Today I have a trip to Florence by bus. The route from Incisa to Florence was across the hills and on the hills, and it offered the incredibly breathtaking views. This was a serpentine road, but the woman, who was driving a bus, was obviously in hurry. So, the journey was amusingly thrilling.
There was countless number of people in the streets of Florence, specifically on the Signoria square and in front of the Uffizi gallery. And this is a typical picture for the most beautiful city in Italy. For example, roughly 15.4 million tourists stayed in the city in 2018. Luckily, I do not have in my plans to visit any museum and to stay in the long queue today. My primary goal for now is getting to the Michelangelo piazella, located on a hill on the south bank of the Arno river.
Actually, the bus 12 from the centre (you can find it at the train station, near the taxi stand) goes directly to the Michelangelo square. However, if you need to get back, you should take bus 13.
Still, the walking path up to the hill is magnificent, so I decided to have this short trip on foot. You can start the route up to Piazzale Michelangelo from Piazza Poggi at Porta San Niccolò.
Another hurdle in the form of staircase, and finally I will be on the piazza. This staircase is a favorite place for those who like observing the sunset while drinking a glass of excellent Italian wine. Of course, I took the time to sit on the steps with other travelers.
In fact, it is the most famous observation point to enjoy the panorama of the city in all its splendor. You may have a clear view of a number of the city's most important landmarks, including the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio and Palazzo Vecchio. No wonder that once it was a very popular and fashionable meeting place for the Upper middle class of the 19th century.
Many mistakenly believe that the piazza existed since the birth of Florence, or that it was designed by Michelangelo. Actually, it was created in 1869 by Florentine architect Giuseppe Poggi, as part of major restructuring of the city walls. Poggi's terrace was initially intended as a showcase for Michelangelo's masterpieces, at least copies. These days only the replica of Michelangelo's David is placed here. The bronze statue is set on a large pedestal, decorated with replicas of allegorical statues depicting day, night, dusk and dawn. At the same time, the original marble statue of David can be seen in the Galleria dell'Accademia, but the original allegorical statues are in the Medici Chapels of the San Lorenzo Basilica.
Another place of extraordinary beauty is Giardino delle Rose (or "The rose garden"), just below the Piazzale. From here you also can admire an amazing view over the city sitting on the grass. And the entrance is absolutely free. I believe, the best time to visit this garden and to enjoy its beauty is in the spring when the roses are at their best.
The sun is getting down, and I turned back, following the same path as I was getting to the Michelangelo piazella.
It was a great walking. I think, after such a physical exercise I deserved a good dinner. Yesterday I was strongly advised to visit the restaurant Il Santo (Piazza Santo Spirito, 66R), which in the evening opens at 7:30 pm. Be prepared, that you will encounter a long queue at the entrance, so it is a good idea to book a table in advance. However, I was lucky enough to occupy a seat at the bar counter. Honestly, it was the best restaurant in Tuscany I have visited so far, in terms of service, atmosphere and food.
In short, it was the perfect ending of the day in the best city of Italy.
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