San Lorenzo Market, Florence, Italy

Another destination nearby our Hotel Casci in Florence was the San Lorenzo market. If you can't find what you're looking for there, it doesn't exist. We bought leather goods there that weren't fashionable back in the States for almost 2 years.

As typical in Europe be sure to haggle with the sellers. You can always get a better price than is posted.

Here's the street view and here are some comments from TripAdvisor.


View Larger Map

Galleria dell'Accademia, Florence, Italy

Just down the street from Hotel Casci is the Galleria dell'Accademia. In this museum is an entire wing full of Michelangelo's works including the iconic David.

Although there were signs all around the statue admonishing to not take photos, flashes were popping all around so I finally pulled my camera out and took a couple.

After we had seen everything in that wing, we walked through a small passageway into the rest of the museum. In that passageway was a door, like into a service closet. Except the wall around this mundane doorway was painted to look like an elaborate entrance way. I was amazed.

So I snatched out my camera and started taking pictures. Instantly a guard approached me and begin warning me to not take pictures or he would confiscate my camera! You'll see I got one anyway.

The wikipedia page is here and their web site is here.

Slide Show

View Larger Map

Hotel Casci, Florence, Italy

After another "exciting" drive through Florence (we saw 3 wrecks on the way), we arrived at Hotel Casci. When I asked about what to do with the car, they said we had 2 choices: 1) drive across the Arno and park in public parking or 2) they would valet park it for me. I literally threw the keys at them.

Hotel Casci is so centrally located. It's 2 minutes from the Duomo and Galleria dell'Accademia (where Michelangelo's statue of David is). The Ponte Vecchio bridge is just a little further walk.

Their web site is here and the TripAdvisor article is here.

View Larger Image

View Larger Map

Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, Florence

When we were in Florence in 2001, we stayed just down the street from the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, the Duomo. That's the baptistry next to it.

Here's the wikipedia article on it.

Slide Show

View Larger Map

Ponte Vecchio, Florence

The Ponte Vecchio bridge in Florence is so unusual. It was built in 1345. On the edges of it are very classy shops, gold and jewelery. There are lookouts on it so you can see the Arno River below. Be sure and click on Google's Street View and look around.

Here's the wikipedia article on it.

I took one of my best photos from this bridge. I'll let you guess which one. These were taken with an Epson PhotoPC 650.

Slide Show

View Larger Map