Day 10
One of the best things about Rick Steves' tour was our initial mini-getting-to-know-the-city orientation. Daniela always showed us the "main" sites to see, how to find our hotel, and possible modes of transportation. To be honest, I really did not have any preconceived ideas of what to expect once we got to Florence except that there would be a lot of art...little did I know Florence would be towards the top of my list for favorite places. As we made our way through the bustling streets, Daniela treated us to the *best* gelato I had on the trip (and we probably had gelato almost everyday). We loved it so much, we actually went back the next day!
Next, we made our way to the Accademia. As a group, we maneuvered our way through the crowd to see Michelangelo's David. Up close, I (along with about everyone else) stared up in awe at the immensity of this statue. As you looked closely, you almost forget that this figure is made of marble, with the fine details, from wrinkles to veins, that are so perfectly captured. Before we left, we made sure to take a few David, David, and Crystal pictures, of course!
Our delicious dinner in a family-owned restaurant was topped by dozens of dessert options...okay, dozens might be a slight exaggeration, but the choices were endless, and many people chose different things to allow for sharing. Needless to say, afterwards, David and I need to walk it off. The night life in Florence is never-ending. As we wandered the city, almost all the streets in the city center were lit, and musicians were all around--this was definitely the "hip" place to be.
One of the best things about Rick Steves' tour was our initial mini-getting-to-know-the-city orientation. Daniela always showed us the "main" sites to see, how to find our hotel, and possible modes of transportation. To be honest, I really did not have any preconceived ideas of what to expect once we got to Florence except that there would be a lot of art...little did I know Florence would be towards the top of my list for favorite places. As we made our way through the bustling streets, Daniela treated us to the *best* gelato I had on the trip (and we probably had gelato almost everyday). We loved it so much, we actually went back the next day!
Next, we made our way to the Accademia. As a group, we maneuvered our way through the crowd to see Michelangelo's David. Up close, I (along with about everyone else) stared up in awe at the immensity of this statue. As you looked closely, you almost forget that this figure is made of marble, with the fine details, from wrinkles to veins, that are so perfectly captured. Before we left, we made sure to take a few David, David, and Crystal pictures, of course!
Our delicious dinner in a family-owned restaurant was topped by dozens of dessert options...okay, dozens might be a slight exaggeration, but the choices were endless, and many people chose different things to allow for sharing. Needless to say, afterwards, David and I need to walk it off. The night life in Florence is never-ending. As we wandered the city, almost all the streets in the city center were lit, and musicians were all around--this was definitely the "hip" place to be.
Day 11
We awoke relatively early so we could be among the first to climb to the top of Brunelleschi's Cupola...and climb we did. About half-way up, you walk along the inside of the church, and you can look down to see all the pews. The walk up is definitely not for those who have a fear of heights or are claustrophobic, as the stairwells are often very tight-so tight that you have to take turns going up and down the staircases.
We made our way to the Ponte Vecchio, stopping on our way to pick up some souvenirs for our family from the leather market. Our next group stop was the Uffizi, where Daniela and a local guide shared information about the art. Whenever we went to a location that was highly populated, we had small headsets that allowed us to hear all the information from our guide.
We awoke relatively early so we could be among the first to climb to the top of Brunelleschi's Cupola...and climb we did. About half-way up, you walk along the inside of the church, and you can look down to see all the pews. The walk up is definitely not for those who have a fear of heights or are claustrophobic, as the stairwells are often very tight-so tight that you have to take turns going up and down the staircases.
We made our way to the Ponte Vecchio, stopping on our way to pick up some souvenirs for our family from the leather market. Our next group stop was the Uffizi, where Daniela and a local guide shared information about the art. Whenever we went to a location that was highly populated, we had small headsets that allowed us to hear all the information from our guide.