April 8
Palm Sunday. We start the day with an early reservation at the Galleria dell' Accademia - home of Michelangelo's David, all 17 feet of him. Wow! Incredible! Words can't adequately describe this treasure.
Still as a statue - outside the Palazzo Vecchio
Michelangelo's David
We also tour the magnificent Gothic church of Santa Croce (1294) which contains tombs of many famous Florentines, including Michelangelo and Galileo. We picked up some palm branches from the earlier service.
Basilica of San Croce
Next we hoof'd it over to the Plazzo Pitti. Begun in 1457 as the largest and most impressive home in Florence, it served as the residence of city's rulers over the years. Of course there was yet another gallery of priceless art (you start to get numb after awhile), but what were really impressive were the state apartments - Appartamenti Monumentali. The apartments are lavishly appointed with ornate gold and white stucco ceilings and rich decorations.
Venus room
The rest of the day is spent aimlessly walking the streets and shops. Notable is the Ponte Vecchio, or Old Bridge. Built in 1345, shops line and overhang the bridge specializing in new and antique jewelry. Thank goodness we were only window shopping!
Ponte Vecchio
