FLORENCE

Rick Steves' Best of Europe in 14 Days

Sept. 15-16, 2008

Gene got a big laugh from our group with his comment, "The best thing about the Rick Steves tour is that somebody else gets to tell Barb we're leaving at 8:00 AM." But I was wide awake and ready to go that morning, because that was the day we got to see David.

I've been waiting for David my whole life! And he certainly didn't disappoint me!

To say that Michelangelo's David stands head and shoulders above any other sculpture is, for me, not an exaggeration.

First, there's the sheer size of the statue: at 17 feet tall, David is indeed a commanding presence in the long, narrow gallery at the Accademia over which he presides. Secondly, the power of this figure, captured forever in gleaming Carrara marble, is mesmerizing. His riveting eyes compel you towards him. It truly is a masterpiece—the highlight of my trip so far.

(No photography was allowed inside the Accademia where the original David is on display. The photos on the left and in the center above show a replica outside the Palazzo Vecchio; the photo on the right is of a replica at an overlook on the outskirts of Florence.)

me and my David

Another impressive sight in Florence was the Duomo. When the cathedral was built in the previous century, no one knew how to build a dome that large, so it was left open at the top. Then a local architect, Brunelleschi, came up with an ingenious design of a dome-within-a-dome, which would support itself. Over 4 million bricks were used in the construction of the dome, which was finally completed in 1436. To this day, it's the largest brick dome ever constructed, and its octagonal shape dominates the skyline of Florence.

The exterior of the Duomo's intricately-carved green, pink, and white marble reminded me of icing on a cake.

Right across the street from the Duomo are Ghiberti's famous Baptistery doors. They are remarkable because of the three-dimensional effect the artist achieved in carving these bronze panels, which were completed in 1452.

Michelangelo, who was later working on a little project of his own just down the road in Rome, called these doors "the Gates of Paradise." Even though these are copies, they were stunning.

Later that day, we headed off to explore the Ponte Vecchio, Florence's most famous—and possibly most photogenic—bridge. Shops along the covered bridge featured lots of pricey gold and silver jewelry.

Wandering through the shops near the Ponte Vecchio, we bought some lovely Italian leather wallets for our family back home. We learned to keep our purchases small and light so they would fit in our carry-on luggage for the return trip home.

Of course, no day in Italy is complete without at least one gelato!

Capturing the memories with our tour friends, Joe and Terry, Bryan and Rachel, Karen and Steve.

Back at our Tuscan villa, we feasted together at a group dinner. The sumptuous food, prepared by our hosts, was paired perfectly with local wine.

Our villa was nestled among acres of vineyards.

Before retiring for the night, my husband decided to explore the bathroom plumbing.

Overall impressions of Florence:

I wish everyone could see David in person. It was my biggest "Wow!" moment of the trip.

Florence is an artist's palette with its colorful buildings and magnificent works of art in the Accademia and the Uffizi Galleries.

Gelatos are a feast for the other kind of palate!

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