We left Parma with full stomachs and made our way to Florence. We had fairly low expectations based on the early 1990s experience we had towards the end of our time backpacking through Europe. Then, we were hot, tired, and had depleted most of our $30 CAD / day budget by the time we reached Florence. We couldn’t afford to spend a lot of money on restaurants or souvenirs, and we were too impatient, and felt too hot to deal with crowds at both the Uffizi and the Accademia, where the famous statue of David is housed.
This time, we had selected an Airbnb in the suburb of Scandicci (almost in the country) to be a little removed from the touristy centre of the city. It was an excellent choice – perhaps one of the best apartments we’ve stayed in so far. It was spacious, nicely decorated with the perfect bed combination (two twin beds and a queen size bed in separate bedrooms). The host was incredibly generous with a pantry full of food for us to use and little gift bags of school supplies for the kids on their beds. Plus, we had a quintessential Italian view from our bedroom of a Tuscan villa on top of a hill surrounded by cypress trees. We even had the good fortune of a free, community, sparkling (and still) filtered water dispenser (a la Paris) right across the street.
We were a short walk away from the direct tram to the main train station in Florence. It meant we were able to enjoy the benefits of Florence (museums, architecture, shops, etc.) but avoid many of the negatives (crazy traffic, crowded sidewalks). It was also the first time in our trip that we had real heat as spring turned to summer during our visit.
A short walking tour of the city provided us with an overview of the main sites (e.g. the Duomo, Santa Maria Novella cathedral) and some of the history of the city. It was a good way to get a quick introduction to Florence.
After the success we had with a guide in Parma, we decided to hire one to help us navigate the Accademia and Uffizi museums. It would prove to be another worthwhile investment. Our Italian-Australian guide Angelo provided us with background information about Florence and the Medicis, and knew exactly which rooms to skip and the shortcuts to take in both museums. He was easy to listen to and made the art accessible for all of us. Just like at the Louvre, it was impressive to see so many incredible works of art in person and up close (although the guards at the Uffizi were much more interested in telling patrons to be quiet than protecting the art!).
We were able to spend quite a while looking at Michaelangelo’s David in the Accademia, which is even more impressive in person than in photos. Angelo was full of insights about the statue, even pointing out the chunk of the foot missing from a hammer attack by a crazed patron in the 1990s. We even joked that David looks a lot like Justin Trudeau!
Another benefit of having a guide was getting personal recommendations for things to do in Florence. Because of Angelo, we had the most amazing gelato we have ever tasted. So good, in fact, that we returned every single day we were in Florence! The gelateria, Gelateria Dei Neri, was filled with locals (a good sign) and tourists in the know. They had a delicious array of flavours and spectacular sorbet for A. and A. (who can’t tolerate lactose). Our favourite flavours were pink grapefruit, strawberry, caramel and pistachio. Scrumptious!
We also visited the Gallileo museum to build on some of the science connections we’d made at the Greenwich Observatory in London regarding longitude, latitude and how explorers were able to navigate the seas with the development of better timepieces.
We enjoyed walking through the city and exploring the architecture, the narrow streets and peeking into the numerous small shops selling everything from handmade leather boxes to marbled paper. We got good at spotting the Medici crest/coat of arms all around the city (above doorways or on walls). And when the crowds and noise were too much, we hopped on the tram and headed back to the calm of Scandicci.
Next stop: Stockholm!