"Italia - So Much to Love-Florence, Tuscany, Siena" Italy by Sandi-2004

After visiting Barcelona, my friend & I flew to Florence, city of artistic wonder, to begin our journey through amazing Italy. Of course, in Florence, we were awed by the statue of David. ..so
magnificent! He represents the ultimate human being, the one with the imagination, the faith, the strength,
courage and skill to overcome danger when no one else can.

I also loved the hallway leading to the domed area where David stands. In that hallway are Michelangelo's "Prisoners," the human figures carved only half way from the stone, as though they are struggling to become the person they were meant to be, but aren't there yet.

Florence from above

Such a beautiful city & so full of great art. The Duomo and the Museum are both breathtakingly amazing in design, structure and artistry. The bridges across the Arno River are wonderful. The entire city is a joy. Piazza Della Signoria is a visual
feast full of statues that are amazing. The Uffizi is nearby with rooms filled with fascinating paintings.. On the street named Calz, every shop and restaurant is welcoming . I would
have to have a pistachio ice cream cone every afternoon to keep my energy going & my taste buds happy.

Sienna at night

From Florence we went to Tuscany where we stayed in a 12th century farmhouse now converted to a B&B. We did some tasting of delicious Brunello wine in the cellars of an ancient winery in the walled village of
Montalcino. After lunch, we were off to Siena where we visited what is actually my favorite cathedral in Europe, with carvings in the marble everywhere you look, even on the floor.
After exploring the beauty of Siena, we went on to Roma aboard a beautiful luxury bus that our very kind Siena taxi driver told us about. (Since we didn't have much time in Sienna, we had a taxi take us through the streets & to the Duomo-& everywhere else mainly because we got lost in the many winding streets & were saved by a friendly teenager who called the taxi for us.)

• Pros:An art, food & wine lover's feast.
• Cons:None
• In a nutshell:I fell in love with Italy.