International Destination: Florence, Italy

Continuing the string of International Destinations, at the end of January we went to Firenze (Florence), Italy.

We learned from talking with local Swiss that there is a large difference between "Swiss" (the current name of Switzerland's airline) and "Swissair" (the former name of the national airline).  Once a source of immense national pride, in 2001, Swissair was suddenly grounded and catastrophically went bankrupt.  The events surrounding Swissair's demise were incredibly embarrassing for the Swiss people, who pride themselves in good business sense and financial management.  Many Swiss citizens thought the airline was a sure bet and lost money they had invested in Swissair.  Following the bankruptcy, Swissair was re-branded as Swiss. Even though it's one of the better airlines we've traveled on, the people of Switzerland do not consider it "their" airline anymore and the name "Swissair" still causes them great heartache.

Not quite as early as our trip to Roma (Rome, Italy): we left Zurich at 8AM instead of 7:20AM.

Despite great views on the ascent, it was too cloudy to see the Alps.  However, we did enjoy a sunny breakfast on the plane.

Traveling to the center of Florence from the airport was no problem at all.  A bus leaves the airport every half hour, and drops you off at the Stazione Di Firenze in the middle of the city.

Once again, due to the Swiss Ms' incredible bargain hunting abilities, we found a great place to stay in the heart of Florence on Airbnb!  We were able to check into the apartment early, drop off our luggage and spend the rest of the day exploring unencumbered.

Day 1:  Mercato Centrale, Duomo di Firenze (Part 1), Uffizi Gallery, Osteria Vini e Vecchi Sapori

Less than a minute walk away was Mercato Centrale (translates to "Central Market"), a bustling food market.

In Italy, you are not allowed to paw through the produce.  The owners and shopkeepers are the ones who handle the merchandise.

Baskets and baskets of dried beans, fruit, and nuts.

Cured meats galore.

We stopped at da Nerbone, recommended by Rick Steves as a good place to grab a quick and tasty bite to eat.

A glass of Chianti (the local red wine), spicy pasta bolognese and broccoli/fagioli beans bathed in olive oil.  Also included, some slices of "Tuscan bread," which is baked without salt!

And of course, a cannoli for dessert.

We also stumbled upon these garbage disposals near the market.  Not only are there many ways to separate the trash, but all the bins have foot pedals to open, leaving your hands germ-free.  

After eating, we headed to the Uffizi Gallery, but along the way, we had to take a detour.

The stunning Duomo di Firenze (Florence Cathedral) absolutely took us by surprise.

While the outside was very ornately decorated, the inside was decidedly more modest and simple.

Construction of the Gothic Cathedral began in 1296 and was completed in 1436.  It stands as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of Italy's largest churches.

The incredible fresco (3,600 square meters) on the dome of Duomo represents "The Last Judgement."  The work was completed by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari.   

Since we had bought tickets for the Uffizi for a specific time in advance, we would later revisit the Duomo in detail.  

We were not allowed to take pictures in the Uffizi, but there were certainly some amazing pieces of work inside, such as "The Birth of Venus" by Boticelli, "Madonna and Child" by Lippi and "Doni Tondo" by Michelangelo.

I will admit, waking up early and exploring a new city the same day can be very exhausting, so we decided to relax at a cafe before dinner.  Dinner is not typically served in Italy until 7:30PM at the very earliest.  Restaurants are very full on Friday and Saturday nights, so we camped out in front of Osteria Vini e Vecchi Sapori about half an hour before it opened since we did not have reservations.  Luckily, they had a spot for us, but the restaurant filled up fast!  We sat next to a wonderful Australian couple from Melbourne who was celebrating their thirtieth wedding anniversary.

An artichoke, arugula and Parmesan cheese salad, dressed in delicious olive oil.

Dish of the night:  Osso Bucco with fresh peas.

A close second to dish of the night:  Paccheri pasta with zucchini flowers and saffron sauce.

Vanilla gelato torte.

A raspberry tiramisu dessert.  The Swiss Ms liked it, I did not.  It had no coffee flavor at all!  (Swiss Ms: Calling it a Charlotte would have been more appropriate.)

Day 2:  Accademia Gallery, Bistecca Fiorentina, Duomo di Firenze (Part 2), Ponte Vecchio, La Casalinga

Similar to the Uffizi gallery, Rick Steves recommended buying tickets in advance to visit the Accademia gallery because of potentially long lines.  Pictures are not allowed at the Accademia either (although we did see numerous people sneakily taking pictures).

An impressive collection of sculptures and paintings, both completed and unfinished.  Of course, the star of the show was Michelangelo's "David."

One of the famous dishes that Florence is known for is "Bistecca alla Fiorentina," which was highly recommended to me by numerous people.  Afraid of being unable to find seating for this famous dish, we decided to have it for hearty lunch at Il Latini.

To start us off, a bowl Ribollita (meaning reboiled) a typically Tuscan soup.

Essentials at the Italian table: house wine (Chianti), olive oil and vinegar.

The Bistecca alla Fiorentina, weighing in at a massive 1.2 kilograms (2.65 pounds or 42.3 ounces).  A delicious T-bone steak, cooked over red hot coals and eaten rare (bloody!).

True happiness.

Complimentary dessert.  Cantucci (almond biscotti) with Vin Santo (dessert wine) and a glass of Moscato d'asti to finish off the meal.

The meal turned out to be MUCH heartier than we anticipated, so it was good we had some activity planned for the rest of the day.  

We were revisited the Duomo and climbed to the top of the dome (114 meters or 376 feet!).

We get a bird's eye view of the cathedral.

And a much closer view of the dome's fresco.

And an even closer view of the fresco faces.

There were also very grand stained glass windows circling the dome.

Clearly, people did not respect the sign.

  

On our way up through the narrow staircases.

We had to climb steep steps along the arc of the dome to reach the top.

  

At the top!  While the picture seems to indicate blue skies, most of the weekend was overcast and rainy.  The top of the dome was packed with visitors.

Our way down the extremely steep staircases.  The way up and down the dome follow the same path, so there were many traffic jams.  

Next, we went to the Duomo's Museum.  It made for quick visit, since a great deal of the museum was closed for renovations.

The highlight of the museum was the fully restored "Door of Paradise" by Ghiberti from the Cathedral's Baptistery east doors.  It took 27 years to restore the doors to their original brilliance. 

We then decided to climb up the Duomo's bell tower, since it was included in our ticket (and we consumed a large amount of beef for lunch).  Not as high as the dome, but the bell tower still stands at an impressive 85 meters or 278 feet.

Quads of steel.  There were MUCH fewer people going up the bell tower, making for a less crowded and more pleasant experience.  

A view of the bell tower from the dome.

A view of the dome from the bell tower.

The weather went back to its rainy/misty ways.

Florence at dusk.  Wonderful.

Since we made it to the top of the bell tower, we could afford to goof around. 

Both of us!

Next, we wandered south across the Arno River via Ponte Vecchio (meaning "Old Bridge").

Erected in 1345, this bridge stands as the oldest in Florence.

Initially, butchers lined the street.  Now, it's jewelers.

Despite promising to have a "lighter" dinner, the food at Trattoria la Casalinga was too good to resist.

The housemade antipasto plate.

Spinach and ricotta ravioli with coniglio (rabbit) sauce.

Spinach and ricotta ravioli with sage and butter.

A proper tiramisu with coffee!

And of course, espresso.

Day 3:  Baptistry, Pitti Palace, Gelato, No Salami Sandwich

We had originally planned on seeing the Bargello Museum today, but it was closed on the Sunday we were in town.  

Instead, we decided to visit the Baptistery (picture taken from the Bell Tower we climbed the day before). 

Inside, we see floor tiling that is reminiscent of a Persian carpet.

The octagonal Baptistery is built in Florentine Romanesque style.

Impressive mosaic ceiling with the image of "Judgement Day."  

Next, we walked across the river to Pitti Palace, a large Renaissance Palace, owned by the Medici family.

The enormous Palace is now open to the public as one of Florence's largest art galleries.

There was a very interesting special exhibit on hats.  Out of the many hats, this stood out to me.  It has a real bird on top.

Very detailed and opulent Palace.  We spent a lot of time viewing the Medici's sizable collection of valuable housewares, jewelry, and religious pieces.

The rooms were incredibly vast and reminded us of Versailles.  The tromp l'oeil paintings were particularly impressive.

Once again, we left gelato for the end of our trip!  Recommended by Rick Steves, we went to Vivoli for a taste.

In the left cup is pear and dark chocolate, while the right cup has rice and orange peel/ginger.

The Swiss Ms really liked the rice gelato.  I personally liked the gelato at Rome's Gelateria La Romana better.

We checked out of our B&B, took the bus back to the airport, and easily boarded our flight back to Zurich.  The Swiss Ms was especially looking forward to the plane ride back, since she was such a fan of the "Salami Sandwich" they served on our last dinner flight home.

Instead of salami, we were served this.  

Thanks for reading!

-Herr Cervelat