Monday, 25 January 2016

Florence

Florence is famous for its history and is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance. We traveled from Venice to Florence by high-speed train - the kids really enjoy train travel! In Florence we visited the Mercato di San Lorenzo, which some people know as the leather market. It is filled with leather purses, wallets, journals, coats, belts, and so much more. We enjoyed the food market there also. Food in the Tuscany region is so AMAZING! We saw Cathedral Santa Maria Novella, Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore, Ponte Vecchio Bridge, and Piazza Michelangelo. We enjoyed walking all over the city and stopping at different gelato places. On Christmas Day we took the train to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower.

Our Hotel

Garden at our Hotel

Our Hotel had a room that was filled with displays of the manger scene. 


Another manger scene.

Dining area in Hotel

Leather animal coin purses.

Leather bracelets 

Purses

Mercato di San Lorenzo

Mercato Centrale Food Court

Enjoying the delicious food!


Cathedral Santa Maria Novella

Styling their jackets they bought. 

Ponte Vecchio Bridge

Ponte Vecchio Bridge

Randy, Colin, Kaden & Abby at Ponte Vecchio Bridge

According to local legend in Florence, if you and your lover attach a lock to the gate surrounding the bust of famed goldsmith and sculptor Benvenuto Cellini, and throw the key into the Arno river below, your love will be eternal. It is suspected that the tradition in Florence was the brainchild of a locksmith, who had a shop on the Ponte Vecchio, not a bad idea if you think about it. In the past, the bridge was home to butchers and fishmongers, but today the only type of merchants allowed to have shops on the bridge are jewelers and goldsmiths.



Climbing up to Piazza Michelangelo.

Looking over the city of Florence from Piazza Michelangelo.

Looking over the city of Florence from Piazza Michelangelo.

Looking over the city of Florence from Piazza Michelangelo.

Michelangelo's famous David Statute. 

Gelato

We love our gelato!


We loved seeing all the windows decorated with Christmas goodies from the shops.

Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore

Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore

Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore

Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore


Streets all decorated for Christmas

Selfie!

Pisa

Pisa

Leaning Tower

Cathedral Square

Abby

Kaden

Selfie!

Piazza Della Signoria

Piazza Della Signoria

The Piazza del Mercato Nuovo is the site of this famous bronze statue of a wild boar, a symbol of Tuscany and tourist attraction. You are to put coins in his mouth and make a wish.

Abby showing her strength.

Christmas Dinner at La Buchetta. Absolutely amazing place!







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