Today we have a Medici walking tour at 4:30.  Before that we head out to soak up the Florentine culture.  We stop in a Piazza for a café Americano and to do some people watching.  We stumble upon the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella.  This church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.  It seems like this whole city is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.  So many paintings of the Virgin and baby Jesus were painted by great masters, to hang in the homes/palaces of their patrons.  Again photos of the many many motor bikes that predominate the transportation of this and many European cities.

We take a trip to the Mercato Centrale Firenze.  This is a huge market with many stalls selling everything you can imagine.  Here we purchased spice packages for pasta seasonings, lemon and basil salt and some regional pasta.  All yummy things for future meals.

Our tour begins by the Basillica San Lorenzo.  The tour focuses on the Medici influences in Florence as the ruled the city and all of Tuscany for over 300 years.  The early Grand Dukes were very ambitious in their quest for power and influence.  The final Medici’s were the privileged children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of the first generation.  The last generation were interested in themselves and the good life.  The final remaining siblings were 2 gay sons and a daughter.  One son died from Syphilis, the other from drink.  The daughter, Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici was infertile never had children.  She did however ensure that the Medici art collection would never leave Florence.  This has kept the great masterpieces in Florence for hundreds of years.

We learn about the construction of the Duomo and how there are actually 2 domes inside. One holding the other.  There is a staircase that is over 400 steps to the top.  I can see people up there, but I am fine with not climbing this dome.  It sounds like it is very claustrophobic as the steps are between the inner and outer domes.

We also see a medieval neighborhood.  The neighborhood of Dante. 

The tour ends and we are hungry.  Since there is a rule written by Greg Ross we cannot go to the wonderful restaurant that is our next door neighbor.  The aromas we smell are sooooo enticing.  But we find a new place on the other side of our apartment.  It is also wonderful.  We each have different tortellini, some nice wine and finish with Limoncello.

This is our door and window on this amazing little street.