Florentine Experience #5 (Day 1)

Straight from the pan and into the fire. That's what I thought to myself on my train ride to Florence. Nothing like getting from a hot place to an even hotter one. I love the Mediterranean summer, but some days it got out of hand. I was lucky to be able to grab a train from Venice straight to Florence without any need to switch trains.

The whole ride lasted two hours. As a backpacker with limited resources, you have very little forms of entertainment for your long trips around. Luckily I had a book and a neaby electric socket to charge my phone. I used this time to catch up with mates around the world, read my book and watched the countryside pass by.

If I hadn’t mentioned this during my Venice or Parma trip, then I’ll say it now, The Italian countryside is beautiful. The train was filled with many locals but also quite a few backpackers. Which is unsurprising. August is popular month for backpackers.

As I had mentioned in a previous post, the trains in Italy vary from the most high-tech models straight out of the market to some that have probably been around since the birth of the Roman empire. So if you plan to travel around Italy, you will have the option to get very cheap tickets.

The only issue is that, as I learnt previously the hard way, they really pull at the very limits of comfort. Italy gets really hot during the summer and at times those trains do not even provide air-conditioning and their windows would only open an inch or two. Be warned.

To Florence

After the long two hour ride, I finally made it to Florence, My train stopped at Firenze Statuto (train station). It isn’t the closest station but its only about twenty to thirty minutes to the main square. At this point it was just past noon and the area was bustling with tourists, backpackers and locals alike.

I recommend you head south-eastwards in the direction of Piazza della Libertà for your first stop. Along the way there will be a plethora of Italian restaurants to choose from. You may be overwhelmed by all the different choices. I sure was. The long train ride had made me hungry as so I couldn’t wait till I visit a highly recommended place.

Trattoria

However, it isn’t difficult to find good food in Italy. I ended up in a semi-full restaurant with an interior design that made it look as though as though the restaurant was built into a cave. The service was very good. I decided to grab a gnocchi pesto and parmesan dish. It was very enjoyable. I recommend you branch out with ingredients and try foods that may seem simple back home but are actually much richer in flavour in Italy as the quality of the ingredients are pretty high. So when in Tuscany, eat like a Tuscan.

After enjoying my meal, I continued my way to the Piazza della Libertà. Keep in mind that Florence is, like most of Italy, pretty hot. The streets are also very narrow with cars usually causing traffic. This allows the heat to be trapped in these narrow lanes. So pack enough water and light clothing to beat the heat.

Exploring

Piazza della Libertà

After zigzagging through roads, I finally made it to the Plaza. It was a sight to behold. It is very elegantly designed. I read on the plaques that it dated back to the 19th century. The surrounding area had several groups of tourists and their guides having a walk in the inner city (The plaza was the northernmost point of the inner city). I stuck around for a bit, taking a few photos of the area. The mostly clear blue skies was the perfect background for the triumphant arc located at the centre. One of the nearby tour guides explained that during the winter, they would set up an ice-skating rink. I was surprised it even got that cold here.

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piazza_della_Libert%C3%A0,_Florence)

After soaking in the architecture, I decided to make my way deeper into the city. My main goal was to reach the Piazza del Duomo where they held many of the greatest offerings that Florence has to showcase.

Five minutes into my walk it started to get really crowded. At this point I was entering the main touristic areas of the city. Along the way you would be able to see the complex architect of the surrounding buildings. I was aware that Florence had a large number of museums to showcase indoors, but many of the buildings architecture were outdoor works of art.

The streets were lined with shops of all kinds. Massive labels for clothes and shoes, gelato shops on every corner and the omnipotent cafe shops lined up as far as the eye could see.

Orto Botanico di Firenze

If you enjoy nature and different types of unique plants and trees, I would recommend stopping by the Orto Botanico di Firenze. I was looking through Google maps and spotted this little gem in a city saturated with many other sights to see. I personally enjoy botanical gardens. It's a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.

It was beautiful walking through the greenery and colorful gardens. There were many exotic plants as well as luxurious looking ornaments and fountains placed around. I highly recommend seeing the Orto Botanico if you’re in Florence for a long enough time. I was only staying for two days, however, I couldn’t resist. It’s also not too busy, even at this time of the day (around 1:30-2pm). I snapped a few photos of the most eye-catching areas.

After my scenic detour, I continued onto my path. Glad to have the scent of car exhausts out of my nose for a bit.

Right outside the Botanic garden, there’s the national museum of San Marcos. I didn’t have the time to admire what it had to offer. The architecture from the outside was very pretty. If you enjoy museums I would recommend you look into this one. Although it's understandable if you would be more interested in checking out the many art museums and galleries located throughout Florence.

San Marco Plaza

Down the road I recalled seeing another gallery (I had to look it up to remember which one): Academy of Florence Gallery. I recall seeing a group of enthusiastic tourists entering the place. It looked really alluring, standing high above the surrounding area and commanding respect and awe. From what I researched, they do quite a bit of sculpture art as well as potraits and oil canvas pieces. I won't get too deep into it as I haven’t been inside.Instead, I went to the San Marco Plaza nearby. Keep in mind, the Academy of Florence Gallery contains the Michelangelo masterpiece, David. Unfortunately with my limited time I have only a few time slots for museum scouring which I have to use wisely.

The San Marco Plaza is a large square with quite a few beautiful structures at the borders of the square. This area was not too crowded. So I assumed it was one of the lesser known (by tourists) squares. It's a nice place for a short pitstop. I wouldn’t recommend staying here for long as there are other squares with much more to offer. What I did find interesting is the statue of general Manfredo Fanti proudly on display at the Plaza. I looked him up on my phone. Apparently he was a well-known leader during the Italian fight for unification and independence.

I was pretty amazed at the amount of things that I was able to check out if I had the time in the inner city before even getting to the main touristic areas. I remember feeling a bit sad that I wasn’t able to stay for longer than a couple of days. I reckon you could easily spend a couple of weeks and still not check out half of the inner city’s gallery selection. Let alone the museums and other significant sights.It also made me happy to know the legacy of architectural ingenuity, artists and other great contributors to society can be so visibly displayed as in Florence.

After realising this, I decided to look through google maps for any more nearby sights before I got to the Santa Maria Cathedral so as not to tragically miss any more historical locations. I spotted a gem, the Museum of Leonardo da Vinci.

Museo Leonardo da Vinci

My heart was actually beating with excitement. I realised that I was about to witness the different masterpieces of one of the world’s most renowned polymaths. I made the short five minute walk to museum and made my way in.

I was a bit disappointed at the entrance fee. It cost eleven euros for a regular price. Student discounts only applied to Italian university students. I normally wouldn’t have minded. Although after my experience in France and learning that most museums (including the Louvre) were free for university students, I compared it unfairly. Regardless, the feeling was short lived as I made my way inside.

As tempting as it is to talk about many of the different inventions and pieces found within the museum, I would prefer that you saw this one for yourselves. Unlike most museums, you’ll be showcased with many unexpected pieces. This adds to the magic of the place. I will talk about museums such as the Uffizi gallery in detail, but this one is best kept for your own personal experience here.

One thing I can explain is the layout of the place. The museum is divided into five distinct sections. The first is the mechanisms, you’ll find many machines focusing on motion and as the name implies, mechanisms and skeleton of machines. Another section called Earth, that focuses on machines based on working the land and construction. There are some really good pieces on display here. Fire, which focuses on war machines, some of them are the ones we use today.

Then we have the Air section which focuses on air travel, recording mechanisms and many others I won't go into too much detail. Finally the Water section, this one showcases application of utilities and other mechanisms that are surprisingly used to this day. Leonardo Da Vinci is definitely a man ahead of his time. I highly recommend you check out this museum. I spent about an hour here. I would’ve spent longer if I didn’t have so much to do in so little time.

The Duomo centre

I continued the last bit of my journey till I finally made it to my destination: The Duomo centre, This is one of the busiest areas in Florence. Many tourists make their way to this spot throughout the holiday season. There are a few spectacular things to see here. The surrounding buildings have an aged look as some are hundreds of years old. It felt like being in another world. I recall walking through the centre area which was flooded with selfie takers and groups of local guides. To my left there was the Cathédrale Santa Maria del Fiore (Cathedral of Saint Mary) towering above everything else. There was a line that snaked out of view of people queuing up to get inside. To my right the Baptisterio de San Juan. The black and white stone building shone beautifully with the bright Florentine sun. Three religious figures stood guardian over the entrance to the place. There was a queue to the place.

(Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/visbeek/8351124432)

So, I decided to check out the Cathedral first as it was the largest I had ever seen. It makes sense though, as it's the biggest dome ever constructed. It seemed like there was a couple of hundred people in the line. The line moved relatively fast so I decided I might as well wait. Its one of those things you can’t really miss.

I decided to read up a bit about the Cathedral as I had quite a bit of time on my hands in the line. I learnt it was first constructed in the late 13th century. It wasn’t completed until 1436. Imagine that, generations of families would grow up in Florence watching the Cathedral being built. However, they would never get to see it in its full glory until a few generations later through the eyes of their great great grandchildren. This along with the tall and slender Giotto's Campanile standing proudly next to the Cathedral with its rich decorations and the Baptisterio de San Juan are UNESCO world heritage sites.

Cathédrale Santa Maria del Fiore

A title well deserved as it truly is a gem of Florence. I continued waiting for another thirty minutes before I was finely at the beginning of the line. A heads up for those dressing lightly, If you have your shoulders exposed you will not be allowed to enter. Same goes for shorts that expose too much skin.

However, if you find yourself in the unlucky position of forgetting that fact, there are quite a few street vendors waiting at the entrance for individuals such as yourself. Although it’ll be an achievement paying for entering a place that is supposed to be free to enter.

I won't go into detail about the inside. It's a divine experience. I would also recommend checking out the Giotto’s Campanile. There’s a queue to get in. I wasn’t really keen to spend another thirty minutes waiting. Like the Da Vinci experience, I won't be able to do it justice by explaining it on here.

Eating out

Gelato

I decided to keep heading south to the next nearby popular square. The most common product you’ll see in everybody’s hands is a gelato cone or cup. I took inspiration from my fellow tourists and went to a nearby street lined with a few cold desserts shops. I ended up going to Grom, a gelato place. It was pretty crowded but it took only about five minutes before I could get my order in. I highly recommend you try out this gelato shop on via del Campanile.

I' Girone De' Ghiotti

The ice-cream helped me cool down in the hot Florentine sun, but it didn’t satisfy my hunger. So I decided to go on tripadvisor for top ten cheap eats (a great way to find amazing tasting food for affordable prices. ) and found the I' Girone De' Ghiotti. This place sells the most amazing paninis you can ever experience. This shop is pretty small and slightly difficult to find if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

I recall going here on both days of my stay due to how authentic and delicious the food was. I personally am not much of a sandwich fan as I’ve had to eat it for school for almost a decade and a half. Although I would eat their sandwiches for the rest of my life. The three sandwich vendors are extremely nice and more than willing to help you decide which combination of ingredients you would like.

(Source:https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187895-d12141831-Reviews-I_Girone_De_Ghiotti-Florence_Tuscany.html)

I highly recommend the ‘Golosa’ which is a combination of Porchetta and Gorgonzola. Kuffiana is also another great option that combines Gorgonzola and Prosciutto. Both explode in your mouth with flavour. They have about ten to twelve other options that change every so often. If you don’t like gorgonzola there are more options with many different combinations.

They also offer some great local wines. The majority of their stock is red Tuscan wine, although they have many whites on offer. Tuscany in general has a great reputation for wine making, so if you’re keen for a wine with your panini, or simply a wine alone, look no further.

I found the shop on my way to the Piazza della Signoria (Plaza of the Lady). On that same road, via dei calzaiuoli, there are dozens of different stalls set up selling all sorts of knick knacks, souvenirs and sweet desserts. One of the most unusually common selling item are belts and leather bags. Florentine produced leather products seem to have quite a bit of prestige here.

Piazza della Signoria

I spent some time walking around this area, seeing everything they have to offer. You can find some great scarves, house decorations, ornaments and much more. Along these streets you’ll find many luxury brand stores for clothes and watches. You can easily see that this street is one of the most touristic ones in Florence as it connects the previous Plaza I’ve been to and the Piazza della Signoria. I was still on a food high from my ungodly panini, I wasn’t keen to try the different snacks they had.

After a bit I made my way down to the Piazza della Signoria. It's a short walk from there. I recall walking the busy narrow street before it opened up to a majestic picture. The area looks like a continuous piece of art. The first thing that’ll fill much of your vision is the Palazzo Vecchio.

You’ll find many tourists snapping photos and guides explaining the history of the area. You can also see the majestic Tower of Palazzo Vecchio towering above the plaza. I recall how it shone beautifully in the mid afternoon sun. When you step into the plaza you will be surrounded by many amazing works of arts, statues and architect that's survived several hundred years. The same architect and the same area nobles and peasants alike would stand around. It felt like going back into history.

In the area you will spot the Fountain of Neptune. This majestic piece shows Poseidon posing with the strength and determination entitled to a God. It's a serene feeling sitting down by the fountain. It also allows you to scan the area better from a relaxed position.

However, the most beautiful part of the plaza in my opinion is the Loggia dei Lanzi. This area is particularly elegant for its different statues crafted by some of the most affluent sculptors of the time.

The most eye-catching piece was the Perseus Statue. This statue portrays Perseus with a crown posing victoriously with the decapitated head of Medusa being displayed proudly in one hand. I recall as a child reading up quite a bit about Perseus The man who’s gone through many challenges, fought many demons and monsters and was part of many written legends. I felt very nostalgic viewing this piece. There were also many other surrounding statues of many kinds.

This area is also a great seating area. It is also the most packed part of the Plaza. Another eye-catching statue is the Patroclo e Menelao. The statue is crafted beautifully to show Achilles being supported by Ajax. The almost lifeless Achilles is completely sprawled on Ajax’s knee while Ajax looks out to the horizon, perhaps to an enemy or to help. This piece is part of the ‘Pasquino group’ of sculpted figures that mimic a group of statues that were crafted in the 200 BC-150 BC period. They are primarily made of Bronze.

I would take a sufficient amount of time looking closely. The intricate and realistic design from the faces to the fingers are a sight to witness.

One last worthy mention is the Ercole e Caco. This very detailed five meter statue of Hercules standing victorious over the body of Caco, a fire breathing giant. I read that it was originally meant to complement David of Michelangelo. Although, the G gained control of the statue and kept it on display.

I walked around and admired the area for quite some time. I decided to also take a break in the area as I was aching from all the walking. I ended up sitting down next to the fountain of Neptune. It was very serene watching the world go by. There were also a few merchants selling their wares here. I found some interesting trinkets to take with me. Keep in mind that I was travelling with my trusty backpack. It might be a no brainer for most, but if you’re backpacking and decide to explore before heading to your hostel to drop off your stuff, be warned. There is so much to see that you wouldn’t want to stop. Your backpack will weigh you down with the amount of walking you'll be commiting to Every corner there’s something unique, historic or simply amazing to witness. From proper good Tuscan pizzerias and gelato shops to statues, fountains and luxury shops.

Piazzale degli Uffizi

After a short while relaxing, I decided to make my way to the Piazzale degli Uffizi nearby. I actually stumbled upon this area by accident. I hadn’t really planned to stand outside the famed Uffizi gallery. The fortune and pride of the Medici family. From the outside you have a a courtyard area with an opulent design of the surrounding area. While you walk along this historic walkway, you can spot realistic sculptures of some of Italy’s greats. You’ll be able to spot Niccolò Machiavelli, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Lorenzo de' Medici, Dante Alighieri and many different figures in artistic and Italian history.

The most likely thing that would catch your eye is the long snaking line of the Uffizi gallery. I decided at that point that I'll come tomorrow when the lines weren't as long. It is common to meet tour guides who will offer you a ‘skip the line’ pass for a fee which includes a tour of the museum.

(Source: http://www.italymagazine.com/point-of-interest/uffizi-gallery)

I found out on the other side there was the Galileo museum. When I was younger I was crazy into anything that had to do with space. I read about many of the old greats including Galileo and Ptolemy. I decided to head over to the museum and have a look around. The museum wasn’t free but it included a student discount

The place itself was overall a good experience. I would recommend it if you have extra time and enjoy anything to do with space. The whole experience took about forty minutes to explore. There were even a section dedicated to relics of wealthy Florentine families, which included rifles and pistols.

I recalled leaving the museum and having a spectacular view of the river. The cool air gushing on the very warm day. The streets littered with people from all walks of life brought further to life with the singing of the nearby Buskers. Sometimes it takes awhile for it to sink in that you are in a place of culture, history and beauty. Somewhere far away from home and completely new and unique.

Ponte Vecchio

I walked over to the edge of the river. The stone walls separating you from the river below. From that spot you can look to your right and spot the Ponte Vecchio. I didn’t think much of it initially except that it looked pretty unique and beautiful. The houses, the design, it seemed a surprise that it was standing at all. So I ended up looking it up on my phone.

It is first made mention of in the 10th century. It is said to have been initially constructed by the Romans until further additions were made. It is famed for still having shops built into it. It used to be the case where butcher shops would be set up to sell their produce. However, the wealthy tourism industry managed to get their hands on this iconic bridge and populated it with shops for art sellers, jewel Shops and souvenir shops. The way the system within the bridges work, there would be merchants with tables full of their wares in front of their shop. The backshop area was prepared with more options and a larger stock of items sold outside.

Camping Michelangelo

At this point of the day, it was getting pretty dark. I decided to head towards my hostel. I was staying at Camping Michelangelo for a couple of nights. The place is located on top of a hill that overlooks the whole city. I decided to just beeline it there and check out the sights tomorrow.

It was a bit of a trek to get there with my heavy backpack. Along the way I spotted a few backpackers with the same idea of ending their night at this hostel. After a fifteen minute trek from the Galileo museum I made it to the hostel. I was greeted by a very friendly receptionist who gave me my key and gave me a heads up of tonight’s events. They were having a singing and dance performance in a large open grassy area within the hostel grounds. The way this hostel works is similar to the one in Venice (details in a previous blog post in ‘Eurotrip’).

There are many areas for you to pull out your tent and enjoy a beautiful night in an adventurous setting. In my case, as I wasn’t keen on dragging a tent with me around all of Europe and decided to take up one of the cabins. I managed to meet two very polite Hungarian scholars who were having a break together in Florence. I always enjoy meeting people from all around the world. Especially from places I had never visited. I got to learn quite a bit of their studies and what Hungary is like.

I unpacked and invited them for the event that was going on tonight, thinking they may not have heard about it. They were keen for it. The performance was starting in an hour so I took the time to have a long shower. Unfortunately, inconvenience struck.

The camp was having water problems just before I checked in. Many people were outside draped in nothing but towels. I went over to the shower area and asked the group there what was going on. I found out they were a group of Spaniards. I switched into Spanish and we broke into chatter about the camp and the shower situation. They basically told me that the camp was great, the public sitting area afforded a gorgeous view, restaurant and bar to indulge yourself. They explained that the only issue was the showers. They weren’t the most clean looking and they apparently had water issues more than once before.

Luckily, a few minutes later the friendly receptionist came by and told us that the situation has been amended. I quickly rushed a shower and began prepping up for tonight.

The weather was in our favour. A warm night with clear skies. You could spot out a few stars in the Florentine night sky. We all started to group to a lit area in one of the large grassy areas where a makeshift tent was set up.

The performance

The performance started out with classic Italian music being played. It was very melodic but also fast paced. There were five dancers, three girls and two guys. They tapped, jumped and swung to the beat of the music. They danced in synchronisation with each other. It was very hypnotic to watch. My Hungarian mates and I were sitting together close to the front row and were able to watch the expressions of joy and passion in some of the dancer’s faces. After the first song, another commenced with a different pace.

Four of the dancers paired up while the third girl broke into a slow melodic song. The two couples slow danced to the rhythm of the music. They suddenly had a look of uncertainty in their faces. The dancing became less in tune and almost disastrous. The couple would slowly drift apart from each other until they switched partners. The music picked up and the dancing picked up again with the new partners. This facade did not last long as they slowly became out of sync again.

The song ended with the original couple going back together, but dancing much slower, as if they were interested in continuing what they were doing but a bit more hesitant and patient. It was an interesting love story. I’ve never had one told to me through song and dance in the way they did.

They kept dancing and singing different tunes and scenes for about thirty minutes before it was all over. A bit short-lived, but very enjoyable. My Hungarian mates and I decided to chill at the bar right after the performance. We spoke about Florence and traded experiences so far. They had been in Florence for a day longer than I, so they had plenty left to explore.

This experience taught me a couple of things. Firstly, that you should say yes to more exciting events, even with people you just met (making sure that you’re in a safe environment and the possibility of a dangerous scenario is minimum). It's also important to be open minded about the different ideas and activities.

I definitely recommend you check out Camping Michelangelo for some unique experiences. The receptionist is very knowledgeable of events going on in the city. They also could recommend you great places to eat and things to see. The place is also pretty affordable. This concludes my first day in Florence, I went to bed excited that tomorrow will be another day of adventure. Except this one will include many more works of art, more good food and a lot more history to discover.

Photo gallery