Having my grandmothers, Anne, Linda, and Linda here this past week has been such a breath of fresh air. I have enjoyed my experience and time spent in Florence thus far, but having family and familiar faces come to visit really makes a difference. On Tuesday afternoon I greeted my visitors at the train station. I have been looking forward to their arrival for weeks now, and to actually see them in person was an amazing feeling! After a tiresome walk to the hotel, the women freshened up and we headed off towards our first dinner together in Florence. We dined at this quaint restaurant called Accademia just around the corner from their hotel. Although I had previous plans to eat dinner with my professor and Italian class, I enjoyed a glass of wine and a fresh slice of bruschetta. That night our waiter was extremely personable which created for a fun and relaxing evening. The next morning I met the women at the hotel and we set off on our first walking tour of Florence. Our first stop was at the leather market in San Lorenzo square. Here I could not pull them away fast enough from the luring appeal of the colorful scarves, variety of leather products, and eclectic jewelry on display at every corner. After perusing the numerous vendor stands, we headed inside the Mercato Cenrale. This central market was once the main shopping center of Florence for fresh foods but as supermarkets sprang up and more people had cars, the market became less important. However, for tourists and locals alike, a renewed interest in fresh, local foods have helped the market stay busy. Walking around the aisles of the market we sampled cheeses, prosciutto, sausage, dried fruit, and biscotti. All of the women fell in love with the freshness and variety of products available. After leaving the market we meandered through the streets, walked around the Duomo and ventured inside to see the inside of the dome. After strolling outside and enjoying the beautiful sunshine we found ourselves in Piazza Repubblica. While we had the time, a few of us took a ride on the merry-go-round! We had such a great time laughing and enjoying the good weather and wonderful company. After a great morning I left them to attend my two classes of the day. Later on for dinner we joined up and headed to a nearby restaurant in the Mercato Centrale area called ZaZa. Per usual we enjoyed prosecco, wine, fresh bread, and various meals of pasta, seafood, and meats.
On Wednesday the women enjoyed a prestigious small group vineyard and cellar visit. They experienced the highlights of three fabulous hilltop towns: Siena, San Gimignano, and Monteriggioni. Transportation by private transport brought them through olive groves, vineyards, and three quintessential medieval hilltop towns where they witnessed breathtaking Tuscan views. During their tour they experienced a historic wine estate and cellar where they tasted great wines and savored a delicious gourmet Tuscan lunch at an authentic ancient Tuscan wine estate. After hearing them raving over this tour, I know they all enjoyed it thoroughly!
On Thursday I was happy to join them on another tour through a famous hill top town named Fiesole. Bright and early we met and grabbed a bus towards the town. The day began with a quick stop for coffee and tea at a café overlooking the rolling hills of Italy. Later we set off hiking ancient paths through Tuscan olive groves and scented cypress woods; we even passed through fascinating ancient Roman and Etruscan ruins. Our tour guide educated us on the late Leonardo da Vinci historic testing of his flying machines directly off the exact shaded hillside where we were traversing along. Although the walk through nature and the quaint town was enjoyable, the unbearable heat took its toll fairly quickly. We all welcomed the visit to an exclusive private Renaissance Villa where a delicious Tuscan lunch and wine were served. We then walked along the country road towards the bus we made it back to the city center in late afternoon. After enjoying the filling lunch we scheduled dinner at a trattoria off the beaten path, for a little later than usual. Although our appetites were not extremely hungry a few samplings from the menu satisfied all of us. On my last full day with my grandmothers and friends, we decided to enjoy the warm weather and stay outdoors for the day. Our plan was to venture across the river towards Piazzale Michelangelo. Prior to our walk over, we stopped in a bakery and the Mercato Centrale to purchase some fresh focaccia bread, pesto, cheese, prosciutto, sausage, biscotti, and strawberries (we already had wine!). At the top of the hill we enjoyed these tasty snacks while enjoying the sunshine and the panoramic view of Florence.
I could not have asked for better weather, better company, or more enjoyable experiences. I love having family here with me in Florence and I cannot fathom them leaving me so soon! I feel blessed to have such a loving family and friends who would venture halfway across the world to visit me. Love you all!
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| Fiesole |
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