Florence's Best

I recently found a web site called "10 Most Today" that makes posts with a list of the 10 most.....whatever the subject of the day is.  A few days ago it was the 10 Best Attractions in Florence and it made me happy that I actually got to visit all but just one of them.  I decided to dedicate this post to the ones I got to visit. In reading the order of them, I have to say that I probably would have put them in a different order but I'll follow their pattern.

Number 1:  The Florence Cathedral or Santa Maria del Fiore.  It looms over the city with its tall dome and beautiful walls like a giant exclamation point.  My first glimpse of it was from a hotel window just after I had checked in.

Number 2:  The Uffizi Gallery.  I don't have a photo of this one but I did spend hours inside viewing the world's finest collections of Renaissance art.  Weaving through the gallery rooms is a bit overwhelming.  The next time I visit this place, I'll make a list of what I want to see and stick to it.

Number 3:  Michelangelo's David.  I would have put this as number 1 in my list.  Although the Academia Gallery where it is located is very nondescript it certainly houses the most magnificent statue I've ever seen.  I think my friend who was with me got tired of waiting for me while I walked around and around it in awe of its perfection.

It will be the first place I go when I return to Florence one day.

Number 4:  The Ponte Vecchio.  I got my first glimpse of this amazing structure from a window inside the Uffizi Gallery.  It is an impressive sight when first viewed from the gallery window with the bright Italian sun lighting it up.  Strolling across the bridge with its many jewelry vendors, I could easily imagine it full of butchers, fish mongers and fruit and vegetable vendors from its past all shouting out for attention.

Number 5:  Piazza della Signoria.  This piazza feels like the heart of the city.  It's a perfect place for visitors and residents alike to meet up with friends.  We stopped into a wonderful pastry shop for a quick bite to eat before out scheduled visit to the Uffizi Gallery.

Number 6:  Basilica di San Lorenzo.  This church was built in the 15th century and is one of the city's oldest churches.

The courtyard garden was particularly inviting.



























Number 7:  Loggia del Porcelain (Mercado Nuovo).  I thought I had a photo of this place but apparently not.  I do have clear memory of it.  It's a 16th century building that accommodates an indoor market.  I remember it because I bought a beautiful handbag from one of the vendors.


Number 8:  Piazzale Michelangelo.  This is the one I missed.  It's a park that overlooks the city of Florence.  If I had known about it, I can assure you that I would have been there.  I've seen photos taken from there and they are stunning.

Number 9:  Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace).  This was once the home of the powerful Medici family.  It's a 12th century structure that dominates the Piazza dell Signoria.  It now houses a museum and acts as the town hall.

Number 10:  The Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens.  This beautiful place once housed the ruling families of Florence.  It is now a museum you can tour.  The tour is divided into two tickets, the house tour and the garden tour.  The view of the garden above gives you an idea of its beauty.

The house was huge with wonderful antique furnishings and striking chandeliers.

I found the look of the carriage house (to the right) quite unique.

So that is the list of the 10 best attractions in Florence in the opinion of the authors of the web site I mentioned above.