Firenze

Monday we had our first visit to Florence. Have I mentioned before that I LOVE FLORENCE?! Last time I was here it was my favorite city so I have been anxiously awaiting the time I could return! Well yesterday was the day! YAY!!!

 We started off with a walking tour through the city with one of the teachers from our school who is a native Florentine. It was so neat to see the city through her eyes, you could feel her love and enthusiasm for the city and its history. And let me tell you... she knew EVERYTHING! Including where the best gelato was of course! (That is vital information when it comes to discovering a new city)

After a delicious lunch of a mozzarella, tomato and pesto panino...

 We met back to visit the famous duomo and get this...CLIMB TO THE TOP of the dome. Epic right?! Yes...yes it was.

Bell Tower

Florence Cathedral (That is the dome we climbed)

View of the dome from below

Facade of the Cathedral

So after enjoying the views from ground level, we began climbing the 463 steps to get a bird eye's view!
To fully understand this experience you need some background info: With the limited technology of the Renaissance, Brunelleschi built two domes, the first one smaller and lighter which you see in the interior of the cathedral, then a taller shell was built around that to be seen from the outside. So to climb to the top, you climb the narrow little passageway between the two domes. Creepy right?

View from the balcony inside the cathedral

I know its blurry but just to give you a feeling of what we were climbing in!

The  lovely staircase

Space between the two domes

View from the top!

Theresa and I

Libby and I (sorry about the squinty eyes...we were very close to the sun)

Hello Florence!

 And was it worth it? Well with a view like that...YES! Every 463 steps, short breaths, burning calves, and small moments of claustrophobia were completely forgotten when I was greeted with the sight of the beautiful red rooftops!