come in very handy!
Perhaps a low-key couple of days was just what the doctor ordered. By the end of our stay, we were all starting to feel more at home, even becoming quite attached to our quirky hostel, appreciating its traditional charm, with its narrow rooms, high ceilings, and shuttered windows overlooking the noisy cobbled street below. Even the kids had warmed to the city, ranking it among their favorite stops on the trip.
