3 Days in Florence (Italy): Duomo, Botticelli, the David, Uffizi Museum & Panoramic View

The trip from Venice to Rome takes so much time (by train) that we decide to cut the trip in two: Venice – Florence and then Florence – Rome. What a good decision because we were able to visit this nice city just before it was classified as a “red zone” (another way to confine a city without saying so explicitly).

Part 1: Travel Diary
Part 2: Practical Tips

Part 1: Travel Diary

Our hotel

Our hotel (B&B La residenza dell’Orafo, Booking link ) is just a few minutes walk from the train station, a few minutes from the central market and 15 minutes from the main tourist attractions. I highly recommend it. The receptionist took the time to explain to me all the places to visit. Luckily! Because I absolutely did not inquire about this city. I discovered thanks to her that there were two famous paintings by Botticelli to see absolutely + 3 versions of Michelangelo’s David (oops).

We have a beautiful room with two large windows, and “thanks” to Covid, we pay much less than normal. In Florence, the city center is quite small, we move mainly on foot.

Florence

I like Rome a lot, but I like Florence a lot too. This city has a lot of charm and everything is pretty! There is a sweetness that you don’t find in Rome, Turin or Venice.
We were able to have lunch with a French SEO colleague of JB, who has been living there for more than 10 years. He explained to us that there are many Florentine words & expressions, the Italians immediately recognize that he “comes” from Florence.

I don’t know where all these tourists come from, they all seem to be Italian. In any case, even in Rome, you don’t see them anymore, they are still in Florence, but much less than before the Covid. There are still a few pickpockets left, while in Rome they are missing. It’s been so long that I haven’t had to worry about my wallet!

Everything I list below can be visited in 3 days, easily.

Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral

Here, too, we are told about the square: Piazza del Duomo. I thought the term Duomo was only used for Milan, but no. Cathedral = Duomo in Italian.
Between Milan and Florence, this one is the creepiest. I’ll explain why a little later.

The exterior is really, really amazing. It’s a real eye-opener.

It seems to me that we can go up to the top of the tower but we didn’t really try to do so, since it isn’t as high as the dome.

Looking at the facade, one expects a sumptuous interior. What nay! The interior is unremarkable. One does not see well the rose window.

To visit the dome, tickets must be purchased online (20€/person). There are tours every hour, limited to about 50 people. It is necessary to arrive 5 to 10 minutes before the indicated time and queue in front of the small door on the coast, here :

We start to climb a spiral staircase. Each one is equipped with a machine that is too much fun, which vibrates as soon as there is another machine approaching from less than a meter away. JB’s machine is particularly noisy so people avoid it more lol. We arrive just below the dome and I observe with wonder the drawings. Then my brain starts to analyze the situation too rationally and I realize that I am walking on a small corridor… suspended. Of course, this corridor is embedded in the dome, there is a counterweight to support my weight, and the rest of the structure. But then, just underneath, it’s empty. Yes, the void! You only have to look at the corridor one floor higher to realize that there is no extra support underneath. I start to freak out and my legs shake uncontrollably. This is what happens when you think too much! At the same time, if this corridor gives way, it means that the whole structure will collapse. Because the force that supports the corridor is also the force that supports the whole dome.

But when you have a ceiling like that, it’s worth all the fears in the world, isn’t it? On the way out, we’re in the downstairs hallway. But on the way back, we go along the upstairs corridor and we are just at the level of the lowest drawings. It’s really impressive, we realize their (huge) size and the impressive details of each drawing. Of course, so that we don’t damage them, the drawings at our height are covered with glass. I think we’ve never been so close to paradise 😀

We then follow corridors as small as those of the Great Pyramid in Egypt to finally arrive at the top of the dome. The barrier is surprisingly low for a place with so much wind and especially so high. Be very careful, there are some small steps, you can stumble while being too busy taking a picture.

The picture below is just for Instagram… because my eyes are closed and as soon as the picture was taken, I moved back, my back stuck to the wall because I was tetanized ahahah. Florence has a certain architectural harmony, which makes the view even more satisfying than Rome. Unfortunately, from here, you can’t see the Old Bridge.

JB, as usual, feels comfortable and doesn’t understand how someone like me could bungee jump.

On the way back, we take another path (an employee chases us away after 15 minutes and makes sure we take the right stairs) and cross the corridor from above. Here is the view we have at the foot of the dome. Breathtaking! We have the impression to be very very close to God.

Another employee makes sure that everyone leaves in time to welcome another group of tourists. It’s a good thing there aren’t 50 of us today. About twenty people is enough, otherwise we would have stepped on each other.

Saint-Jean Baptistery

Just in front of the cathedral is a beautiful place, octagonal in shape and a marble facade <3

I think there’s a combined ticket every day to visit the interior and something else. But every first Tuesday of the month, you can buy a ticket just to visit the interior and therefore pay less (5€). Which I did. The interior is absolutely beautiful despite some work. The ceiling is sumptuous and covered with golden mosaics. It saddens me a lot to realize that a country capable of doing such wonders sinks into poverty, financial crises and loses its splendor. When you see what has become of Constantinople too … rhalala It was “the reflection of the day” 😀

The photo above was taken with the “panorama” feature of Osmo Pocket (9 images grouped in one). It’s the first time I use this feature and I’m pretty happy with the result, aren’t you ? (or don’t you care ?) Ehem… let’s get back to our sheep. There are 4 of us inside, our necks broken from looking at the ceiling. There are so few tourists that we can stay as long as we want, it’s too good!

Even the doors on the outside, in bronze, are wow, don’t hesitate to observe the details. I think the main door is called “paradise door” or something like that. Only this one is restored, the others are all ugly gray and nobody cares. So unfair!

Michelangelo’s David

There are 3 David’s in Florence: 1 real, cleaned and pampered inside a museum and 2 copies mistreated by the weather. Of course, you have to pay to see the real one (10€).

Once again, we are almost alone in the world and can observe the famous David from every angle. I put a picture with JB so you can see how big it is (of David, no JB).

The details are unbelievable, it looks like it is alive. We can see his muscles but also his veins! Observe his hands, his abdominals, his failed pedicure. It’s a pity that he is a little too tall, we can’t really observe his face, his frowning eyebrows… On the other hand, the museum will be happy to sell you postcards with a big zoom on his head. A masterpiece, really!

The museum has a small collection of plaster statues, used as models for marble sculptures. Some of the models are so realistic that it gets creepy.

The other two David’s are located: one right in front of Palazzo Vecchio and the other at Piazzale Michelangelo. When you’ve seen the real one, you realize that the copies are still very good.

The square next to Palazzo Vecchio is beautiful with lots of luxury boutiques.

Next to it, there is a very violent statue but which also fascinates me because it is too well done.

Not far away is the Boar of Florence, a statue that you have to caress to return to Florence: Fontana del Porcellino. But I forgot to do so. Oops.

Palazzo Vecchio

Speaking of Palazzo Vecchio, I was able to visit it before the announcement of the closure of all museums in Italy. Phew. It would have been a shame to miss such a visit. I much prefer the structure of this palace to the one in Venice (Doge’s Palace). I don’t know, maybe there are too many big rooms loaded in Venice. Here, there is only one large room, the rest is smaller and there are even apartments once occupied by super important people in Florence (don’t ask me their names, I didn’t remember).

The walls of the large room are covered with (beautiful) drawings. Leonardo da Vinci was commissioned to make these drawings but he soon gave up the task. Some have copied the work he had done, but the real drawing no longer exists and is completely covered by the work of other artists. A short film explains this story very well.

My second favorite room: the 4 elements.

At the moment, there is a projection of Michelangelo’s works on 3 big screens and this is included in the ticket. It’s very nice but it doesn’t deserve to linger there for 3 hours either.

At the palace is a small exhibition (free access) of Dolce Gabbana, I do not know if it is a permanent exhibition, highlighting the work of artisans. It is superb!

Uffizi Museum

This museum is huge! It is necessary to plan half a day, even more. And a lot of water because it will be necessary to walk. We start on the 1st floor with the most famous works to finish with tons of paintings to explore still on the ground floor.

The first part is devoted to religious art, with the Madonna often in blue (the blue pigment being very expensive also at the time) and the rest in gold leaf.

Of course, Botticelli ‘s paintings are a must see. This is the reason why tourists flock to them and find themselves in the middle of the first floor. People just take a picture of the painting from a distance, like this…

But feel free to zoom in on everyone’s pictures to get closer to the painting and observe the micro details. There are about a hundred different plants here, and the sails have been drawn with such technicality that even when you get closer, it looks like you can zoom in and find more details

I’m just putting an ugly picture for you to realize the size of the painting The Birth of Venus. Frankly, this painting is so well known that people thought they had seen everything, analyzed everything, noted everything. But on the spot. OMG.

There are so many things and details that a photo, even in HD, can’t capture. I didn’t realize that gold paint was used everywhere. From the golden hair of Venus to the contours of the shell. One understands better, seeing the painting in real life, why it is so well known.

This photo unfortunately summarizes our era. In front of a world-famous painting, people look at their phones to make sure that the picture they took is a good one. That’s it! Sadness sadness

Just next to it, a magnificent portrait with a 3D effect, also by Botticelli Portrait of a man with medal of Cosme l’ancien.

Don’t forget to look at the ceilings!

Desperate Housewives !!! 😀

And that reminds me of the Borgias 😀 series seriously, I know better the copies than the originals !

There are double-sided paintings, very well highlighted, like these. Behind the portrait, we see landscapes.

From a large window on the 1st floor, you have an incredible view of the Old Bridge. There is a corridor (not accessible to the public) allowing to go from this Palace, cross the bridge (the 1st floor) to another Palace on the other side of the bank.

All the ceilings are superb (this is Italy) but this one is my favorite. I confess, I love it when it’s bling and golden.

The Raphael Room is also very impressive, even though the known works are smaller than I imagined.

I’m sorry, I don’t know what else to show you because I don’t know anything about it. I’ll show you the works that look familiar to me:D

Part 2: Practical Tips

Budget

• Train :
  • Rome – Florence (or vice versa with italo): 34,9€ per person
  • Florence – Venice (or vice versa with italo): 39,9€ per person
• Accommodation: hotel B&B La residenza dell’Orafo, link Booking, 57€ per double room, breakfast included
• Visits :
  • Cathedral: visit of the dome 20€/person
  • Baptistère Saint-Jean: 5€/person on the 1st Tuesday of the month. The other days : 10€/person
  • Galleria dell’Accademia of Florence (to see Michelangelo’s David): 10€/person
  • Palazzo Vecchio : 12€/person
  • Uffizi Museum : 20€/person

If you prefer excursions or guided tours, check the offers proposed by Civitatis.

You will find the addresses & places mentioned in this article on the personalized Google Maps I made with my sister for Italy here. To read more articles about Italy, click here