Florence is one of the most intellectual cities i've ever been in. this entire place is covered in museums. felt smart just walking down the street...
first thing i saw coming out of the train station was the Santa Maria Novella Church.
just a few blocks from where i was staying is the Battistero and the Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo).
i want this car...
this is the Palazzo Medici Riccardi.
a few more blocks north is the Basilica di San Marco.
besides its museums, Florence is also for some cheap shopping at the Piazza di Mercato Centrale, a crazy market that extends for blocks w/lots of people to barter with.
after the wandering thru the market and trying to see how low i could get people to sell me junk, i walked thru the Piazza Della Repubblica (i think!)...
...on my way to Piazza di Signoria, home of the Palazzo Vecchio, the Galleria degli Uffizi, and the Corridoio Vasariano. this place was amazing!
there are statues galore, including a replica of Michelangelo's David. i saw the real one earlier in the day, but couldn't take a photo of it w/o getting yelled at and kicked out of the Galleria dell'Accademia. i also sacrificed an hour of my life waiting in line to see the David, only to find out i could get in within 10 mins if i was willing to spend another 3 euros, but that's another story... i'm never waiting that long to see a guy again!
the only pictures i was allowed to take inside the Museo di Palazzo Veccio...
the Galleria degli Uffizi is one of the greatest museums in the world. it houses 13th-17th century art including da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt, and Goya.
the Corridoio Vasariano connects the Uffizi Gallery with the Pitti Palace and passes above the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in the city.
lots of shopping in this area too...
and lots of good views from here of the Arno river...
big old watch tower...
across from it is the Biblioteca Nazionale.
saw the Certosa del Galluzzo, which is about 2 kilometers south of the city so i headed that way...
as in every other town i've been in thru europe, there are always a ridiculous number of stairs to climb.
some very cool views from here including the wall that leads up to the Forte de Belvedere.
at the top of the stairs is the Piazzale Michelangelo and San Miniato al Monte. it's very pretty up here. and the birds like the 4 bronze copies of the David...
you get the best views of the city from way up here!
after sightseeing a bit more, i eventually trekked my way to the train station so i could catch my ride to rome.
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