The City of Art

Florence, Italy

It has been said that, “If Italy were the Mona Lisa, Florence would be her smile.” For centuries, poets, writers and painters have flocked to Firenze, the City of Art, to study legendary masterpieces while seeking inspiration to create new ones. And as Berkeley East passed near Italy’s cultural capital, we knew we had to go and soak up the sights, sounds and smells of this city of dreams.

Naturally, Florence is full of tourists. The landmark city attracts more than a million visitors each year. They arrive in droves from all over the world, on planes, trains, buses and even small American boats. And they come for good reason: Florence is fascinating. Where else can one stroll the same pedestrian paths walked by Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Botticelli?

Like much of Italy, we had been to Florence before. Years ago, we had a culture-filled four days with best friends there, literally running from one museum to the next. It was incredible. The entire city is a shrine to the Renaissance with galleries, monuments, frescoes and churches at every turn; the cobblestone streets radiate history.

On this visit, we took a slightly slower pace, skipping the Uffizi and Accademia to ramble through less traveled areas where we were transported back in time. We studied the famous Duomo in every light; with a morning coffee, an afternoon gelato, a midnight aperitif, and it never disappointed. We tried on stylish Firenze leather jackets. We browsed stone shops displaying recreations of our favorite statues. We ate the famed Firenze beef, La Bistecca. We watched excited sightseers snap selfies, and record their guided tours to share with others at home.

But there was also a climbing theme to our days in Florence. Up into the hills to the Piazzlae Micheangelo for the panoramas, 412 steps to the top of the Duomo for the rooftop views, and another 400 paces through the narrow staircase of Giotto’s Bell Tower to peer across the metropolis through chicken wire. And ultimately, the three flights to our air-conditioned hotel room to flee the midday heat.

We are not typically “tour” people, but it was the only way our spur-of-the-moment planning would allow us to climb Il Duomo di Firenze (Florence Cathedral). The basilica is one of Italy’s most formidable churches, and the largest brick dome ever constructed.

Our tour group was small, and it got even smaller as we ascended the Duomo. Part way up, a woman asked if it was possible to go back, she did not feel up to continuing. When our guide said there was indeed an escape, several others jumped at the opportunity to descend. We were surprised, as the tour description clearly explained the conditions of the climb. But in the end, it was obvious that they had made the attempt because it was something that a loved one wanted to do. The loved ones continued on, thrilled when they made it to the top, and perhaps even more elated at the effort that others, with a fear of heights, had made on their behalf. Like Florence, it was a beautiful thing.