The Perfect Sleep and a Chandelier Giraffe

We woke up after the best sleep – it was so quiet, so dark, and the bed was absolutely massive. Perfection. We wandered down to breakfast and sat gazing out at the chandelier giraffe, which I just think is so cool.

There were heaps of options for breakfast, including fresh mozzarella (which I passed on). I stuck to fresh fruit and muesli, knowing full well I’d probably have another big food day ahead!

A Whirlwind of Florence Icons (Plus Some Shopping!)

We packed a lot into the morning, including a visit to the Florence Cathedral (Duomo) – incredibly stunning. We’ll be climbing it on Monday morning (wish us luck). Right next to it is the Baptistery, with its famous bronze doors – just beautiful.

After all that grandeur, I found my version of a religious experience: shopping for linens. I picked up a few gorgeous pieces (my absolute fave), along with some tees. The markets in Florence are an experience in themselves – colourful, busy, and a bit theatrical.

Case in point: we had a classic interaction with a leather vendor at the Mercato. I was eyeing up a bag and the seller launched into full sales pitch mode. We did the usual back and forth – haggling, hesitation, “we’ll think about it”. When we finally said we’d come back later, he threw his hands in the air and said, “You won’t come back! People always say they’ll come back, but they never do!” It was pure market drama, and I was living for it.

Another place we did a small amount of shopping (because it was not cheap!!) was Il Papiro, where they sell marbled paper, hand made in Florence. Absolutely beautiful things!

Phones, Statues, and Unexpected Arias

From there, we saw:

• The Loggia dei Lanzi, filled with classical statues

• Piazza della Signoria, always buzzing

• Palazzo Vecchio, with replicas of David and Neptune out front, and a statue of a girl looking at her phone, which had me doing a full circle of irony as I took a photo on my phone of people taking photos on their phones of a statue about phones

• The Basilica of Santa Maria Novella

• The Ponte Vecchio, charming with all its gold jewellery for sale

At one point, we stumbled across an opera singer performing in front of one of Florence’s beautiful old buildings. His voice echoed off the stone and gave me goosebumps – such a stunning, goosebump-y moment you don’t expect but won’t forget.

There was a lot of backtracking – Florence isn’t a grid and all the streets are stunning and vaguely similar, so we honestly lost track of what we’d already seen!

David vs. Venus – and a Clear Winner

We decided to visit just one of the major galleries today – Galleria dell’Accademia (home of Michelangelo’s David) or Uffizi (home of Botticelli’s Birth of Venus). We chose David.

And I’m so glad we did. We timed it really well and only waited about 15 minutes in line. The museum worker at the door was hilarious, joking that we’d need to sleep there overnight to get in – he was a vibe.

Seeing David in real life is breathtaking. He’s around 5 metres tall, and honestly, you just kind of stand there stunned. We walked all the way around him, just taking him in from every angle. Meanwhile, a tourist sitting behind the statue fell completely asleep – at one point, his companion even leaned over and gently closed his mouth. 😂

The rest of the gallery was lovely too – so much gold leaf, and I especially enjoyed the collection of very old musical instruments.

Aperitifs, Architecture, and a Missed Pharmacy

We crossed back over Ponte Vecchio and stopped for an aperitif – white spritzes and mortadella with cheese. Heavenly.

We had planned to visit Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella – the ancient pharmacy founded by Dominican friars in the 16th century – but it had closed by the time we arrived. Not to worry – we’ve added it to tomorrow’s list.

Sunset Views, Pizza Magic, and Blister Regret

For dinner, we booked a pizza place near Piazzale Michelangelo, a famous spot overlooking Florence with (yet another) David replica and absolutely epic views.

We went up for sunset, and it was magical. Dinner afterwards was just as dreamy – the pizza was phenomenal.

The only hiccup came when we asked the cashier if he could help call us a taxi. His eyes could not have rolled further back, nor could he have sighed more dramatically. We quickly told him not to worry, and decided to walk the hour back to the hotel.

The walk was actually lovely – lots of steps down, beautiful streets – though I wasn’t exactly in the best shoes for it. Not heels, but I did end up with blisters, so that wasn’t ideal.

Still, it was such a lovely evening and one we’ll remember for a long time.

Tomorrow’s Plan: Garden Time

Tomorrow we’re off to visit the Boboli Gardens – the ones that inspired the Gardens of Luxembourg in Paris. Can’t wait to wander through them.

Buona sera!

❤️ Laus