Florence Duomo and Uffizi Gallery

Day 8! We had a packed day today…but it was amazing!

We started out at the Florence Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral). The Duomo is the core of Florence's spiritual soul, and our guide took us on an unforgettable journey into art, architecture, spirituality, history and magic. It was our Florence highlight for sure!

Built over a period of a century and a half, with input by important artists such as Arnolfo di Cambio, Giotto, Andrea Pisano and Brunelleschi, who was the creator of the cupola (dome), this cathedral, Florence's Duomo, is the city's most iconic landmark.

After we viewed the various artworks and the interior of the Cathedral, we started our ascent, up a narrow staircase used for centuries. The 450 step climb was well worth it for the chance to see the dome, it’s frescoes, and the views from the city’s highest building!

The dome is a masterpiece of architecture! Brunelleschi's astonishing genius and creative talent is just awe inspiring! It is amazing how he used vaults that allowed the building of the Cathedral cupola without scaffolding, and how it still stands today. It’s a dominating presence admired worldwide, and has defied age and wear, earthquakes and wars.

From down on the floor of the cathedral, the frescoes on the roof of the dome were beautiful, but we never expected to get so up-close-and-personal with them. Once we ascended to the terraces, we literally could have reached out and touched the frescoes, which were massive in scale and some of the most beautiful and detailed art we’d ever seen. It was an indescribable experience!

The crowing glory of the tour was reaching the top of Brunelleschi's dome. At 300 feet high, it offers unforgettable views of Florence!

After the Duomo, we grabbed a sandwhich from a nearby deli and ate while we walked to our afternoon tour of the Uffizi Gallery.

The Uffizi Gallery has been called Italy's most important museum, most of which came from the Medici family’s private collection. We had a tour led by an art expert who helped us truly understand what’s behind each painting (in perfect detail for Lori and Gayle, and maybe a bit too much detail for Dan and Scott!!). We followed the evolution of Italian art through the centuries, from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.

Madonna of the Goldfinch, by Raphael, c. 1505-1506

While we saw paintings and sculptures by Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Caravaggio and many more, the highlights for our group were DaVinci and Michelangelo. The entire collection is astounding, and to see and study it all would probably take years. We settled on a 2.5 hour crash course.

Adoration of the Magi - An unfinished piece by Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo was given the commission by the Augustine monks of San Donato in Scopeto in Florence in 1481, but he departed for Milan the following year, leaving the painting unfinished. It has been in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence since 1670 AD!

The Birth of Venus, by Sandro Botticelli, c. mid-1480s

Madonna and Child by Filippo Lippi, c. 1450-1465

After the Uffizi tour, we wrapped up our last night in Florence with a dinner, a nightcap on the Duomo Plaza, and, of course some gelato! Scott had chocolate chip, Gayle had panacotta, Lori had tiramisu, and Dan had…vanilla!

There is so much more of Florence to see, but alas, we have to leave in the morning. This is a city we definitely want to return to!

Tours: Florence Duomo Small Group Tour with Dome Climb

Uffizi Gallery Small Group Tour - both tours with Florence Town

Step Count: 15,816 steps or 7.75 miles