Florence In Winter

The candy striped duomo
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So we had heard from many people that Florence was going to be one of the most beautiful cities we would visit in Italy.  Whether we had built our hopes up or possibly because of the weather, Florence was probably the least inspiring city we had visited in Italy so far.  While our hostel was lovely and situated in the last standing medieval tower in Florence (over 1000 yrs old) and also had a kitchen (possibly only 100 yrs old), Florence just seemed to lack that certain spark or pezaz.  It was however a great base to visit some other wonderful places nearby.

More Duomo
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The weather was cold and drizzly for most of our time in Florence (yes I am aware it is winter) however we had been really lucky with the weather in all other places so far.  What better way to get out of the rain, than to go and visit some of the museums that we have heard so much about.  First stop was the Galleria de Accademia which showcased the Statue of David, which was actually quite impressive.  The detail of the sculpture was truly amazing.  After this it was onto the Uffizi which is one of the most boring museums we have ever wandered through (at least it wasn't raining inside).  Call us uncultured, however we are quickly coming to the realisation that we just don't get religious art (give me a Monet any day).

Now you may call me a little biased, but I have to admit that I looked absolutely fantastic in that jacket

The only bridge that wasnt bombed in WW2
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There were however some cool open air markets around Florence and we scoured the stalls for a glass ring (you can't imagine the angst that a little bit of glass can cause) and after much debate, Linda finally convinced me to buy an authentic Italian leather jacket.  Now you may call me a little biased, but I have to admit that I looked absolutely fantastic in that jacket.

So while the weather was crap and the city not that appealing, it did give us a chance to visit some of the most beautiful scenery in Italy!