Sunny Florence

My Italian holidays

  

       This summer I have spent 2 gorgeous weeks in Italy. I don't want to speak much how wonderful and unforgettable were they , I just carry you out into my travelling and share with you my own impressions. I will start with beautiful city  Florence.

This "flourishing" city is situated in the region Toskana. Here  lived and worked such bright minds as Dante Alighieri,Francesco Petrarca,Giovanni Boccaccio, Filippo Brunelleschi, and others legendary persons. It goes without saying  that  Florence owes much to Medici family.

It is naturally that I advise you to see The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (it's very beautiful as outside as inside). There is  also Palazzo Vecchio near,fountain of Neptune and Loggia dei Lanzi, there you can find copies of magnificent statues( The Rape of the Sabine Women- is my favorite one), it is like  open-air museum. Nearby is located The Uffizi Gallery (there you can find works by Sandro Botticelli,Leonardo da Vinci,Raphael,Caravaggio,Titian). To say noting of several huge queues , there are more than one.(There is one for guided groups;for one who has already reserved on the internet; just to buy tickets; and to enter inside) Also there are people who want sell you tickets for the price 25 euros( as it normally cost 11 euros). n order not to stand in the queue, you can reserve a ticket for a time what we have done.( this service costs 4 euros). You need to ask a guard there the line for booking . We took tickets at 2 p.m that's why we'd got enough  time for visiting Palazzo Vecchio.

Also Florence is known  for its unique bridge -Ponte Vecchio,where for several centuries are located  jewelry stores. Therefore, it also became known as "Golden Bridge". On the other side of river Arno you can hide from hot weather in the Pitti Palace (Palazzo Pitti) and in the Boboli Gardens.(the ticket cost 7 euros which include Costume Gallery,  Porcelain Museum, Silver Museum, and the gardens, but it's not allowed to make photos inside the palace). The gardens are very beautiful and have the a collection of sculptures and fontains. It is a very good place for rest and photoshoot.

Florence is famous for its leather products, which you can find on the San Lorenzo market (like bags, gloves, belts,shoes)

 For tourist is very important where to eat. Let's not forget that in the big and tourist cities there are a lot of fountains with potable water ( all you need to do is not forget take with you an extra empty bottle).Also there are a lot of "gelateria", you know 'gelato'  is the best food when it is too hot.

I guess the best time for supper is after 5 p.m .I will recommend La Grotta Guelfa restaurant, it is located in two steps of nuovo market and I have to admit that was the absolutely the most delicious tiramisu in my life.(the dinner for two cost  for us 32 euros including tip('coperti') there were 2 tiramisu, a bottle of water, one pasta with tomato and basilic and one pasta carbonara)  there were quite large portions, so sometimes it makes sense to share with a neighbor.