Trip Over to Florence
David – Florence’s Favourite Son
Our day out in Florence was inspired by David, Florence’s favourite son – Or is Michelangelo her favourite? I’m not really sure. Michelangelo wasn’t actually from Florence, or Firenze, as it is known in Italy. He was born in 1475 in Caprese, about 100km away. But David, on the other hand, was created in Florence by Michelangelo between 1501 and 1504 – so I’m going to stick with David being the favourite son.
Michelangelo was originally commissioned to create one of a series of statues of prophets to be positioned along the roofline of the east end of Florence Cathedral, (also known as Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, Il Duomo di Firenze or simply the Duomo). But David was placed instead in a public square, outside the Palazzo Vecchio, the seat of civic government in Florence, in the Piazza della Signoria where he was unveiled on September 8, 1504. He was placed with his eyes looking in the direction of Rome, with a warning glare. I actually think his stare, (and stance), is a very cool look of, “Don’t even think about it, I’ve got this…………..”
In 1873 the decision was made to move David inside, out of the weather, to the Galleria dell’Accademia, I did go there to see the original, but wasn’t allowed to take photos there. I have noticed online that many others have, but they were very strict the day I was there. The original is huge, just over 5mt tall. He is heavily guarded these days to protect him from further attacks, like the one in 1991 when someone took to him with a hammer, damaging the toes on his left foot. He does suffer from a few hair line fractures possibly caused by movement in the ground he stands on. He holds most of his weight on his right foot throwing off his centre of gravity. Maybe someone needs to create something for him to stand on that absorbs the natural movement and vibrations in the earth, after all, he is getting on a bit.
A replica was placed where the original stood in Piazza della Signoria, apparently the same size, but doesn’t seem to be, maybe because of the vast space he stands in as opposed to the original with a roof over his head. I have tried to find out who created this replica, but have been unable to. Maybe that was part of the deal, remain anonymous or you don’t get paid. From where I am standing, anyone who can create a replica of David from a chunk of marble is a very talented individual (or team) indeed. In fact, anyone who can pour something into a mould, get it out, stand it up, and it looks like David also has skills beyond anything I’ll ever have.
Having left the comfort of the Savoy Hotel in Piazza della Repubblica, after breakfast, we walked up Via Calimala to the Mercato Nuovo to see Il Porcellino, the bronze pig. Again, a replica of the original marble boar created by Pietro Tacca in the early 1600s. Rubbing the boar’s snout ensures that one day you will return to Florence (and keeps it polished to a high sheen!)
Taking a detour via the Piazza della Signoria, to see (replica) David, and up past the Uffizi Gallery we arrived at the River Arno and walked through the arches under the Vasari Passage and across the Ponte Vecchio. Turning left we walked along the river until we got to the path to climb up toward Piazzale Michelangelo up on the hill on the south side of the river. From there you have amazing views over Florence and beyond to the surrounding hills.
As we climbed up the path way, we stopped a few times to take photos (really, to catch our breath…) It was amazing to be looking over the rooftops of Florence and seeing the Tower at the Palazzo Vecchio rising up into the sky. Further away was the imposing dome and tower of the Duomo, and around to the east, the Torre della Zecca left rather unceremoniously as a traffic island after its past as a major lookout tower on the old city walls protecting the nearby bridge across the Arno. The Tower of Saint Nicholas still stands there proudly, it was also part of the cities defensive walls, originally built in 1324, having survived the 19th century destruction of most of the walls to make way for the urbanisation of Florence, you can climb its 160 steps for a view over the city. Fortunately we were very happy with the views we had from the path leading to the top of the hill.
Along the way there are little make-shift market stalls selling “designer” handbags, and various souveniers, most involving David. On bags, on cushions, as key rings, you name it, you can get it with a little David on it.
There were many people on the path stopping to ask us to sign petitions for various things, mainly to prevent drug problems. How my signature would help this situation is beyond me. Always just decline this, and move on. They are all pick-pockets, once you have both hands busy holding the clip-board and the pen, writing your name, address and email address, they will be checking your bag and pockets. They will tell you that they are in Florence studying art and this is their holiday job, or that they are volunteers to the cause – they are lying to you, don’t let their perfect English and passionate description of what they are doing fool you, all they want is your wallet. Some of the time it must work, or they wouldn’t do it – please don’t let it be you.
The sight of the magnificent neo-classical Loggia dominating the Piazzale Michelangelo made it all worthwhile. It was originally built in the late 1800s, the architect’s dream was that it was to house a collection of Michelangelo’s works, but that didn’t happen – sadly, not all dreams can come true. It is now a fabulous restaurant where we enjoyed lunch at a table in one of the arches, eating beautiful meals, drinking nice Tuscan wine, while looking over the gardens, the activity in the square and out over Florence.
There is a bronze (replica) David in the Piazzale, also by an unnamed artist. We had our lunch while David was surrounded by Ferraris, and he wasn’t the slightest bit interested. It seemed there was some sort of Ferrari promotion going on that day, people were taking them for test drives on the winding roads in the area.
After lunch, and some time taking in the view and looking at the Ferraris, it was time to head back down to Florence. At the start of the path there is a fantastic view of a remaining stretch of the ancient walls that once surrounded Florence. We walked through Porta San Miniato, the gate in the wall as we got closer to the river, it has been there since the 1300s and the locals live around it and walk through on a daily basis more than 600 years later. I have a complete fascination for places that so many people have walked through for hundreds of years, and now I am doing it – for some unknown reason, it really impresses me.
It was pointed out by a tour guide, an art student, when we went to see the real David, that his right hand is out of proportion as compared to the size of his head. She explained that this was part of Michelangelo’s genius, as David was originally commissioned to stand high up on the eastern end of the Duomo. See in the photo below on the right there is a sort of balcony looking area – the plan was that David and some others were going to stand in these areas around that end of the Duomo. The art student explained that Michelangelo did this on purpose, making the hand bigger, so then when you looked up at David so high above you, everything looked in proportion. But, the flaw in this is that if that was the case, it should have been the other way around, the head should have been bigger and the hand smaller. So it’s probably best if we just don’t go there, and I wish she hadn’t mentioned it because all I see now is a big right hand, which I hadn’t thought of as out of proportion before. But Michelangelo is still a genius, it was a huge block of marble to start with, and he turned it into a man – that in itself is an act of genius.
Anyway, Michelangelo’s studio, now a museum, is just behind the Duomo, and once David was finished they very quickly realised they had no way to lift this giant naked man with the rippling six pack, weighing more than 6 tons, up into the position reserved for him. So after much deliberation from a committee that included Leonardo da Vinci, it was decided that David should stand at the entrance to Palazzo Vecchio, in Piazza della Signoria, which he did from 1508 until he was moved inside the Galleria dell’Accademia in 1873.
Itinerary for Trip Over to Florence
Flew from Sydney to Rome via Dubai, with Qantas/Emirates.
Stayed in an apartment near Largo di Argentina for a month – rented through Sleep in Italy.
Walked all over Rome, bought a one month transport ticket for buses, the metro and some trains.
We caught the fast train from Rome Termini to Florence, and stayed for 3 nights at the Hotel Savoy.
While in Florence we went on a tour with Viator to Siena and San Gimignano.
Arranged for us to be picked up at the airport on arrival, and taken back at the end of our holiday with a private transfer with Viator.
Had a quick run around Prague after a 4 hour train trip from Vienna. I was last in Prague 9 years ago, all seems familiar except Wenceslas Square....apart from the statue of Good King Wenceslas on his horse, the rest of the square that used to be an elegant collection of historic buildings, hotels, cafes, etc......has now turned into Oxford Street, London...Primark, C&A, Half Price, the list goes on......who thought that was a good idea????
#prague #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme #charlesbridgeprague
A crowd gathers every hour to watch the Astronomical Clock in Prague put on a show 😂 Then some people clap and cheer, and some people laugh in an `is that it` kind of way.
#prague #astronomicalclockprague🏰 #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
Strolling around Sydney`s Royal Botanic Gardens and Government House✨️ looking out across Sydney Harbour on a sunny mid winters day☀️
#rbg #sydneylocal #sydneyharbour #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #sydneyharbourwalks
The house where the Governor General lives in the Royal Botanic Gardens on the edge of Sydney Harbour. I`m thinking of applying for the job!!
You can wander around the gardens and go on free booked tours of inside parts of the house most weekends - I love the way we all look around as if its a property inspection and we`re looking to buy it😂
#governmenthousesydney #sydneyrbg #sydney #sydneyharbourwalks #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
Sydney`s Royal Botanic Gardens on the edge of the CBD and Sydney Harbour all sparkling on an unseasonably hot day for June ✨️ Who would have thought hats and sunscreen would still be the order of the day, I would expect hats and coats at this time of year!!!
#royalbotanicgardens #urbanoasis #walkinthepark #sydney #sydneyharbourwalks
The best part of the day trip from Vienna to Bratislava was the boat trip back to Vienna on the Danube!! The hydofoiling catamaran was fast, about 90 minutes, the crew were great. It was freezing cold and windy outside, but I couldn`t help myself, I just had to keep going out to take photos, then running back in to sip my wine 🥂!!!
Great for solo travelers, I met so many other travellers onboard.
#cruisingonthedanube #twinliner #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme
Sydney is having an unbelievably warm winter so far, all blue sky, blue water and sunshine today ☀️!!
After catching the tram across the river, I strolled through Letna Park, there are stunning views of Prague`s Vltava river, the bridges and the castle, not to mention all the flowers in the park.
#flowerseverywhere #viewsfordays #praguelife #solotrip #walkinthepark
More sculptures in the streets, and I found another one of the minitures that are dotted all over the city. It`s hard to tell what it is, but perched on the wall near the castle, the little guy in the last photo is looking through his telecope at the city below!!
#streetsculptures #budapest #artinthe streets #solotravel
Yesterday evenings stroll to walk off my enormous Christmas lunch ✨️ past Fortnum & Mason, up Bond St, past the Royal Arcade, then past all the fashion shops dressed up to the nines. Chanel was my favourite 💖 Then Oxford St and back down Regent St to Piccadilly. Londin really knows how to do Christmas lights 🥂✨️💖
#londonatchristmastime #christmaslights #streetsoflondon #bondstreetlondon #regentstreetlondon
Arriving in Vienna, I found my hotel at set off exploring the neighbourhood, the architecture is all gobsmacking, but hard to get far enough away from to photograph!!
#vienna #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #solotravel
At the top of Wenceslas Square stands the National Museum in Prague, an impressive building with breathtaking views from the Cupola.
#praguenationalmuseum #solotravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
A quick ferry trip across the Grand Harbour from Valletta to the area known as the Three Cities. Grab a seat up on the top deck forthe best views. Vittoriosa, Senglea, and Cospicua are all worth exploring on foot, cobbled streets, little parks, the maritime museum just near where the ferry arrives, and the Knights of St John HQ at the amazing Fort St Angelo, not to mention the harbour full of yachts of all shapes and sizes.
Read more about my solo 10 day trip over to Malta by clicking the link to my website in the bio.
#malta #valletta #threecitiesmalta #solotravelinmalta #solotravelwoman
It was a lovely sunny London day to walk through Kensington Gardens from South Kensington to Baystwater Rd. Kensington Palace was all locked up for the Christmas break.
#kensingtonpalace #kensingtongardenslondon #london #solotravelinlondon #traveltheworldwithme
Back to Schonbrunn Palace to see the Imperial Apartments. Gold was definitely the order of the day ✨️ but I reckon I could live there quite comfortably with a few more mod cons!!
#schönbrunnpalace #imperialapartments #traveltheworldwithme #solotrip
Vienna is magnificent to just wander around aimlessly, the buildings, the parks, everything, just perfect.
#vienna #solotravel #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme
Caught the train from Vienna to Bratislava for a day trip. Walking up the hill to visit the castle is not for the faint hearted!! And the walk back down 🥴 brutal on the dodgy knee!!! But I made it 😃!!!
#bratislava #daytripfromvienna #daytripfromviennatobratislava #traveltheworldwithme #solotravel
Exploring Trapani Salt Pans on the west coast of Sicily with a day trip tour from Palermo - what a quirky spot! Windmills, old boats, and epic views. The last shot shows the hilltop medieval city of Erice, which I featured in my previous posts. The solo adventure continues.....
#trapani #trapanisaltpans #sicily #solotravelinsicily
Sunrise on my last day in London, after a few very cold, cloudy days, today we are going with a freezing 2 degrees, and sunshine ❄️❄️❄️
#sunriseinlondon #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #londonlife #coldmornings❄️ #solotrip
Even if Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly is too packed with people to fit inside, the outside of the building and the window displays are worth seeing.
#fortnums #piccadilly #londonatchristmastime #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme
Exploring Erice ✨️ a medieval city perched high on a hill in western Sicily. It`s a beautiful spot to wander around for a few hours. The city has roots in the pre-Roman era, but most of the structures standing today date back to the Normans in 1148.
I was going to make my own way there on the train from Palermo to Trapani, then up to Erice on the cable car, but I found a small group tour that went to Erice, Trapani Salt Pans and Segesta so joined that instead. It meant I missed spending time in Trapani town centre, but I wouldn`t have been able to get to the Temple of Segesta by myself. You win some, you lose some!!
That just means one day I`ll have to go back to Sicily again 💖🥂!!
#erice #ericesicily #sicily #solotravelinsicily #medievalsicily
Decided to escape the heat in Sydney🔥 for the cold, and a cozy London Christmas🎄☃️ ❄️❄️❄️ ✨️And London has delivered with a lovely 4 degree (and falling ❄️❄️❄️) evening to start things off.
Merry Christmas to everyone 🎄☃️❄️🎄☃️❄️🥂!!
#solotravel #traveltheworldwithme #merrychristmas #londonforchristmas #christmaslights
Aimlessly wandering around the streets of Prague - beautiful💖
#prague #praguelife #solotrip #praguearchitecture
After visiting the Easter Markets at Schonbrunn Palace , I went for a walk up through the gardens, all the way up to the `Gloriette` at the top of the hill way off in the distance.
The Gloriette was built in 1775 for no other reason than the view - when the Habsburgs were sitting on the balcony of their summer Schloss, they wanted something nice to look at, so they had the Gloriette built along with a few ponds and fountains. The world became a better place!!
#schönbrunnpalace #schönbrunnschloss #solotravel #habsburgfamilyresidence #vienna
Chilly morning in Vienna today, but apparently its going to warm up big time tomorrow! First stop Naschmarkt, then strolling past Karlskirche on my way to Schloss Belvedere.......
#naschmarkt #karlskirche #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme
St Paul`s Cathedral dome as seen from the top of 1 New Change, the shopping centre across the road. I walked down Ludgate Hill, Fleet St and The Strand, coming across the Royal Exchange, Australia House, the dragon marking the boundary of London City. Every building along this street has incredible history.
#stpaulscathedral #royalexchange #australiahouse #londondragon #historiclondon
The gardens at Sydney`s Government House and into the Royal Botanic Gardens on the edge of Sydney Harbour.
#royalbotanicgarden #sydneylocal #sydneyharbour #sydneylife #walkinthepark
Explored the stunning Belvedere Palace in Vienna, a former imperial residence that`s truly breathtaking. The gardens were gorgeous, especially with the ponds and fountains coming to life now that winter`s loosening its grip, slightly....!!
#belvedere #schlossbelvedere #vienna #solotrip #traveltheworldwithme
The streets of Valletta, Malta. Endless hours of exploring this amazing place. A wonderful place for solo travellers, easy to get around and very safe. Something for everyone, especially for history buffs!!
#solotrip #traveltheworldwithme #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #solotravelinmalta
After visiting Monreale Cathedral and marveling at all the gold✨️ I enjoyed a serene walk around town. With most people still attending the service, I had the place almost to myself.
#monreale #monrealecathedral #solotravelinsicily #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring
As usual, when it cones to museums, I usually find the building more interesting than the exhibits!! Vienna Natural History Museum was no exception!!
#viennanaturalhistorymuseum #vienna #solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
Leaving Budapest from Keleti station, I found my ticket gave me access to the Business Lounge waiting room!!
Next stop on my solo adventure - Vienna🥂!!
#solotravel #budapest #keletistation #travelbytrain #traveltheworldwithme
It`s a museum kind of day in Vienna, 2 to 5 degrees, we`ve had a bit of snow, a bit of sleet, a bit of rain and a lot of cold ❄️❄️❄️
The Furniture Museum is a collection of furnture and other items from the Imperial Palaces, including a display of the toilets from the day.
The museum holds huge stores of furniture that they lend out for movies, plays and other events needing furnishings from that era.
#viennafurnituremuseum #coldday❄️ #solotravel #traveltheworldwithme
The Hungarian Parliament Building from across the Danube at night ❄️ It was a freezing cold evening, but a quick trip under the Danube on the Metro to get a few photos is just what needs to he done!
#hungarianparliamentbuilding #budapest #soloteavel #traveltheworldwithme
Inside the Monreale Cathedral, I was surrounded by gold everywhere. This stunning building was constructed between 1174 and 1267 and later adorned with millions of gold-covered glass tiles by skilled local and Venetian craftsmen. Unfortunately, my visit coincided with a packed Easter Sunday service, limiting my exploration of the intricate mosaic work, but what I did see close up at the back of the cathedral was amazing, I even loved the enormous doors to the Cathedral.
#monrealecathedral #glassmosaics #goldmosaics #solotravelinsicily #traveltheworldwithme
I spent 10 fantastic days exploring Malta 💖 A great place for solo travellers who love history and endless exploring.
✨️ Read about the places I visited by clicking the link to my website in the bio.
1. St Ursula St, Valletta
2. Victoria Gate, Valletta.
3. Upper Barraka Gardens, Valletta
4. The view from my hotel over The Grand Harbour
5. Victoria Gate, Valletta
6. Valletta street scene
#malta #solotravelinmalta #solotravelwoman #valletta #historylovers neverstopexploring
As promised, a beautiful sunny Easter Sunday in Vienna ☀️☀️☀️ After being in Palermo last Easter, where it was underwhelming, Vienna really knows how to take Easter to the extreme!!!
#easterinvienna #eastermarkets #soloadventure #vienna
Beautiful day to have another amble around the gardens at Schonbrunn Palace after exploring the Imperial Apartments, in another month these gardens will be in full bloom☀️☀️☀️
#schönbrunnpalace #schönbrunnschloss #palacegardens #solotrip
Wandering through Palermo in search of the bus to Monreale in the hills, I stumbled upon Porta Nuova, the ancient gate to Palermo. Which was a good find as it was the land mark I needed to make sure I was heading in the right direction.
#palermo #portanuovapalermo #solotravelinsicily #sicilytravel
The fairytale world of Castle District, perched high above the Danube on the Buda side. Hours of leisurely strolling are a must!!
My solo adventures in Budapest continue...
#budapestcastledistrict #budapest #solotrip
Budapest Central Market Hall built in the late 1800s, extensively damaged in WWll, left in ruins until the late 1900s when it was returned to it`s former glory.....only to now be mainly selling tourist trash.
#budapestcentralmarket #budapest #traveltheworldwithme #solotravel
Vienna`s Easter markets are in full swing now, with beautifully decorated eggs and plenty of food and drink. Great to amble around in the sun, even though it was a bit chilly!!
#solotravel #vienna #eastermarkets #traveltheworldwithme
Cesky Krumlov, a quaint medieval town in the south of the Czech Republic, a simple day trip by train from Prague....then lots and lots of walking on cobble stone paths!!
#ceskykrumlov #daytripfromprague #solotrip #seetheworldthroughmyeyes
Another short bus trip from Palermo in Sicily, up the coast to Mondello Beach✨️ lovely to walk along the promenade, but I have never had so many Indian market stall holders trying to sell me a sarong, and this was a quiet day in early spring, peak summer must be horrendous!!! I was hoping to have lunch at Alle Terrazze, a beautiful castle like restaurant just off the beach, but sadly they were closed for a private event, but further along I found a lovely seafood restaurant🥂
#solotravelinsicily #journeywoman #traveltheworldwithme #mondellobeach #sicily
St Matthias Church in the Castle District near Fisherman`s Bastion. Climb the steep stone spiral staircase for a stunning view into the main church and explore the artifacts on display. This historic church dates back to the 11th century.
#solotrip #stmatthiaschurch #budapestcastledistrict
On a day trip to Agrigento from Palermo, I had about 2 hours or more to wander around the ancient Greek ruins in the Valley of Temples ✨️Is it just me, or do you love walking around places knowing that others have been walking there for more than 2000 years too?
#agrigento #valleyofthetemples #solotravelinsicily #daytripfrompalermo #sicily
Quattro Canti, or Piazza Vigliena, is a stunning Baroque square at the heart of Palermo`s historic centre. Located where Via Maqueda meets Corso Vittorio Emanuele, each corner symbolises one of the city`s ancient districts, built in 1620. Via Maqueda is now a pedestrian zone, bustling with restaurants, ranging from great spots to tourist traps, and it`s the perfect place to stroll around in the evenings.
#palermo #quattrocantipalermo #viamaquedapalermo #solotravelinsicily
More from my ambling around exploring the medieval city of Erice in Sicily, more than 700mtrs above sea level and somehow, back in the 1100s they were able to get all this rock up there to build a castle and so many churches, not to mention a few shops and places to live!!
#ericesicily #medievalsicily #solotravelinsicily #traveltheworldwithme #exploresicily
The gardens at the Governor Generals house in Sydney`s Royal Botanic Gardens are open to walk around most weekends.
✨️ Feels weird to go and sit on the balcony of someone else`s house and look out at the harbour, but it`s a very relaxing way to spend a bit of time!!
#royalbotanicgarden #fountains #beautifulgardensoftheworld #seeeverythingdoeverything
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