Florence - The Rennaisance City - 1

Florence [Firenze] -The Rennaisance City

We arrived quite late in the evening, our flight having been delayed from London, probably due to adverse weather conditions which followed us across Europe and gave us a nervous ride. Our Hotel, Hotel Berchielle, was reasonably priced and very much in the centre of all the main sites – on the side of the river Arno and close to the Ponte Vecchio and the Ponte Trinita [the bridge of the four seasons]. Although we didn’t have a view of the river from our room, we did have a very pleasant patio area. However, we spent little time in the hotel to enjoy this facility. Breakfast was excellent and varied. We went to bed as soon as we arrived so that we could be at our first booked exploration early the next morning.

August is not a good month to visit Florence as the weather is uncomfortably hot and dry. However, [and there is always an upside to any negative] there were no crowds at the Uffizi when we arrived for our first guided tour. Our guide was impressively knowledgeable about the art and the history of Florence. She was also enthusiastic and engaging so, we felt, well worth doing. If we had done that tour on our own we would not have gained, anything like, as much from the visit. Having prearranged the tour also meant we could bypass any queues. I was particularly impressed with the Sandro Botticelli gallery. We had time, peace and space to contemplate, enjoy and discuss the exhibits – especially, ‘The Birth of Venus’ and ‘La Primavera’, what a privilege.

Of course, we also saw paintings of Titian [Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c. 1488/1490– 27 August 1579) known in English as Titian], Michangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Giotto, Fra Filippo Lippo and many others. How amazing to see them ‘in the flesh’, so to speak.

The impressive building is, in itself, worth seeing as the home of the, all powerful, Medici family who, more or less ruled this city from the 15^th century until the early 18^th century when they ran out of heirs.

During the 16^th Century Cosimo de Medici had constructed a walkway from the top of the  Uffizi, across the Ponte Vecchio to the Pitti Palace on the south side of the river Arno – an impressive feat completed within 6 months.

We did spend some time, before lunch, in the leather market. I had intended, on my trip to Florence, to buy a new leather bag. I had something definite in mind and was not disappointed. It was not cheap and I could probably have bought something much cheaper on-line but, this was definitely of superior quality. My daughter also bought a very beautiful bag which she expected to be her ‘new best friend’.

We had lunch in the cafe attached to the Savoy Hotel in the Piazza della Republica. Super food in a splendid locality.

In the afternoon we visited L’Academia – the home of the original statue of David by Michangelo, as well as lots of other examples of his work. We booked this visit in advance and as a timed visit, it ensured we were able to enjoy the museum without too much competition for space. This is, increasingly, a method of controlling crowds in many of the world’s favourite sites for the enjoyment of everyone and is well worth the effort of checking this out and booking before visiting.

We looked forward to our boat trip in the evening on the River Arno. It was not at all what we had been expecting.

The boatmen, the Renaioli who ‘pole’  their boats  - barchetti up and down the river, traditionally to collect sediment [ this sediment was used in the buildings of the city itself ] and other  materials from the bottom of the river. This was a tradition handed down from father to son over many generations. During the infamous floods of 1966 in Florence, apart from other major damage to the city, most of these boats were destroyed – only 10 remain. The tiny boat we went out on was called ‘Moses’. What a magical trip! So quiet and atmospheric, providing a view of the city which could not be had from any other place. Our guide was a passionate source of the history of the city from Renaissance times through the 2^nd World and the occupation of the city by Hitler and his troops, the 1966 floods to the present day. Our trip was concluded by our guide popping a bottle of delicious Prosecco to toast our stay in this wonderful city.

As night fell we wandered slowly across the Ponte Vecchio – that ancient iconic bridge,[ and the only bridge left standing following Hitler's invasion of the city, soaking up the atmosphere, the sounds of live music from musicians performing to an appreciative audience. Although darkness had fallen it was still almost unbearably hot and humid. Thunder storms were promised for the next day.

We enjoyed an amazing meal in a restaurant overlooking the south bank of the river – the Borgo San Jacopo. Not a cheap choice but, the food and wine were well worth the visit. The Sommelier suggested a wine which was outstanding – Nova Domus Reserva 2009 from Alto Adige Terlaner – strawberries and cream [without the sweetness] and a slight aftertaste of caramel, just stunning! If anyone knows where it is possible to buy this wine in UK, I would be very grateful.