Florence

Florence

Everybody knows something about Florence. Perhaps you know it as the home of Michelangelo's David, the centre of Renaissance art, a place of intrigue and crime as the home of the Medicis, an important political cauldron for governance in Italy, or all of the above and more.

It is situated in an important and fertile valley in central Italy and a large but mostly peaceful river, the Arno, runs through it. For centuries now conquerors, inhabitants and  pilgrims have come and gone but the essential architecture of the city has remained the same. Modernity, as expressed in tall buildings and wide highways, have been kept successfully at bay. Millions of tourists flow through but trains handle most of them efficiently. The throngs never seem chaotic. It is easy to move around and see what you want to see. There is an underlying order everywhere. Those who live there, many of whom live off the tourist trade, are at peace with the endless visitors. The museums, churches and palaces are easy to visit and enjoy. 

The city is very small and one can get everywhere on foot unless your mobility is compromised. It is beautiful to wander the narrow streets and drink deep of its pleasures. The foods and drink are excellent of course and one can enjoy the relaxed Italian lifestyle. Be aware that dinner is late, very late! And therefore the mornings are quiet - the best time to move around and savour the experience of being here.

The Uffizi Gallery contains the world's greatest collection of Early and Late Renaissance paintings and is nicely laid out so that you literally walk through two centuries of the art, the most frenetic outpouring of artistic activity ever perhaps. The rich and powerful elite of medieval and Renaissance Florence also were avid collectors of Greek and Roman statuary so that is also on display, a confusing distraction in a way.

The Galleria d'Academia contains the glorious statue of David but also another extensive collection of Greek and Roman statuary. The Duomo, the huge cathedral, simple on the inside as a result of a difficult history, and peculiarly ornate on the outside, is of interest of course, particularly if you are interested in the extraordinary architecture of the huge cupola by Brunelleschi. But it is not the main course!  The Palazzo Vecchio, home of politics in old Florence, is beautiful, with a glorious view from the top of the city. It is hard not to be jealous of the mayor who still has offices there! The Palazzo Pitti is also a beautiful museum and the attached Boboli Gardens are lovely for a peaceful stroll. One gets to Pitti via the  historic Ponte Vecchio, dating to the mid 14th century, which is iconic. Step into any of the churches for a moment of peace and reflection and admire the decoration and adoration. 

It is very easy to have a lovely time in Florence. It is easy to negotiate and the reigning atmosphere is peaceful. It still takes the temperature of our civilization. It is a must see if you are interested in the intersection of church and state in European history, in exploring the notion of a city state and its potential power, in how at certain moments, powerful forces come together in the minds of a group of people and art flourishes, always supported by wealth, it seems. Or you could just come here to eat and drink. You could be very happy!