Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance and the capital city of the beautiful Tuscany region. The historic city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site attracting 13 million tourists every year. Packed with museums, churches, and palaces housing some of the world's most important works of Renaissance art, this is a city that begs to be visited again and again.

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Our centrally-located hotel was within walking distance of everything, and just moments away from the Duomo. No visit to Florence is complete without seeing Michelangeo's David, the 17-foot marble masterpiece that was created between 1501 and 1504. Our walking tour of the city on our first day took us here, past the Duomo and Baptistery with its copper doors, and through the Piazza della Signoria. We ended the day in a nearby restaurant, enjoying another amazing Italian meal.

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The full day in Florence was spent exploring the city. While the rest of the group went to the Uffizi Gallery, we decided to explore some new places as we had seen the Uffizi during our tour two years ago. We crossed the Ponte Vecchio, the medieval bridge over the Arno River, then continued on to the Pitti Palace, a vast Renaissance building on the south side of the river. It is now the largest museum complex in Florence, featuring a collection of more than 500 paintings. The rooms themselves are fantastic works of art and opulence.

 

At the end of the day, we climbed to the Piazzale Michelangelo, a favorite spot for watching the sunset over the Tuscan hills surrounding the city. The view is spectacular, and the sunset stunning. The sun even received a round of applause at the end of its performance!  

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On our way out of the city the next day, we made a special stop at the Florence American Cemetery and Memorial, a WWII cemetery. It is a very quiet and peaceful place, and well worth the stop to pay respects to those people who made the ultimate sacrifice so many years ago.