Florence

The old bridge over the Arno River (Ponte Vecchio) was originally the home of butcher shops, who tossed their scraps into the river. But since the Medici rulers had to cross the foul-smelling bridge each day, they decided to replace the butchers with jewelers, who are still there today.

With narrow streets and lots of pedestrians, it’s easier to get around downtown Florence on a motorcycle. These bikes are parked in front of an old “palace” gateway with a central courtyard in the background. Amazing stonework!

These gilded bronze doors on the Florence Baptistery were created by Lorenzo Ghiberti in the 1400s. Michelangelo reportedly called these panels, depicting Old Testament scenes, the “Gates of Paradise.” (Like other outdoor artworks, the originals are in a nearby museum to protect them from pigeons and acid rain.)

The facades of the Duomo Cathedral and neighboring bell tower are rectangles of white, green and pink marble. It’s so big that it’s difficult to see more than just a part of it in the relatively small open spaces around one of the largest churches in the world.

Walking through Florence, we found a restaurant that was popular with both locals and visitors. I ordered a pizza with mozzarella, prosciutto and mushrooms, and this was the delicious result. Hungry?

This 1464 painting by Neri di Bicci in the Accademia Gallery has the classic geometry of Renaissance artwork, setting the Angel Gabriel’s visit to Mary in a Greek temple. Follow the lines of the ceilings to find the perspective’s vanishing point in the painting’s center.

No visit to Florence, Italy is complete without seeing Michelangelo’s David. At 19 feet tall, he stands above the swirling crowd just as he rises above every other Renaissance sculpture as both a symbol of the Florentine Republic and of human potential.