I am not really sure as to how many of you would have heard of Florence in Italy. It’s one of the most charming places I have visited! I had read once somewhere, that the Bachchan family is very fond of this place. I realized why when I went there.
A typical European city steeped in art and history and so many wonderful sights. For people who are into art, culture, history, Florence is a must visit! If you ask anybody who has seen Europe, they’ll tell you that the best way to explore it, is on foot. This is exactly what I did while in Florence. With warm Mediterranean weather, friendly people and some authentic Italian food, I experienced one of the best walking tours. You will be surprised to see the tour guides that you find in Europe. Surprise because, most of them are elderly people and they probably have more energy and enthusiasm than any youngster. So when we set out in the morning we really didn’t know what to expect. We met our guide, an elderly woman well into her fifties and ready to take us on a very memorable walk.
Our tour began at the historic Ponte Vecchio bridge over the river Arno, one of the oldest in Florence and one that was used as a marketplace also in the olden days. Now when I say olden days, just to give you an idea, Ponte Vecchio has existed from the Roman times. It still stands today strong and now you find jewelry shops who have made this their marketplace. You get magnificent views of the city from this bridge, beautiful old buildings, the river Arno flowing gently and keen tourists all around. From here, we walked down to one of the best art museums in the world- The Uffizi Gallery. The exhibits at the gallery combined with the superb explanation by our guide made the experience very memorable. For me visiting an art museum is like being in Disneyland!
After this, we walked deeper into the city and made a quick stop at an ice cream parlor. Now technically, its called Gelato not ice cream in Italy. Gelato is like nothing you have ever tasted before, soft, creamy,it just melts in your mouth! You can’t come all the way to Florence and not taste Gelato, trust me you’ll love it.
After the refreshing gelato, we visited one of the most beautiful structures in Florence. Right in the heart of the city, is the Duomo Cathedral. It has one of the largest domes in the world and it dominates the skyline of Florence. A marble structure and every inch of it is covered in intricate designs.
It’s so easy to get lost in time while in this city, the city where Renaissance began. While we sat down for an authentic Italian lunch, I reminisced about my tour and was in love with Florence for life!
Grazie Florence!