Europe, Uffizi Gallery

Florence is believed to be an open air museum. There are so many buildings which were decorated by famous artists of the time, and now we can admire them freely from the outside. Nevertheless, the real treasures are accessible in the numerous museums. For now there are 72 museums in the city, and it would take many years to see all of them. However, I started with buying a common ticket to visit the museums on the Duomo square. These museums are Dome, Bell Tower, Crypt, Museum and Baptistery. The ticket cost me only 15 euros. A good thing is that the ticket is valid during 48 hours. Unfortunately, you can visit every monument only once. 

I began with visiting the Bell Tower. "Giotto's Campanile" is one of the best examples of Florentine Gothic architecture, built between 1334 and 1359. The tower is 84.7 metres tall, and there is a large projecting terrace on the top. There are 414 steps to climb up the top. In some parts of the ladder two people may hardly go through, but the view from the top exceeds any hurdles.

The next monument was El Baptisterio. The Baptistery is considered to be one of Florence’s most important religious buildings, dedicated to its patron saint, John the Baptist.

The form of the Baptistery is octagonal, and the exterior is sheathed in white marble and green Prato marble

Another museum "The Crypt" is located beneath the cathedral of Santa Maria del Flore. The crypt is conserving some of the ruins of the older cathedral Santa Reparata, which was probably built in the sixth century. Remember, that the admission to the cathedral is absolutely free.

Finally, I went to the museum. Actually, they have taken all the precious things from the cathedral and baptistery and collected it here. There is also a special room with the reliquiaes of the saints - the bones and flesh.

It is almost lunchtime, but instead of eating I went to the Uffizi gallery. Miraculously, there is no queue at all, and there are no annoying people who would offer you to organise a fast track for money. So, I easily obtained the ticket and entered the museum. It is believed that the Uffizi gallery is the oldest museum in modern Europe which dates back to the year 1581.

To my mind, the main exposition is located in three corridors of the upper floor. First of all, you can find here numerous Roman and Greek statues. Moreover, under the frescoed vaults you can identify large collection of portraits of rulers and other famous men from all over the world.

There are many pictures in the inner rooms of the gallery. And the jewel of the exposition is undoubtedly "The Birth of the Venus" by Boticceli. The other highlights are the famous "Madonna di Ognissanti" by Giotto, the "Battle of San Romano" by Paolo Uccello, the double portrait by Piero della Francesca, "Federico da Montefeltro" and works by Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raffaello, Tiziano.

The supper was in my favourite restaurant ZaZa. I have chose a veal dish, and I was absolutely delighted. The veal was prepared so well that it has melted in my mouth at once. On the whole, this place deserves ten points out of ten!

Now I am on the bank of the river. The Arno river with the length of 241 kilometres is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber. This river passes below two the most significant bridges in Florence - the Ponte Vecchio and the Ponte Santa Trinita. No wonder, that this magnificent river and its bridges attract so many couples in love!