Trip to Italy: Florence

Saturday - Sept 17

We traveled by train from Rome to Florence and were by just after lunch, we checked into our hotel and explore the city and then went out for nice dinner

This is out little hotel room in Florence

The Bell Tower just outside the Duomo Cupola just a few blocks from our hotel

Dinner at Buca Mario

Here we are at Buca Mario, famous for Florentine steak! A seasoned 16 + oz of a big piece of meat (my favourite about 2 inchs thick ) grilled to perfecto… yum yum. The waiter brings it on a cart and butchers the steak in front of you to share. Can’t wait to eat.

Sunday Sept 18

Visted the Uffizi Gallery and saw some amazing art done by Leonardo da, Michelangelo and Botticelli'

Botticelli's birth of Venus

Climed to the top of the Turret at hotel Torre Guelfa,Buca dell’Orafo
for an amazing view of Flornce

Having a late lunch by the Arno River near the Vecchio bridge. Interesting that they bring the appie, 1st & 2nd course, and dessert all at once so you don’t waste time chowing down.

The Vecchio bridge ( Those are Jeweler Stores that line the sides of the bridge)

Monday - Sept 19

We took a Bus Tour called "the best of of Tuscany" it was quite a world wind trip and inclused some amazing wine testing lunch at small farm.

Siena

We walked through gothic streets and squares, passing the oldest bank in the world, the site of the famous 600-year-old Palio horserace, and to the Cathedral

The Cathedral - the inside was amazing

The family run winery & farm set in the heart of the Tuscan countryside, among olive groves and rolling hills covered in vineyards

When's Lunch?

Yes these are the Olives, everything for lunch was grown on the farm

including the olive oil

Some of our new fiends after sharing 4 glasses of wine over lunch :)

Time to go - Yummy lunch

San Gimignano
Considered one of the most beautiful medieval hilltop villages in Italy, this Unesco World Heritage site is often nicknamed the "Manhattan of the Middle Ages" because its famously tall and narrow towers create a skyline that looks a bit like a modern city

San Gimignano in the distance

I think there is more shopping in there?

Wow look at those prices... how much wine can we get in our carry on?

Pisa

The ancient port town of Pisa, the hometown of the great astronomer Galileo, where you can take a close up inspection of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

The Leaning Tower is almost 56 meters tall (about 183 ft). Building began in the 1100s but took amost 200 years to complete! It leans at about 4 degrees, making it one of the most famous and iconic buildings not only in Italy but in the world. After restoration work ended in 2001 the tower was opened to the public and today can be climbed

Ok let's see if I can straight things out here

No, No... this is how we do it at BCIT

after 302 steps in a winding narrrow, sloping spiral staircase we emerged at the top of

the leaning tower of Pisa ( the 150 foot view was amazing)

The Field of Miracles, Pisa's centrepiece and stage set - home to the Duomo, the Tower and the Baptistery, all exquisite examples of Pisan Romanesque architecture ( Good view from the top of the tower)