Florence, Italy 6May14

We left Bellagio in the early morning 

to be able to reach Florence before noon 

when we are supposed to return the car.

It was pleasant to drive on road even though 

it is narrow and winding on a hill side

as there was hardly any other car on the road. ^^

There has not been any problem to drive around 

without any maps or GPS.

Road signs are good enough.

Actually, we did google the direction from Bellagio 

to the rent car office in Florence night before 

and printed out as a back-up plan.

But here we are in Florence without any dramas or getting lost.

It took us nearly 5.5 hours.

Basilica di Santa Maria Novella behind the train station

 We were very happy with the hotel 

we stay for few nights.

It has a mezzanine floor for the bedroom

 and an Italian charm.

Room size was about 4 times 

bigger than the one in Venice.

It is 10 minutes to the main train station and 

15 minutes to the city centre where 

all the tourist attractions are.

We did line up for an hour to get tickets 

for Galleria Academia

to see the statue of David in real. :(

On our second day, we went to Galleria Uffizi

with reserved ticket to avoid long line for the ticket.

One can learn lesson in a hard way.

It has been 20 years since I have visited here 

but it was new year's eve.

Unfortunately, I did not have opportunity
to go inside the galleries then.
But I made it this time.
Happy Chappy... :)

 Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore

Probably the most beautiful Duomo in Italy if not for the one in Milan

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 Piazza della Signoria

Piazza della Signoria where there are so many restaurants
around and we had dinner in one of these restaurant one night

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 Ponte Vecchio bridge

 View of the bridge from the Uffizi galleria

Inside the Duomo

Food was really good in this restaurant over looking the bridge and river

Best gelato and the most expensive one so far :)

No, we did not put the coin in the mouth of this Boar statue

and rub its nose as per the legend

but we were sure well return this fabulous city ^^