So, our first pass through Firenze came and went via train. This time we arrived by rental car from Bologna and navigated the labyrinthian alleyways to a whole different section of town, three doorfronts from the Piazza de Santa Croce and across the narrow cobblestones from the Trattoria Casa Toscana. (Fabulous affogato, by the way.) Though we’d encroached on a limited traffic zone (ZTL), our host had advised us we were safe for a solid half hour before the carabinieri might glance our way. So, we lugged our bags up a flight and entered a wonderfully spacious room with queen bed, dining table, and step-ups to the comfortable kitchen and bathroom. Great place!
No rest for the weary, however; we were running late for our car return at the train station. Apple Maps successfully calculated a route through the myriad tangle of one way streets, and we clocked in at Sixt with time to spare.
The temps had dropped ten degrees from our earlier visit, so the low-80s stroll to our next appointment actually felt pleasant. We found a streetside osteria around the corner from the Duomo and sipped cool Hugo spritzes until our ticket time to climb the 463 narrow steps to the panoramic view from its peak.
Where our previous two-dayer here was intended for simply getting our Florentine feet wet, these next 40 hours were more deliberate, with tickets for both the full Cathedral complex, as well as the next day’s tour of the Accademia Gallery, including Michaelangelo’s David. And not to forget . . . our bistecca alla fiorentina.
Okay, let me just say . . . if you ever get a chance, you have to do it. The Duomo climb. The ascent itself is both a pain in the legs and quite claustrophobic at times, but it’s also way way cool. The shoe-weathered stone steps tight-spiral endlessly upward with occasional straight stretches, and just when you think you can’t lift your foot another inch, you’ll enter a flat space with room to breathe (and rest, if necessary). There are three of those brief respites along the way, some with displays of period artifacts.
At the two-thirds point, you’ll actually enter the cathedral’s spacious vault, high up inside the dome, where the view of the intricately-painted ceiling is unobstructed, but dimmed Plexiglass panels obscure any hoped-for study of the church floor below. On tiptoes, I managed the photo. (Where’s the selfie-stick when you need one.)
And even the dulled glass was too much for the acrophobic (and maybe claustrophobic) young woman directly behind us, experiencing a full blown sobbing panic attack. And there’s no turning around and going back. Her mom and sister made every effort possible to keep her calm. Breathe, baby, breathe.
Then came the light at the end of the tunnel, the final step into the sun, and the stunning full-circle hawkeye perspective of the entire city of Florence. Simply spectacular. From high above, we viewed the David replica on top of the Piazzale Michelangelo and the Boboli Gardens, as well as other notable structures from our long walk two weeks earlier. We especially appreciated seeing the rolling hillsides and broad stands of verdant forests stretching beyond the city itself. Really quite breath-taking.
And then came the damn physiologically unfriendly descent. The human body just doesn’t bend that way. Climbing UP a flight of stairs, you’re stooped naturally forward, and your head bobs low. It’s a natural fit through the squat-ceilinged spiral tunnel passages. Climbing DOWN a flight of stairs is a whole nother story. You can’t lean forward; there’s an angled tunnel ceiling there. You can’t lean backward or your feet’ll slip. Yet, with strategic body contortions, occasional head whacks, and several 7-inch shorter Nancy’s oh, honey, that one had to hurt exclamations, we made it out the final door and immediately into the cathedral itself.
In light of our recent blown-away experiences at the cathedrals in Siena, Ravenna, and Bologna (blog posts pending on those visits) we’d been cautioned to revise our expectations for the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. Much appreciated advice. The place is huge; its masonry dome is the largest in the world, and the cathedral itself is the world’s fourth largest. With 15 separate chapels laid out in three circular lobes, the sheer size of the place is overwhelming. Unquestionably awesome, as the photos below depict, but without the elaborate ornateness of the other cathedrals we’d visited. The sanctuary ceiling is bare (photo, upper left). We wished more of the informational signs were offered also in English, and we found the audio guide we’d downloaded with our tickets to be inadequate. (In total contrast to the next day’s audio for the Galleria.) The highlight, of course, was standing beneath the dome, staring up at the colossal fresco of the Last Judgment, covering 3,600 square meters and painted by Giorgio Vasari and Federico in the 1570’s.
In one of the apse chambers a young art restorer methodically and meticulously cleaned the layers of time from the centuries-old tile and paint. The scope of that project incalcuable.
A few steps downward brought us into the dim-lit and incredibly well-displayed Crypt of Santa Reparata, which for me is somewhat a misnomer. Santa Reparata was a religious edifice constructed to celebrate the victory over Radagaisus on the feast day of Saint Reparata in the 3rd century AD, and existed at that site in various forms for a thousand years before the first stone of the Duomo was laid in 1296, on top of the remains of that previous cathedral. Known for its elaborate mosaic floors, the current Crypt does a masterful job conveying the layers of initial construction and later excavation and discovery. Expansive swaths of intricately-tiled stone are highlighted with annotated elucidation. And yes, you will see a few Roman sarcophagi on display, these from the 2nd century, and one featuring reliefs of the Dioscuri brothers, Castor and Pollux. I loved the Crypt and could have spent many additional hours there.
As opposed to the Baptistery, where we spent literally 2 minutes. It’s under repair and completely obstructed by wooden panels and scaffolding. The panels themselves are calculatedly decorated with pictorial representations of what they covered, but still . . . not worth sticking around for. Besides, it’d been a long day, and we were ready for cool showers and some dinner.
At this point, our only locked-in food decision was fiorentino steak the following night . . . the where yet determined. So, we strolled the local byways checking menus and ambiances, soaking in the evening vibe and watching folks be folks, eventually settling on two bistecca finalists. And along the way, we found tonight’s dinner venue, a cool outdoor patio with a just opened-up two-top with our name on it.
An hour of fantastic food later, we came to realize the place is 100% gluten-free. Now, we’d both done plenty of gluten-limited dining before then, but these offerings at Sgrano blew our minds. Even the bread was exceptional.
The only hint to the parameters on our menu’s ingredients was their website QR code on our tabletop, https://www.sgranoglutenfree.it/, otherwise, we wouldn’t have known.
In anticipation of our 1.5 kilos of coal-fired cow the next night, we ate light: their North Sea salad with salmon, eggplant, and avocado and potato gnocchi with cherry tomatoes and salted ricotta. We finished across the alley with a decaf affogato, and were asleep in minutes when we got back to our room.
The next morning meant prepping for following day’s departure from Tuscany and the 5-hour train to Puglia. We walked a couple of blocks along the Piazza de Santa Croce to Finisterrae Firenze, a popular evening trattoria and efficiently busy morning coffee shop and pasticceria. We savored caffé Americanos and a light lemon creme-filled croissant – yeah, no kidding – and watched the locals down their espressos while standing at the coffee bar, in and out in less than 5 minutes. Then we walked back towards the Duomo, rendezvoused with the Get Your Guide ticket clerk outside the Galleria Dell’Accademia, and downloaded the audio app. At our designated time we slipped past the unfortunate unticketed masses and entered the Gallery.
The app’s index listed 28 separate audio clips, so we decided to follow them in order, seeking out each notable art piece and listening to its 3-5 minute expository. Good stuff. We learned a ton and were fascinated by all of it. A few we most appreciated, pictured below, included Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabines, Portelli’s Immaculate Conception Dispute, Botticelli’s Madonna of the Sea, and Giottino’s Madonna and Child Enthroned.
The Gallery is configured into several separate viewing chambers, each with its own focus or theme, and any of them could easily occupy an hour of your time. The fact that the works represented there are 500-600 years old kinda blows my mind, and the distinct artistic styles of the various Renaissance artists is equally interesting. (On the train the next morning I found myself poring through Wikipedia entries for deeper information.)
One of those side chambers offers a display of 50 ancient musical instruments on loan from the Cherubini Conservatory since 2001, including the oldest known vertical piano, Amati and Stradivari violins, and even a couple of hurdy-gurdies dating back to the mid-17th century.
Upon entering the Hall of Prisoners, one’s eyes are drawn immediately to the 17-foot tall David at its far end, but the artist’s four incomplete Prisoner statues set the stage beautifully, with demonstration of the type of chisel work and marble shaping required to sculpt such a masterpiece. To liberate, as Michaelangelo believed, those figures already existing in the stone.
Then there was David. The David. And I could go on and on.
There’s so much Nancy and I didn’t know, such as the statue’s origin in 1464 and the decision made by a Donatello protegè named Agostino to carve the piece from a single block of ordinary white marble, contrary to the commissioned plans. That his own work abruptly ended with the death of his master two years later, then a later recommission stalled, and eventually the statue lay on its side in the yard of the Florence cathedral workshop for 25 years, neglected and exposed to the weather. In 1500, determined that the sculpture be completed, the Overseers of the Office of Works, known as the Operai del Duomo, ordered that the block of stone, which they called Il Gigante (The Giant), be “raised on its feet” so that a master experienced in that kind of work might examine it and express an opinion on continuing its creation. And that the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and Andrea Sansovino were keen for the commission, but a young 26-year old Michelangelo was selected for the job. Super fascinating stuff and we hardly knew or remembered any of it from our art classes in high school and college.
Like I said, I could go on and on.
After that we entered the surprisingly interesting Gipsoteca Bartolini, a collection of plaster casts and preparatory models collected and displayed in the nineteenth century by a professor at the Gallery of Fine Arts as inspiration for students there. Inaugurated in 1985, the room is designed to replicate a sculptor’s atelier with busts, full figures, bas reliefs, and monuments. The sheer number of models represented there is jaw-dropping. As was the figure of a melancholy actor Bill Murray seated on a bench at the back of the room. You tell us . . . that’s him, right?
Okay, eyes and brains a bit weary at that point, we returned to home base for showers and laptop-blog time, and anticipation of our upcoming victuals. After careful consideration, we basically flipped a coin and chose Osteria Filetto d’Oro, a half dozen blocks west in an area rampant with restaurants, bars, and other popular nightspots. They initially sat us in the narrow entry corridor, then learned of our bistecca plans, and wisely relocated us to a table for four, half to be utilized for protein. We cracked open a bottle of Sangio, then without further distraction, jumped straight to the chase, our waiter emerging from the kitchen with a wooden platter topped by just over three pounds of Chianina “gold” and requesting our approval.
Uhh, sure. Who are we to judge the quality of 60-day dry-aged Florentine special breed beef? (That’s a Chianina in the photo to the right.)
Meeting our approval, he brought the raw slab back to the charcoal pit for its less than 10-minute cook. That’s it. Four minutes per side and another five to rest, the two months of dry-aging factoring bigly in the doneness. They call that 60-day offering their d’Oro – The Gold – and it’s served with an overlayer of edible foil to trap the heat and sparkle the presentation before slicing. I’m sure we paid a premium for the novelty of it all, but tonight was a splurge anyway, so we embraced it.
So, if first bites mean anything, we’d died and gone to heaven. Succulent, juicy, bursting with that sharp taste bud-exploding flavor that can only come from fire-grilled meat. And the sea salt sprinkled just after slicing and a drizzle of pure Tuscan olive oil brought it all together in your mouth. And roasted new potatoes were the perfect side. Torn between casually pacing our bites and getting while the getting was char-pit hot, we chose the latter. And any fears we had of finishing the full 1.5 kilos went by the wayside. A truly memorable meal, with a shared affogato to cap the night.
Getting Trashed in Italy
We first noticed it in Rome. Then again in Florence, Pienza, Ravenna, and Bologna. These Italians have it all figured out when it comes to collecting their citizenry’s garbage and recycling. Everywhere you go, you’ll find a bank of familiarly-colored containers lined up on the side of the road (or the alley in some of these high density hamlets) with written instructions on what goes where. Both foot and hand bars pivot open the receptacles. And they’re all free! Well, with one exception: mixed garbage. Should you opt not to separate, they still have a place for you and your trash . . . you’ll just have to pay for it. Cash or credit, right there at the can.
Ahh, but there’s more, and we didn’t realize it until our last few hours in Florence, as we threw out our last garbage before the taxi met us. We’d been seeing (and using) these space age-looking dispensers for a few weeks now, but never even considered how they worked at the collection end of things. Then we saw this. C’mon, America, it’s time to step it up.
And that was that. Coffees at Finisterrae again, just as they opened at 7am, then a cab hailed via our Italian TAXI move app, and by 8 o’clock we were standing on our platform as the train pulled in for the journey to our 5 weeks on the Puglian heel. Love ya, Tuscany! Can’t wait to get back.
We’ll be in touch.
Drank a Punk IPA on the top of a hotel in Bangkok!
Indeed, they are everywhere!
I would still be walking from the Firenze train station to your first airbnb!!!!
I’m sooo sorry you had to suffer through the gelato tastings to find the One. Somebody had to do it!
I totally agree about the sangiovese grape. One of my favorite wines is a Super Tuscan. Mainly made with indigenous grapes blended with non-indigenous vines like Cab Sauv and merlot. One of the top wines in the world! And a bargain price.
In Nancy and your honor, I made a Tuscan chicken dish the other day. Except it didn’t look like the food you pictured….and didn’t taste like it, I’m sure!
Enjoying your trip with you!
Hey Jim, love that you’re following along, and appreciate your comments. The Tuscan wines are truly a joy, though we did enjoy a Puglian red this evening while in Vieste. Awesome town. You’d love it!! A festival tonight with music or comedy every night a stone’s throw away.
Ah, the Pantheon, one of my favorite buildings, especially considering its age.
Yes, we’ll be back in Florence in Wednesday and Thursday next week. We’ll tour the Pantheon then.
Okay! I will have the house tagliere board for two! For myself! And 2 glasses of wine??? You can’t fool me.
Just read an article about the area where Nancy’s family lived. An area known for its unique buildings with a purpose to evade taxes!
Trullo buildings in Alberobello! Also, now B and B’s. May your safe journeys continue!
Ahh, the Trulli of Alberobello. We won’t be lodging in one, but plan to spend a morning or afternoon visiting Alberobello. Thanks again for your comments, Jim. We head to Montecino and Montepulciano today. Puglia in a week.
We loved Dublin (actually ALL of Ireland!) but didn’t have enough time there.
The library was amazing as well as the Book of Kells but I see the books are all gone! Must be renovating.
Big fan of Jamie…..sooo jealous!
Totally agree on Guinness tour.
They’re restoring (un-dusting) the books in the library at Trinity College; only about 10% on display. It’ll be a several-year project.
Glenn, not surprisingly your lilting eloquence embellishes the accompanying pictorial fare and invites one to pour a wee dram with which to enjoy both!
My hope has been to capture the spirit and flavor of the places and people we encounter on our journey. I’m glad you’re enjoying it.
Wow, that all sounds so lovely, except for the driving part! That would make me so nervous.
I’m really not trying to dominate the comment section but………
Where you are brings back sooo many memories of Derry (wife, not place!). She, also, was my navigator and her job was to pick the ivy off the passenger side mirror because I was so close to those damned rock walls avoiding a lorry coming at me @ 100Km/hr on a 1 & 1/2 lane road!
We went to Connemara National Park, climbed up most of the way, and went to visit the great love story that Kylemore Abbey represents.
The walled garden was amazing, too.
I have watched the very perplexing movie “The Banshees of Inisherin”
I agree, Galway is awesome!! We did indeed have a brew or two @ Monroe’s!
Keep your comments coming, my friend. We love having you along for the ride.
I love vicariously eating and sight-seeing with you two! And I’m glad I’m not splitting the bill!
Asheville and the Blue ridge Parkway were the some of the highlights on my trips around there. We, also, skipped the Biltmore tour. $50-head to see someone else’s ostentatiousness!
And I now have to put Curate on my list…..love me some Spanish tapas!
No doubt, our joy of good food has us reevaluating the dining budget! 😉
Have been hearing a lot lately about Charleston’s foodie scene!!!
I want a raclette burger and order me the trout with crawfish at Vern’s!
And be careful driving out there. Might get a little wet!
Stepping out of Vern’s last night it was dumping!! Thankfully they loaned us an umbrella for the short walk home, but with sandals . . . pretty sloppy. And yes, both of those food items were incredible.
Excellent post! I love how the architecture helps avoid the taxman… brilliant!
What a fun day!!! And then, to a Spanish restaurant serving some of my favorite tapas and vino!!
A new post after just 24 hours? You spoil us, and set a high bar for the detailed story-telling of your adventures! If the rest of your trip is half as enjoyable as your first day out to be, you’re in for a treat. Love you both and enjoy the humidity (and everything else, of course).
Hola to you two!!
A word of caution, kinda. Watch out for Travis Decker in Leavenworth!
Not that I have vast knowledge for packing for long trips, I would think taking along some “tradeable” clothing you can bargain with! Like a nice BBB shirt in exchange for a nice Italian sweater! And save room for souvenirs and fun stuff! No one will care if you wear the same shirt three days in a row, except Nancy!!
Also, I can partner with you about losing family. It certainly speeds up as we get older.
Yeah, definitely one of the downsides of aging!
What a great surprise it was to have you and Nancy swing by Green Lake, looking forward to hosting you both in Tucson next year! I had forgotten to mention during our conversation that there are two new Matador restaurants in S. Carolina if you are feeling nostalgic. Thanks again and safe travels, already excited to follow along!
Thanks for the heads up re. the Matadors. I see it’s actually a restaurant with a separate “Mezcaleria by Matador” next door. It’s 1.5 miles from our AirBnB. We’ll definitely go there. Glad to know you’ll be following along on our travels. Take care.
Wow! I bet you’re both getting excited for your continuing adventures. Love reading about them. We miss you guys!
So excited! Already loving our “vacationing” in our hometown, and chomping at the bit to truly hit the road. Miss you two, as well. Glad you’re following along. Hope your summer’s starting off great.
Whooohoo! You’re on your way! 👏🏼🌟
Looks like you two are loving and living life well. Love the narratives and the photos
Thanks, Sandy. Yes, life’s awesome.
(And Kirkland is just so cool, as I’m sure you remember.)
We love Kirkland, especially Isarn Thai 🤤🤤🤤 One of my favorite Thai restaurants! It looks like your adventures are off to a great start. Enjoy your time with family and friends!
Thanks, Kelsey. Isarn Thai is one of our daughter Kylene’s favorites, as well.
Hope you and Scott are enjoying your early summer.
Godspeed my friends. See you soon, hopefully it will involve libations and excellent conversation. Miss you guys!
So very excited for you two and looking forward to being on your adventure with you! I must be on your roster twice as I received 2 email notifications. Enjoy every minute and I hope to see you at one of your visits to BB!
Jealous…can’t wait to see and hear all about it
Bon voyage, and we’ll see you in Asheville!
I could not be more excited for you both! Have an amazing time in WA (wish I was joining for graduation) and on your stateside portion of this adventure. Can’t wait to see you in the Burgh in a few months. Cheers to new adventures!
Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge and experience, Best of luck Glenn and Nancy. Safe travels🙏🌺
Thanks, Al. Glad you’ll be following our adventure.
OMG this sounds absolutely amazing!!!!!!
Thanks, Lisa. See you soon!
Hello Nancy and Glenn!
What an exercise in travel planning and what a tremendously exciting and interesting journey it will be.
From reading your update, I’m not clear on the exact date you will be departing the US and/or Mexico and when you are scheduled to return. Could you confirm, please.
Are you going to be measured for your dress Gordon kilt while in Edinburgh?
Looking forward to ‘sharing ‘ your adventure.
Love, Angela
Safe travel and dr8nk a few for me!
Thanks, Michele. See you at the shop in a couple of weeks.
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I think I already signed up but…maybe not? Anyway, should be signed up now
You’re golden.
Add me to mailing list pls!
You’re good to go.