Italy

Firenze

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

The Baptistery of St. John

Fountain of Neptune

Loggia dei Lanzi

Beginning our tour exploring Florence’s heritage sites 

Accademia Gallery

San Lorenzo

Santa Croce

Bardi Chapel

Ponte Vecchio

On our second day, we started the day with a lovely breakfast of traditional Cornetti and coffee. Then we visited the Galleria dell'Accademia and the San Lorenzo and Michelangelo's Medici Tombs, which housed the Old Sacristy, New Sacristy, Princes' Chapel and Laurenziana Library. Next we visited Santa Croce, the chapels of Cappella Bardi, Cappella Peruzzi and Cappella Baroncelli. Then we had the opportunity to visit some of the places Dan Brown wrote about in his book, Inferno, such as Ponte Vecchio, Corridoio Vasariano, Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens. After our travel for the day, we couldn’t resist tasting the cloud-like Schiacciata Fiorentina cake, before heading to the hotel.

Visiting popular Florence tourist spots 

Bargello National Museum

the Bargello Palace National Museum

Firenze Santa Maria Novella

Basilica di Santo Spirito

Stefano Bardini Museum

On the third day, we continued celebrating the rich heritage of Florence with a visit to the Bargello Palace National Museum, Santa Maria Novella, Grotta del Buontalenti and Oltrarno. After some lunch of delicious Tagliatelle funghi porcini e tartufo, we found ourselves at the Basilica of Santo Spirito, followed by Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, Bardini Museum and Gardens and Brancacci Chapel. In the evening, after some wine, we visited Museo Galileo, Santa Croce, and the Florence Food Market. We purchased bags of candied fruits and lots of nougat.

Immersing ourselves in the history of Florence

Juliet’s House

Piazza dei Signori

Volto Barbaro

Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore

&nbsp;Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore

On the final day of our Florence visit, we decided to take a day trip to the city of Verona, which was the backdrop to Shakespeare’s magnificent play, Romeo and Juliet. In Verona, we were able to visit the many places mentioned in the play itself. This included Casa de Giulietta, Casa di Romeo, Arche Scaligere, Piazza dei Signori, Volto Barbaro, Juliet's Tomb, William Shakespeare Bust and Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore. We tasted traditional Verona dishes like Risotto with Tastasal, Potato Gnocchi and Pandoro when here.&nbsp;

Planning a day trip to Verona to meet Romeo, Juliet, and Shakespeare

Florence was on our bucket list for a long time and finally, after our retirement, my partner and I were able to visit. Enjoying our golden years amidst the cultural wonders of Florence was a dream come true. The weather was divine and there was so much to see. We also had the opportunity to eat delicious Florentine dishes. There’s a lot of walking to do and you need to stand for hours at a stretch. So come in your most comfortable clothes and shoes to fully enjoy the experience.&nbsp;

A Laid Back Trip to Florence, Italy to Celebrate our Golden Years

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Beginning our tour exploring Florence’s heritage sites

Visiting popular Florence tourist spots

Immersing ourselves in the history of Florence

Planning a day trip to Verona to meet Romeo, Juliet, and Shakespeare