The first full day in Florence started with a leisurely walk for Tim and Monique from their flat at Casa Uffizi to the coffee shop across the Piazza della Signoria.
Their accommodations, which were less than two blocks from the Ponte Vecchio, came with complimentary breakfast each day courtesy of Casa Uffizi that consisted of an espresso or a cappuccino and a breakfast crescent or pastry. It seemed simple, but it is often the simplest pleasures that can start the day off right. It is a well known fact that Tim and Monique do not drink coffee. However, Italian coffees have much more flavor and Tim enjoyed his morning cup every day in Florence, while Monique tolerated hers. The plaza was in front of the Palazzo Vecchio. After a short stroll across the Ponte Vecchio and along the Arno river, the travelers spent the first half of the day going through the Pitti Palace which had no line to get in like other museums, little foot traffic and and an incredible display of statues, artwork and painted ceilings
. At the end of the palace tour they enjoyed a long explorative walk through the attached Boboli garden which was the size of a small village. Tim and Monique then followed a tip by one of the museum employees and hiked across town and up to the top of the hill where they discovered a gem of a somewhat hidden spot, the Bardini Garden with 180 degree views of the entire city. Upon exiting this hilltop garden, they stumbled across the Piazzale Michelangelo, which housed a bronze replica of the statue of David. This was as close as the two would get to the real statue as neither one felt the need to wait in the line or join a crowd of people to see the actual statue. This theme was followed the entire trip and it worked well. They would clean up a bit for dinner and then enjoy their first pizza in Italy on this trip. It would not be the last. The day ended with a short walk around the city to take in the night culture of Florence where you could feel the history in every direction.
