James Funfer

Although my tour of Italy technically finished with Milan, I didn’t really spend any time downtown or doing any sightseeing (it was more a day of relaxation, wine, and eating), so Florence “capped” the trip.

There is something for everyone in Florence. Foodies, wine aficionados, history-lovers, party people, shoppers, hikers, and explorers can all find what they are looking for in Florence (and its environs, the Tuscany region, as per my most recent blog entry).

Sunday, when I arrived, was the tail-end of the gelato festival, but I decided instead to do some general exploring and spend 5 euros on gelato instead of 30. My hostel was right outside the landmark Duomo which dominates Florence’s skyline, but the square around the church was quite crowded. I found myself a restaurant, parked myself for the evening, and settled in for people-watching, atmosphere, and fiction writing.

The following day was the Tuscany Tour.

On day 3, my goal was to get my fill of museums in since I’d missed out on several throughout my trip (both the Slovak National Museum in Bratislava and the National Gallery in Prague). I started with the Galleria dell’Accademia, right down the street from my hostel (in the opposite direction from the duomo).

The Accademia is famous for housing Michaelangelo’s David, and although I was initially skeptical, David really was a breathtaking and flawless sculpture. I got in line early (before they opened) and managed to be admitted before the crowds truly pressed in.

The remainder of the Accademia gallery was dominated by pre-masters religious art, a roped-off room of sculptures and busts, and an interesting exhibit about a Medici duke who maintained a court of musicians. The musical exhibit included a beautiful collection of musical instruments from the period, including harpsichords, early pianos, and a Stradivarius violin.

From the Accademia, I climbed the Campanile to get my bird’s-eye views of Florence. There were quite a few steps — I was glad I didn’t have my backpack on.

My reservation at the Uffizi gallery wasn’t until 1:45, so I had quite a bit of time to kill. I wandered down across the Ponte Vecchio to the Piazza di Michaelangelo, then stopped for lunch at a local spot and enjoyed beer and a cheese platter.

Then it was on to the Uffizi. What can I say about one of the world’s most famous art museums? Paintings by renaissance masters mingle with Roman sculptures and Greek tombs, often in the same room. The rooms are not arranged by time period, but rather in an artistic manner to give a sense of theme. It’s definitely worth the visit, as well as the reservation to skip the long line. Rather than describe the Uffizi room by room, I’ll include the highlights here:

I spent the evening enjoying Chianti, Florentine steak, and the writing more of the rough beginnings of Crystal Empire (6 Chapters done!). It was a perfect way to complete my introduction to Europe.

My top recommendations for an amazing European vacation: Prague, Central Slovakia, Tuscany.

This concludes the travel blog until my next adventure (Germany 2017 with Aimee and friends). I now return to work, editing, and numerous other writing projects. Stay tuned for more Doom’s Daughter in the upcoming weeks, as well as news on the publication of Crystal Secrets!