After the fountain, what immediately greets your sight is the David replica (which explains why the shop owner pointed us to the plaza) in front of the chess piece-like Pallazo Vecchio and the Bartolommeo Bandinelli sculpture of Hercules and Cacus mid-fight. In truth, the whole plaza seems like a testimony to masculinity.ย ย
The Loggia dei Lanzi, the open-air sculpture gallery (entrance here is free!), showcases more men in their manly glory, like Perseus with the Head of Medusa by Benvenuto Cellini, The Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna and The Rape of Polyxena by Pio Fedi. I wasn’t able to find out whether the interiors of the buildings on the plaza were as masculine as the outside since we again opted to explore the city rather than tour the palace and the gallery. However, I know that both the Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi gallery house many great artworks.ย
Passing through Piazzale degli Uffizi, the courtyard between the gallery’s two wings, would be fun for art lovers since many modern day Florentine artists set up stall there to showcase artworks made by them, many of which are for sale. While walking through the courtyard, those passing by are also treated to statues of famous Italians.
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2. ย Ponte Vecchio
Aside from the sight of the Arno river, you will also be welcomed by more throngs of people and cars when you exit the Uffizi courtyard. Another tip: if coming from Uffizi courtyard like me, turn left to find a spot where you will see the Ponte Vecchio and its entirety. Yes, walking along the side will still allow you to see the bridge, but I think the view would have been so much better from middle. In my opinion, the Ponte Vecchio is much nicer viewed from afar, like the Duomo.ย It would also be nice to see the Ponte Vecchio at night, when the lights add to the aesthetics.
The view from the bridge itself – for the best photo ops with the Ponte Vecchio, go to the bridge across!
When you get to the bridge itself, most of what it offers is a view of the other side, the river, and the stores (and also, more throngs of people). Unlike before ,when butchers lined the streets of the bridge, the shops mostly sell jewelry and souvenirs nowadays. I also saw a couple of restaurants and cafes. Passing this bridge was especially important for us, though, since it was only a couple hundred feet away from the Palazzo Pitti, our last stop.
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1. Palazzo Pitti
The entrance fee here costs 8.50 Euros, which covers the entrance to the Palatine Gallery and the Gallery of Modern Art.
Don’t be fooled by my unappealing photo – this place is a treat to art enthusiasts!ย
Palazzo Pitti, or the Pitti Palace, was our last stop. The Renaissance palace once owned by the Medicis is now a museum. We didn’t enter it since our time for exploring was almost done, but I’m sure that the inside would have been a feast for eyes. It is home to more than 500 renaissance artworks. I do think that the inside is much more aesthetically appealing than the exterior, though. Also, if you happen to find yourself near the Pitti Palace and enjoy greenery, do check out the Boboli gardens! It’s a mid-16th century Italian garden with sculptures scattered around the area.
Aside from the famous David, the Galleria also houses other wonderful sculptures
Another place worth passing by is the Galleria dell’Accademia, where the original David by Michelangelo is! The entrance fee here costs 8 Euros. It was actually nice to see the inside of the gallery and find out that the David wasn’t the only sculpture worth fawning about. Though seeing the Michelangelo masterpiece in the flesh was amazing and breathtaking, the other sculptures and artworks in the gallery were worth seeing as well, like Botticelli’s Madonna and Child! For those of you who plan on going here, I suggest you set this as your first stop! The gallery is at the opposite end of the Pitti Palace but quite near the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, so I recommend that you visit this place in the morning before everything else.ย
I was able to go to all of these places in just 5 hours, so imagine how much more you can do and go to if you have more time! Florence, being the birthplace of renaissance, has so much to offer in terms of art and history and I’m sure that the insides of its galleries and palaces would have given extreme justice to the beauty that I was able to witness from outside. If the other galleries and museums were anything like the Galleria dell’Accademia, then I can assure you that you’ll be getting your money’s worth. Map out your route in advance so that youโll really get to see as much places as possible!
Here are other great things to do in Florence: take a photo of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo, wine and dine in one of the many restaurants or cafes in one of Florenceโs many squares (i.e: Piazza della Repubblica, Piazza Santa Croce,and Piazza Santa Trinita) and of course, eat as much gelato and pizza as you want! (I think I had gelato twice a day when I was in Florence – no shame!)
For another post on budget traveling, I suggest you guys check out:ย Where Php150K Can Take You on an 18-Day Europe Trip.