Florence

We finally got to catch up on some sleep when we got back to Perugia, and left for Florence mid-afternoon. I am in love with Florence, it has to be my favorite city in Italy that I've been to. The one problem is, there is so much to see, (first world/ white girl problems, I know. I'm keeping it in perspective) which made it hard to decide where to take Grant. We saw the inside of Santa Maria del Fiore, which was beautiful with simple decoration throughout the church, and a beautiful interior dome. 

I loved the floors in the church!

One of my favorite sculptures... stunning.

Ponte Vecchio

I think Florence is beautiful with a little rain and fog. It adds to the mystery and appeal of the city. The Arno was especially captivating. If anyone is interested in the long, tumultuous relationship between Florence and the Arno, I highly encourage you to read Dark Water by Robert Clark. A fascinating read.

One of the highlights of the trip was the secret museum deal on the last Tuesdays of every month. On those Tuesdays, after 7:30, all (or most of) the museums and sites in Florence are free! We got to see the Palazzo Vecchio, which is absolutely enormous. It's amazing to think that one family lived there! We also got into the Uffizi for free. I love the Uffizi, it has an incredible collection. My favorite room houses Botticelli and Leonardo. To see these works so close is heaven for an art history major. It was so fun showing Grant the works that I've spent so much time studying, and relaying what I've learned. It's amazing how much more you can recall when you're in front of the work, rather than when someone asks you a question about it out of the blue.