I told myself before leaving for this vacation that I would do what I felt like doing each day. And if that meant “sleeping in” (for me), resting in my room, wandering aimlessly, or being “on the go” all day, I would do it. I woke up at 6:30AM, after a glorious 10+ hours of sleep, and decided I would spend the morning relaxing and then slowly visit a couple of sights this afternoon.
I dragged myself out of bed at 6:30 this morning, though I could have easily slept a couple more hours. I took my time getting ready and then went downstairs to the hotel breakfast buffet. I didn’t include breakfast in my reservation, but after having to move rooms last night, the hotel threw in two free breakfasts. It was fine, but I don’t think I’ll be taking advantage of the second one. I edited yesterday’s blog and then decided a nap was in order. I didn’t end up leaving the hotel until almost noon.
I grabbed another cup of gelato at Sbrino (vanilla and stracciatella this time) en route to the Brancacci Chapel. I knew advance reservations were required but hoped by getting there early (before they opened at 1PM) I might stand a chance. The Chapel is small and they allow just 30 guests in at a time for 30 minutes. Completed in 1427, the Chapel is known for the colorful pastel frescoes by Masaccio, Masolino, and Filippino Lippi. I was able to get a ticket for 1:45PM, and while the paintings were impressive, I’m not convinced it was worth the €15 to get in.
After my visit to the Chapel, it was time to eat. The problem with Florence (and Italy/Europe in general) is that their meal times don’t quite line up with my normal schedule. I tend to eat dinner around 5:30PM, and restaurants here don’t open until at least 7PM. The general sentiment is that if a restaurant is open earlier than that, it caters to tourists. So I made a mid-afternoon lunch my main meal of the day. Zeb, in the Oltrarno neighborhood, gets rave reviews online. If you’re picturing a cute little rustic trattoria, Zeb isn’t that. Rather, it is a very modern U-shaped bar that takes up the entire space. Wine bottles line the walls. My meal of cappellacci stuffed with pecorino, ricotta, and pear with a pear sauce and shaved pear on top was a different choice for me and I probably wouldn’t order it again. The attitude of the owner also left quite a bit to be desired. I opted to skip dessert and rationalized that I could grab something more later on.
Thank goodness I consumed some calories, because my next agenda item required a lot of uphill walking. Piazzale Michelangelo is known for its gorgeous sunset views over Florence. It is also known for its crowds, tacky souvenirs, and street buskers, which make it feel like a very touristy spot. I stopped at the rose garden on the way up to admire the roses in full bloom. It felt like every inch of grass was taken up by people lounging about. After battling the crowds at Piazzale Michelangelo, I continued up the hill to perhaps an even better view at Basilica di San Miniato al Monte. The church is perched above Piazzale Michelangelo and offers the same views with *fewer* crowds (but still very busy).
I started making my way back down the hill and to my hotel after that. On the way, I was enticed by a little restaurant, Le Antiche Carrozze, with some tables set out by Piazza Santa Trinita. It was the setting that drew me in for aperitivo – that lovely before-dinner Italian tradition (akin to happy hour) where you order a drink and it is served with snacks. I watched some horse and carriages go by, enjoyed the live music nearby, and appreciated the setting for my drink, snacks, and tiramisu. While I’m sure the tiramisu wasn’t the best in Italy, it far surpassed the still-frozen version I got on the plane Friday night.
It was back to my hotel after aperitivo, where I worked on editing pictures and finishing up this blog post before settling into bed to watch YouTube. At the end of the day, Florence is (still) a city and I (still) hate cities. Tomorrow I am off on the first of (potentially) four day trips to explore the hill towns of Tuscany.
Traveling with Laura 