Since our Air BnB was located just up the hill from the bridge Ponte Vecchio, we started our day by crossing it into the center of Florence. The only bridge across the river not destroyed in WWII, it is known for the shops lining it which now house jewelers, art dealers, and souvenir sellers. Before 8am, the shops were just barely starting to open and the majority of people on the bridge were locals hurrying across. We took a few photos and continued onward.
Our first stop was Piazza Della Signoria, the site of Palazzo Vecchio and original location of the statue of David. It also has a statue of Neptune and an open-air sculpture gallery. Later in the day we would pass through to find it packed with tour groups, but early in the morning our biggest concern was dodging trucks supplying the surrounding restaurants and the occasional motorbike zipping through.
It was a short walk from there to the Duomo, the towering beheameth that dominates the center of the old city. Construction of the building started in 1296, the dome proved an enormous engineering challenge as it was too large for construction methods available at the time. The plagues further challenged availability of people and resources to complete the project. Finally in the 1400s Brunelleschi devised a system capable of supporting the dome through the construction process. It was finally finished in 1461, 15 years after Brunelleschi’s death.
Entry to the main part of the Duomo is free but access doesn’t start until 10:15am, so it was still fairly quiet for taking pictures and getting a good look at the exterior. We then went a few blocks away and found a coffee shop to a enjoy a cornetto and coffee in a quiet piazza while we waited for the churches to open. I was suprised when the barista asked if we wanted a normal or large cappuccino, and the large was a full 12oz instead of the usual 6-8oz size.
It was still early for the Duomo when we finished, so instead we walked a few more blocks over to the Basilica of Santa Croce which was just opening up. This large complex is located along the river in what was once marshland beyond the city walls. It is the burial place of many famous Renaissance figures, including Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli. It is also the largest Franciscan church in the world. Beyond the church, we were able to explore chapels, museum exhibits, the cloisters, and gardens. One exhibit showed the history of frequent flooding throughout the churche’s history, often reaching well over 12 feet and damaging or destroying the precious art inside. In the most recent round of flooding in the 1960s before modern river controls were put in place, many pieces of art were taken up the hill to near Boboli garden to dry out and be restored.
There was much more to see than we initially expected and we didn’t finish until around 11. At that point we headed back to the Duomo and got in line along the side of the church for entry. After waiting 20 minutes, we reached a sign describing the entry point and realized we were in the wrong line! The correct line started around the front of the church. It wound around the side of the church. It reached the back of the church. At that point we asked ourselves if the wait was worth it, and decided not. Instead we went to find some lunch.
To get back to our Air BnB, we crossed over the Ponte alle Grazie bridge which gave us a great view down the river back toward Ponte Vecchio. Even from this distance we could see the crowds now packing the open point between the shops to take photos. Since we had to climb back up the hill to our Air BnB anyway, we decided to do so through the Bardini Garden. That proved to be one of the best decisions of the day. While it was a steady climb uphill, the switchbacks were fairly gentle and manageable. The views were incredible. As we gained height more and more of the city came into view, until at the top we had a nearly full panorama. The wisteria trellis at the top was in full bloom, and we sat on a hill above it for a while enjoying the cityscape framed by purple blossoms. From the exit of the garden it was just a 2 minutes walk downhill to our stay.
Our reservation for the larger Boboli Gardens was at 4pm in the afternoon. Rain was in the forecast, so we grabbed our rain jackets and umbrellas. Conveniently, there was a garden entrance just a 5 minute walk up the hill from us. As we passed through, the first drops of rain were starting to fall. Before long it was coming down steadily. Between the rain, many of the fountains being shut for repair, and a feeling that we were out of season for most flowers, it was a bit of a disappointing walk. We did enjoy the orangery and had fun taking photos in the hedges, which kept off some of the heaviest moments of rain.
Later when we went out for dinner, the rain had stopped. Wanting a break from pasta and bread, we chose a restaurant with Mediterranean and Indian food down the hill from us. The food didn’t have much spice but was fine after a long day of walking. We picked up a few more supplies at the grocery store, and trudged our way up the hill for the third time that day. After 8 miles and a lot of climbing we could feel it in our legs! At least we should be prepared for the stairs when we arrive in Cinque Terre!