Florence - Day 1
November 18, 2023
I was up early traveling from Venice to Florence.
Leaving Venice
It felt like I left Venice in the dark of the night. However, I booked an early train to Florence and left probably earlier than necessary to walk to the train station. I do have a habit of getting lost and did not want to miss the train.
My Room with a View
I stayed at a bed and breakfast right across from the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore or the Duomo. The view and the sounds of the people congregating were spectacular.
Brunelleschi's Dome
After checking into my hotel I headed off to climb to the top of Brunelleschi's Dome. Glad to report I made it to the top and back down.The dome was built between 1420 and 1436 to a plan by Filippo Brunelleschi.
Santa Maria del Fiore
After seeing the top of the dome I decided to head inside to experience the Cathedral. Since I went to the top I decided to also go to the bottom and visit the crypt. Oddest thing I saw was a souvenir stand selling shot glasses next to the crypts.
Opera del Duomo Museum
So they took the sculptures off the side of the Cathedral and belltower and moved them into a museum to protect them from the elements. These were sculptures made by the greatest artists and even some that theNinja Turtles were named after.
Saturday Night in Florence
I ventured out on Saturday night to see what was happening in Florence. Florence was already in the Christmas spirit with decorations and I even came upon a lively Christmas Market to cap off the evening.