Italy...Day FOUR!!!

Friday started with a final breakfast at the Hotel Diplomatic, a shoving of everything back into the suitcase, and a ride to the train station.  We met our tour group at the entrance, and, thanks to some guy I THOUGHT was an official "help you figure out how to get to your train" person (but who, in fact, was really just someone trying to make a few euros...even though he DID assist in figuring stuff out), made it to the correct platform to catch the high speed train to Florence (one euro well spent...although, when the guy wanted me to leave the group to follow him, I DID have brief thoughts of being sold into slavery or forced to shine shoes in some seedy section of the city...).

The train ride was DELIGHTFUL!!  Avventure Bellissime arranged it all for us, and we were in the first class car.  We had beverage and snack service, a FABULOUS view of the Italian countryside, and MOST of us were in the same car, so had a chance to chat and share stories of the trip, thus far.

We arrived in Florence mid-morning, and I have to say...Florence is AMAZING!  After the hussle and bustle of Rome, Florence seemed like a small town (except for the TONS of tourists).  Rome was full of ancient ruins.  Florence was surrounded by pointy pine trees, villas, and ancient churches and forts.  It was BEAUTIFUL!!!

Our driver picked us up at the station, and took us to our hotel...the Hotel Kraft.

What an AMAZING place...DEFINITELY worth the four star rating (more on the hotel later).  Our room wasn't ready yet, so we left our bags at the front desk, bathed in sunscreen, and headed out to explore the city.

We asked at the desk about a good place for lunch, and La Veranda was recommended (and close).  We found it, but, unfortunately, it was closed for lunch.  Duane checked Trip Advisor, and we found a trattoria that looked good...Trattoria Il Contadino, a delightful, family-run business, popular with the locals.

They had a set menu, and I had a really good spicy macaroni, and beef stew...TOTALLY worth the false turns and wrong streets we traipsed to try to find the place.  We were seated next to an older gentleman, who turned out to be a British ex-pat named Alan.  We had a GREAT conversation over pasta and beef, and he was very helpful in trying to figure out where things were.

After lunch, we headed toward the Uffizi Gallery.  I had purchased tickets online to view the galleries before we left, and I'm glad we did.  The Uffizi is WONDERFUL!  We downloaded Rick Steves' audio tour, and, although some of the galleries had since been closed for renovations, enjoyed his "take" on the glorious works of art housed there.

Particular favorites included "St. Mary Magdalen", attributed to Dolci, and which was tucked away in some nobleman's bedroom before being discovered and donated to the gallery, "Lucrezia" by Agnolo Bronzini, and OF COURSE "The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli (another of those "I've seen it FOREVER in photos, but it's even MORE amazing in person" works of art!!!)...

 

 

After the Uffizi, we explored the area a bit...saw the Ponte Vecchio...the public square in front of city hall (and the AMAZING collection of statues!), walked around the outside of il duomo, then headed back toward the hotel.  Duane had located ANOTHER excellent gelataria, B. Ice, so we stopped for refreshments (I had another lemon granita...LOVE them!!!).

 

After B. Ice, we went back to the hotel, checked out our room, and then headed to the roof to see what was there.  What we found was an AMAZING roof-top garden/patio with steps leading up to an equally amazing roof-top pool.  It started to rain as we got to the roof, so we ended up having cocktails in the indoor part of the 5th floor, but, as soon as the rain stopped, we were out on the roof again exploring!

We sat on the roof for awhile, and were mesmerized by dusk in Florence.  The colors of the setting sun on the hills surrounding the city were UNBELIEVABLE, and the reflections of that light on the white-washed buildings and muli-colored marble of the duomo were BREATHTAKING!!!

After the glorious sunset, and a rainbow as a result of the rain/sun, we left the roof to go to La Rotunda for dinner.  We sat on the patio in front of the restaurant and had a delightful, relaxing dinner.  My FAVORITE part was dessert...Cantucci Vin Santo...a dessert wine, made from the skins of grapes and almond biscotti, which you dip into the wine (and which I was introduced to by Robin and Davey, who had tried it on their trip to Italy in the spring)...AMAZING!!!!!

After dinner, we walked around the neighborhood for awhile (the U.S. Consulate was two blocks from our hotel), checked out the roof at night...

...then went back to the room, and went to bed!

We missed our "tour buddies" after leaving them at the train station, but really, really liked exploring Florence!!!!!