Exploring Florence

Today we have nothing planned except to walk the streets and explore Florence. The streets are full of locals and tourists enjoying this wonderful fall day. At the Duomo, a military band is performing. They are dressed in uniforms with feathered hats. Their music fills the piazza.

It is Sunday morning and the Duomo is closed until 13:30. San Lorenzo Market is just around the corner and it is a perfect place to shop. This is the major shopping area, full of sidewalk vendors selling leather, scarves, toys and gifts. After shopping, we grab a pizza at an outdoor cafe before walking to the Duomo.

The line at the Duomo is relatively short. The exterior of the Cathedral is ornate and massive. As we enter the cathedral, you are first hit by the enormity. It is hard to comprehend how this building was erected without our modern day machinery. We light candles for loved ones while standing in line for what we thought was the Duomo Museum. The line moves quickly and we soon realized we were waiting to enter the gift shop. As we exit, a guard informs us that the museum is closed and will reopen on Monday. I am disappointed that we will not be able to visit the Duomo Museum, home to one of Michelangelo's last sculpture, the Florentine Pietà. This will be at the top of my list on our next visit.

After the Duomo, we take the City Sightseeing bus and make the loop around Florence. Views from the south bank high atop the hill, overlooking Florence are breathtaking. For those of you planning a visit, this is a great way to see the city but is very expensive, 20 Euros for a 24-hour pass.