A trip to cradle of Renaissance

My friend Bella and I came to visit Florence with some of our Spanish friends. We came by Trenitalia. In my opinion, in terms of comfort and service this is the second best train company. However, in terms of economics this is the best transport you can get for that amount of money. And of course, for us, Erasmus students, the cheapest transport is the best transport.

Florence, capital of region Tuscany, the birthplace of Renaissance, is one of the most beautiful touristic cities in Italy. It is no wonder that it was a capital of Italy for a certain time. In the city center you can't miss beautiful Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and Battistero di San Giovanni.

Not far from the Cathedral is the very famous square Piazza della Signoria. This square is the most beautiful gallery in the open. Here, you can see a copy of Michelangelo's David statue. Good luck approaching it though. Like I mentioned, this a touristic city and crowds are a common thing. Overlooking the square is the Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall of Italy.

Also visit the Palazzo Pitti. This huge structure, is a rich palace with seven museums and priceless treasures. The palace was designed for Luca Pitti, the banker from Florence, and it is located on the banks of the Arno River, more precisely, on the southern side of the river bank. The palace was later bought and upgraded by the Medici family in 1539, transforming it into the residence of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Napoleon Bonaparte also used Palazzo Pitti during the nineteenth century. Afterwards it was also the residence of the King of United Italy. The grounds of the palace are also a very good place to chill. You will find a bunch of tired tourists sitting on the floor in front of this palace. After half day of walking, we were exhausted and joined these tourists.

If you would like the opportunity to visit museums with some of the world's largest collections completely free of charge, you are in luck. From 2014 the Italian government has allowed free entrance to all museums on the first Sunday of the month. Don't forget to visit the Archaeological Museum of the city where the setting of ancient Etruscan and Roman objects are located. Keep in mind that big crowds are waiting for you.

My favorite part of this trip was when we went to Piazzale Michelangelo for the amazing view. It takes about thirty minutes to get there from Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. On the way is the richest gallery in the world Uffizi. Narrow streets lead to the river Arno and the Ponte Vecchio. This is one of the six bridges that connects the banks of the river Arno. It can certainly be included in the most beautiful bridges in Europe. The bridge remains still from the time of the Ancient Rome, even after everything it has gone through: earthquakes, floods and wars. In fact, it is the only surviving bridge after the World War II. After a lot of pictures, when you finally arrive at the Piazzale Michelangelo you will find yourself speechless.

All in all, it was a beautiful day. Sunny, in good company and in a fascinating place. What more could I possibly need?