Florence (Firenze)

we're leaving on a fast train, we will be back on monday again

had great seats at the back of the carriage with space all around us!

our sweet room in Casa toselli a B&B which was very nice. our window overlooked the small garden and breakfast area, the room was spacious and everything was cosy!

delicious tuscan pastries and bread figures!

narrower streets and buildings than Rome. also the buildings were not as tall as Rome's

the Santa Maria Novella cathedral. we didnt go inside because the queues were so long!

church il Duomo. absolutely stunning inside and out. definately the  largest, tallest church i have been in. free entry inside the church, dont know how much it is to go up all the towers etc.

inside il Duomo, i think it was used as a set for one of the old romeo and juliets, will have to watch them again!

marble inlays, just amazing

as you can see, the church is too tall to be able to get the ceiling and floor in the shot. look at the people on the balcony just beneath the stained glass window. you can wait in a queue which moves very slowly to walk along the top of the church, inside and out. but we didnt have time to queue

incredibly high dome

its really beautiful

                             

and if you are looking for staff uniforms, florence has that too!

ornate everything

the real david by michaelangelo. gigantic and impressive. only thing worth visiting and only reason people go to the Galleria dell' Accademia. tip, if you are going to florence and want to see the museums/galleries, book in advence because there is a seperate queue for those clever people. at this particular gallery they only let in about 20 people at a time, every twenty minutes!!

art restoration in progress

mouth watering treats

 no photos allowed in most churches. in florence and venice, especially venice, you have to pay to go into the churches! In Rome we pop in and out of every church we pass!

Wheres ben? the leather markets of florence. if you want to buy italian leather, florence is the place to get it. head to the piazza Mercato Centrale and around san lorenzo for the buying to begin!

not quite sure what this bushpig was about but everyone was rubbing his nose and putting coins in its mouth. so we did that too. so found out that the water dripping from its mouth classifies it as a fountain and if you rub the nose of the and put coins in its mouth you'll return to florence.

rape of the sabines marble sculpture by giovanni bologna
in Loggia dei Lanzi in Piazza della Signoria

more sculptures in this courtyard. 

this is not the real david statue! it is a cast but stil huge and manly, standing outside Palazzo vecchio



this guy is also standing outside with david



lovely arched and decorated ceilings are common in florence

view from the Palazzo Degli Ufizzi gallery rooftop.
this gallery is famous for botticellis'  birth of venus' and 'the three graces' they also have an awesome painting of mary and gabriel by da vinci

millions of locks on the chains along the river. okay so we found out too late that these are locks are locked by lovers who then throw the key into the river to seal their love! boohoo we missed it!

ponte veccio. lined with jewellry shops which hang over the river

chocolat-orange, caffe, mango, berry, pistacchio, mint gelato. a whole lot of deliciousness

a sunset rower

a ballsy sculptor

arch.. by piazza della repubblica

stuffed pizza for supper

so hungry

train to venice, uploading those photos...... soon!