We arrived at the B&B Stella d'Oro in Florence on Thursday afternoon, a day and a half before Gary and Jill would arrive on Saturday morning. B&B Stella d'Oro turned out to be a great place to stay. The location is perfect, just a couple blocks from San Lorenzo and four blocks to the Duomo. The room was comfortable, the shower was great, and Enrico was a super host. We planned daily visits to the main Renaissance sights for Gary and Jill, starting with a Renaissance overview walk on Saturday. Here we go...!
San Lorenzo, the Duomo, the Baptistry, Piazza della Repubblica, Piazza Signoria, the Ponte Vecchio, and more....
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| San Lorenzo and Medici Chapels |
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| The Baptistry on Palm Sunday |
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| Baptistry and Duomo at night |
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| Jazz band in Piazza della Repubblica |
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| Palazzo Vecchio |
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| Ponte Vecchio |
Brunelleschi looking up at the dome he designed....
We toured the Duomo Museum, which has a wealth of Renaissance treasures....
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| Michelangelo's Pieta |
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| Donatello's Mary Magdalene |
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| Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise Doors c.1450 |
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| Brunelleschi's dome model c.1420 |
Other Duomo Museum Views....
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| Bust of Mary Magdalene by Bandini |
We toured the ruins of Santa Reparata, which are beneath the Duomo. These are the ruins of the first church in Florence, built during the fifth century....
We had an amazing visit to the Medici Chapel. The Old Sacristy was built in the 14th century, and it is stunning....
The New Sacristy was designed by Michelangelo in the 1520s. It contains seven sculptures by Michelangelo....
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| Madonna and Child 1521 |
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| Night and Day |
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| Dusk and Dawn |
We had tickets to tour the Accademia on Tuesday. The museum houses the spectacular Statue of David and other treasures....
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| Tree of Life |
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Michelangelo unfinished Pieta'
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A couple of the statues in the Loggia in Piazza Signoria...
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| Neptune fountain in the Piazza |
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Lion statue inside Palazzo Vecchio
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One of our favorite things to do in Florence is shop at the Leather School, the Scuola del Cuoio. It is located behind Basilica of Santa Croce, which is magnificent in its own right. This was Michelangelo's neighborhood church and where he is entombed. The leather school is a great place to buy that special handmade keepsake or gift from Florence...
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Basilica of Santa Croce...
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| The leather purse was Chris's purchase... |
On the spur of the moment one afternoon, we took a taxi to San Miniato to see a classical music concert in the 1000-year-old Abby. There are stunning views of Florence from that vantage point....
We had a fabulous time in Florence. We saw jaw-dropping Renaissance art, and had excellent food at Pizzeria i Camaldoli, Trattoria La Burrasca, Osteria Il Basilico, and Gustapanino. B&B La Stella d'Oro was comfortable, perfectly located, and what a breakfast! The weather was perfect, and we all walked personal distance records! Aperol Spritzes were enjoyed, and let's not forget our friend at My Sugar Gelato, which we happily visited every day...
From your exhausted and happy travelers, Joe and Chris, and now Gary and Jill. Next stop - Lamborghini Museum, Panini Maserati Collection, and Castelvetro di Modena.
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With Enrico at B&B La Stella d'Oro
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Click on any image to enlarge.
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