Aah, Florence

Yes, you are right. I know. I have procrastinated over writing this post. Why? Well, I’ve gushed over every other destination thus far, it’s difficult to articulate just how much I loved Florence.

I. Bloody. Loved. Florence.

How’s that?

I seriously loved this little city. It has such an abundance of art and culture and history and lush green gardens and rolling hills and delicious food and wine and… well, everything a gal with a passion for the simple things in life could ever want or hope for.

Given the intensity of my feelings for Florence, I’m hoping you’ll forgive me for rabbiting on.

There were several highlights for me. Firstly, seeing Botticelli’s work in the flesh at the Uffizi Gallery. Oh my goodness. ‘The Birth of Venus’ (Nascita di Venere in Italian) was spectacular. All you design geeks out there, you’ll know this painting from the icon and splash page of Adobe Illustrator, up until about version 9-ish. Click on this link to Wikipedia. Honestly, words can’t describe how amazing his works are — and of course, the web pics just don’t do it justice.

Wandering into Giardino di Boboli (Boboli Gardens) was also a real treat. We didn’t know what we were in for when discovered the ornate gates off Via Romana. The gardens were established in the 16th century, by request of the powerful Medici family.

The food was also slightly different here in Florence. Up until this point, we’d been eating a lot of pizza and seafood. Our first night in Florence we tucked into pappardelle with wild boar ragu and a dish that could be best described as a rabbit terrine, served hot and sliced thinly. It was great to be sampling some of the heartier rustic dishes that I associate with Italy. All washed down with a bottle of red wine from the Tuscany region, of course.

We also partied into the night at a cafe/bar in Piazza della Repubblica, listening to a bluesy band. At one point, they whipped out a salsa number and selected a couple from the crowd to dance. My immediate thought was they must have been a plant, because blimey, they could dance. But it turned out they were just good ol’ regular American tourists, who just happened to appear as though they’ve stepped off the set of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’. It was sensational.

Shopping for leather was also on the agenda, and we found some beautiful pieces. A jacket for hubby; gloves and a bag for me, as well as a beautiful cream wool coat from Patrizia Pepe Firenze.

I also spotted what is quite possibly the best piece of street art I’ve seen (see Florence in the gallery, last photo).

Oh geez, I almost forgot to mention the Duomo… mmm, probably best left unsaid — just check out the pics and you’ll see what I mean.

So, in summary: Did I enjoy my time in Florence? Would I like to spend more time in Florence? Could I imagine myself living in Florence?

Yes, yes and yes.