Florence – Part 2 (Livorno), Italy – Friday, December 31

Last updated on January 3rd, 2022 at 09:02 am

THE RENAISSANCE TREASURES OF FLORENCE

See Florence’s treasured works of art in its spectacular public architecture and at one of its renowned museums. During the Medici rule, Florence exploded into a Renaissance of art and culture and the legacy lives on every corner. Drive with your guide to the Uffizi Gallery. Here, gaze upon brilliant works by da Vinci, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Rembrandt and others. Then, take a walking tour of the city, passing the magnificent Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore with Brunelleschi’s Dome and the Baptistery, adjacent to the Giotto’s Bell Tower. Admire the mighty Palazzo Vecchio overlooking Piazza della Signoria and the sculptural masterworks in the Loggia dei Lanzi. You will also stroll to the medieval Ponte Vecchio spanning the Arno River. Pass the Accademia Gallery and learn about some of Michelangelo’s flawless sculptures, including his famous David, and many other great works of art.

We started out bright and early for Florence. Claudia was our guide. She had an interesting sense of humor (maybe it was a little of the accent also ?) and had us laughing. This time we went straight to Florence, leaving the bus at the same place as yesterday and walking into the old part of the city. Claudia didn’t take us along the Arno River, so we reached Santa Croce Square in less time. She pointed out basically the same landmarks that Sam had the day before. 

We were given free time in Santa Croce Square, but told not to leave the square, a COVID-19 requirement. We looked around in different leather stores, found and used an ATM and purchased a few souvenirs. Lunch was at the same restaurant as yesterday, which didn’t thrill us. Today we sat with David and Josh, father and son from Katy, Texas. Josh is finishing a MS in Computer Science, this trip is a father/son celebration. Alan wore a Purdue shirt, which Josh had commented on. With the computer science link, Josh and Alan had an instant connection. David works in the financial area. We had a pleasant lunch. The menu was the same as yesterday; however we were happy to note the food better prepared and served at a warmer temperature. Certainly not the best lunch we have ever had, but not terrible either. 

After lunch it was time to walk over to the Uffizi for our 1:15 pm reserved tour. The Uffizi was built in 1560–80 to house offices (uffici) for Cosimo I dei Medici, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. It is one of Italy’s greatest art galleries. It covers the whole sweep of Florentine art, from stylized Byzantine icons to the flowing lines of early medieval works, through Renaissance masterpieces to the colorful complexities of Mannerist paintings. Entering was confusing, with at least three entrances, one for groups with reservations, one for individuals with reservations and one for individuals without reservations. Museum officials would let some number of people in and then you waited. Our group was split into three groups of 9, each with a guide. We were in the subgroup of our group, gaining entrance shortly after 2 pm. We walked up to the second floor, the level of the Corridor Vasariano and began with medieval paintings, noting the differences as time passed and painters became more skilled. Our guide Di a good job of noting differences and selecting specific paintings to show us without overwhelming those of us with limited artistic knowledge. Joyce will probably update this blog once she has a chance to look at our pictures and consult her art teacher sister, Sandi.

From the elevated Corridoio Vasariano, we were treated to a great view of Ponte Vecchio, the oldest surviving bridge in the city. Built in 1345, the last in a succession of bridges and fords on the site it  dates back to Roman times. Designed by Giotto’s pupil Taddeo Gaddi, it was originally the domain of blacksmiths, butchers and tanners, who used the river for disposing of waste. They were reviled for their noise and stench and were evicted in 1593 by Duke Ferdinando I – replaced by jewelers and goldsmiths who were deemed less offensive on the nose. The elevated Corridoio Vasariano runs along the eastern side of the bridge, above the shops. Giorgio Vasari designed the corridor in 1565 to allow the Medici family to move about their residences without having to mix with the public. This was the city’s only bridge to escape destruction during World War II. There are many stories about why it survived, from Hitler liking it to the soldier ordered to destroy as the Nazis retreated, detaching the fuse from the dynamite.

Since we started so early, we were back to the ship by around 6 pm, in plenty of time for the New Year’s Eve celebration. We started with a dinner of soft shell crab and lobster. Joyce was a little creeped out by the soft shell crab as she kept thinking of the orange shelled crabs we saw all over the rocks in the Galápagos Islands. She had no trouble eating the lobster!

After dinner we returned to our stateroom to watch football bowl games. Since there is a 6 hour time difference, we watched 1 pm games at 7 pm. Earlier in the day we learned the New Year’s celebration would be around the pool, with the retractable roof open. Dancing was allowed as long as masks were worn, you danced where you were, and only danced with the person(s) in your party. As we watched bowl games, the ship’s captain spoke over the public address system, wished us Happy New Year, and just mentioned 5 passengers and 3 crew had been escorted off the ship with positive COVID-19 tests. He said they would be quarantined in a hotel until their quarantine period passed, at which time they would flying home. Perhaps a reminder of the consequences of not following safety protocols?

We stayed in our stateroom until about 11:45 pm. Joyce fell asleep, so Alan woke her up and we joined the celebration for about 20 minutes, following all safety protocols, and rang in the New Year.