Starting the day off great! Fresh ciabatta with grilled tomatoes, eggs sunny side up, and pancetta!
Day Two was my first day waking up in Florence. Koen and I woke up to an empty apartment (my parents left to meet Grayson, Tamar, and Edward at the airport), so we decided to spoil ourselves with brunch. Luckily right across the street is a supermarket, so we bought a few Italian staples like ciabatta and pancetta and other breakfast essentials. I don’t think I mentioned it in my last post, but the weather was in the high 60s, low 70s the whole time so we ate every meal outside on the terrace!
After breakfast, Koen and I began setting up the welcome table, filled with Italian wines, cheeses, meats, olives, and bread. Everyone arrived, we toasted to being together, broke bread, and enjoyed our first meal together.
Breakfast for two
My brother and his wife were tired after the long flight, so they decided to stay and sleep a bit. After such a big lunch, my dad was also ready for a nap so my mom joined Koen and me for some more exploring again in the center.
Welcome lunch spread: Chianti Classico wines, locals meats, cheeses, olives, and bread!
First time together in more than a year
First stop – coffee! Already in Italy more than a day and had yet to drink any espressos, cappuccinos, or latte macchiatos! On the way we couldn’t resist buying a few pieces of nougat from . I can’t help it – one of my favorite sweets!
We were really lucky stumbling upon Ditta Artigianale on the Via dei Neri. Via dei Neri actually turnout to be one of my favorite streets in Florence (you’ll read more about the sandwiches and gelato located on this street in upcoming posts). Koen and I drank delicious espressos while my mom drank tea. We were able to do a bit of people watching. Koen had read beforehand about Italian coffee drinking rituals. Italians take their coffee standing not sitting. It was fun to watch people come in, order an espresso at the bar, drink it really quickly, and then leave.
Couldn’t resist buying some nougat
Chocolate, hazlenut, and pistachio nougat
Ditta Artigianale
My espresso and pistachio nougat
Mmm
Afternoon walk along the Arno
Ponte Vecchio
Koen and me with the Ponte Vecchio
Mom and me with the Arno River
Filled with energy, we were ready to go out and see more. After walking along the Arno River we chose to visit the Uffizi Gallery, which turned out to be my favorite museum in Florence. The museum is beautiful and houses an breathtaking collection of paintings and sculptures, most famously Botticelli’s Birth of Venus.
Uffizi Gallery
Ready with my audio guide to start exploring the museum!
Beautiful hallways leading to small gallery rooms
“Madonna and Child with Saints, the Crucifixion, the Way to Calvary and the Deposition”, Bonaventura Berlinghieri, 1255
“Crucifix and Eight Stories from the Passion” Maestro Della Croce, 1240
“Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels. Santa Maria Novella Maestà” Duccio Di Boninsegna, 1285
“Annunciation wtih St. Ansanus and St. Maxima; the Prophets Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Daniel (in the pinnacles)” Simone Martini and Lippo Memmi, 1333
“Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels, St. Zenobius, St. Nereus, St. John the Baptist, St. John the Evangelist, St. Achilleus, St. Reparata; Apostles, Prophets, Stories from the Life of the Virgin” Bernardo Daddi, 1335
“Adoration of the Magi, Christ in Judgement, the Annunciation and Prophets, (in the pinnacles). The Nativity, the Flight into Egypt and the Presentation in the Temple (in the predella)” Gentile Da Fabriano, 1423
La Tribuna degli Uffizi
“Portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino, Frederico de Montefeltro and Battista Sforza. Allegorical Triumphs of the Duke and Duchess” Piero della Francesca, 1472 -1475
Breathtaking view from the museum!
“Perseus Freeing Andromeda” Piero Di Cosimo, 1890
“Sleeping Ariadne” Arte Romana, 2nd Century AD
“The Holy Family with the Infant St. John the Baptist, known as the ‘Doni Tondo'” Michelangelo, 1507
“The Birth of Venus” Botticelli, 1482 – 1485
“Spring” Botticelli, 1890
Niobe Room – twelve sculptures represent characters fleeing or shot dead in dramatic and theatrical way. The focus of the group is Niobe, who tries to protect her youngest daughter, and directs her terrified and pleading gaze skyward.
Niobe Room – twelve sculptures represent characters fleeing or shot dead in dramatic and theatrical way. The focus of the group is Niobe, who tries to protect her youngest daughter, and directs her terrified and pleading gaze skyward.
“Testa di Medusa” Carvaggio, 1597
By the time we were finished at the Uffizi Gallery, it was time to go home and prepare dinner! Koen and I were the resident chefs the whole week. It wasn’t difficult deciding what to prepare – when in Italy, why not make Italian food with the best ingredients at your disposal? So for the first evening I prepared my dad’s favorite dish – spaghetti alla carbonara. Mmm! And of course a day in Italy wouldn’t be complete without gelato. So after dinner, Koen, my mom, Tamar, and I headed to Gelateria Pasticceria Badiani for dessert!
All together for spaghetti alla carbonara!
Gelateria Pasticceria Badiani
2 scoops: cream and meringue!
Mom with her gelato
Hard to stop eating for a photo
Really hard to stop eating for a photo
An American in Antwerp 