With our first tour starting bright and early at 9 AM, we kicked off the day at Café Gilli, the oldest café in Florence, which has been around since 1733—back when the Medici family still ruled the city! It’s mind-blowing to think about the history that surrounds this place. After our cappuccinos and croissants, we were ready to dive into some serious art.

Our first stop was the Galleria dell’Accademia, home to many beautiful artworks and sculptures, but of course, the star of the show was Michelangelo’s David. I was stunned by how massive it is—17 feet tall! I had expected something smaller, but seeing the veins and tendons carved into his hands and arms up close was incredible. It’s definitely a must-see.

After the Accademia, we took a quick break at a café for some tea sandwiches and a pistachio croissant—perfect fuel for the next part of our day: the Uffizi Gallery. This place was overflowing with masterpieces from artists like Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Raphael, and even Michelangelo’s only oil painting. Fun fact: the Uffizi started as the Medici family’s personal art collection!

One thing I loved about the Uffizi was seeing how art evolved through the centuries. Early pieces had no dimension, but as we moved through the gallery, we saw how artists began using vanishing points to add depth and volume to their work. 

A few standouts included the first oil painting (I can’t remember if it was the first in Italy or the world, but it was significant!) and Michelangelo’s Doni Tondo, a circular painting commissioned for a child’s baptism. 

There was also a stunning room adorned with over 6,000 shells on the ceiling—a breathtaking sight. It’s called the Tribune, and it was the start of the Medici’s public art collection display.

There are too many pieces to write about (and lucky for you guys I don’t remember everything) so check out my favorites I snapped pictures of!

After wrapping up at the Uffizi, we headed to lunch at the Auditore Ristorante Braceria, which turned out to be perfectly timed as the skies opened up with a downpour! I’d been craving minestrone, but sadly it wasn’t the best. Everything else was good, though, so it wasn’t a total miss. 

Following a much-needed break back at our hotel, we set out for our second tour of the day—a walking tour through 5-6 different squares in Florence. We learned so much about the history of the Medici family and how they essentially founded Tuscany by conquering and uniting the surrounding towns and cities.

One of the highlights was Piazza del Duomo, home to the historic Santa Maria del Fiore, Brunelleschi’s Dome, and the Baptistery of San Giovanni. The dome is a marvel of engineering, built on an octagonal base—something never done before. Brunelleschi figured out how to complete it using a fishbone brick pattern for weight distribution and designing two domes, one inside the other with a hollow space between them. We’ll be walking up to the top of the dome tomorrow, so stay tuned!

After the tour, we capped off the night with dinner at Il Barretto. It was amazing—probably my third favorite meal of the trip so far (and that’s saying something, we’ve had a lot of meals!) Best of all, they had Moscato! I’ve made it my mission to ask for Moscato at every restaurant, and I was thrilled they actually had it this time.

It was a long, but incredible day, filled with art, history, and unforgettable food. Tomorrow, more adventures await!