Firenze

Let’s step back in time again. Florence has always been one of those “must-see” destinations on my bucket list. I finally got to experience this world-renowned epicentre of Renaissance art and culture while backpacking through Europe with my friend Dean in 1990. Florence proved every bit as memorable as we’d hoped.

On 12 September, we leveraged our Eurail pass to secure discounted train tickets that took us across the Italian peninsula from Venice to Florence. After an uneventful journey via Bologna, we reached Florence early in the afternoon and made our way to a camping ground on the city’s outskirts.

For the next three days, we explored the city’s iconic highlights. This included a mandatory visit to Galleria dell'Accademia, home to Michelangelo’s awe-inspiring statue of David. This imposing 5.2-metre-high marble figure is every bit as spectacular in real life as it is in books and magazines. It’s hard to believe it was carved from a single slab.

The statue is in surprisingly good condition despite spending 369 years standing outdoors in Piazza della Signoria, the seat of civic government in Florence. It was moved indoors in 1873 after fine cracks were discovered in its left leg and foot. Experts attributed them to an unstable foundation, placing uneven stress across its limbs.

David attracts quite a crowd. Despite visiting during the shoulder season, the elegantly domed hall displaying this immortalised biblical figure was constantly abuzz with people. Dean and I waited patiently for some time before capturing the crowd-free images you see above. I’d hate to think what it’s like at the height of Summer.

We later discovered a replica statue of David standing outside Palazzo Vecchio, in Piazza della Signoria. This knockoff was installed in 1910. It was one of several replicas we encountered around the city during our stay.

Our next stop was the Uffizi Gallery, undoubtedly the world’s most famous museum of Renaissance art. We spent more than half a day exploring its iconic courtyard, gilded rooms and hallways, marvelling at one masterpiece after another. Room after room read like a who’s who of Italian Renaissance artists, with works by Giottino, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Titian, plus Rubens and Rembrandt.

Without a doubt, the most memorable work of art was The Birth of Venus, by Sandro Botticelli. I couldn’t believe I was seeing his newly born goddess standing in all her glory with my own eyes. The work is enormous, spanning 2.79 metres, and 1.72 metres high. The giant scallop shell she stands in is almost a metre wide.

I also recall how deeply appreciative I was of my Christian missionary adventures up to that point. Biblical themes dominated much of the artwork on display. As a result, a deep and rich knowledge of the bible and its stories brought many of these pieces to life in a more meaningful way. For example, Caravaggio’s dark and confronting Sacrifice of Isaac was far more compelling, having studied Chapter 22 in the Book of Genesis more than once.

Equally memorable was Duomo di Firenze, the striking candy-striped Cathedral of Florence, which dominates the old city’s skyline. Its construction commenced in 1296. It was finally completed in 1436, following the installation of its eye-catching, red-tiled dome. It found the concept of a multi-generational construction project utterly fascinating. It’s hard to conceive this kind of enduring commitment given how swiftly most modern structures are built. Wandering through its unbelievably ornate interior, you quickly appreciate why it took more than a century to build.

We made the most of our time at the Duomo by buying tickets to climb its massive dome. To reach a compact outdoor balcony atop the dome, we had to climb a leg-numbing 463 steps. However, the route to the top is amazing. It takes you to an internal balcony offering a head-spinning view across the central nave, and then up to a breathtaking 360-degree panoramic view of Florence. That’s me at the top of the dome in the image that opens this post. If you look carefully, you’ll see Giotto's Bell Tower (Campanile) in the background.

Nearby, in the Basilica di Santa Croce (another church with an equally ornate neo-Gothic white marble exterior), we stumbled upon the tomb of Galileo Galilei and the unbelievably elaborate tomb of Michelangelo. Both tombs are shown above. It was mind-blowing to find myself standing before the final resting place of these historical giants. Even more so, considering we’d just witnessed Michelangelo’s unforgettable statue of David. We also spotted the tomb of Machiavelli, one of Italy’s more pragmatic historical figures.

Ponte Vecchio was equally fascinating. It’s known best for the Vasari Corridor, a secret 16th-century passageway that runs along the top of the bridge, linking Palazzo Vecchio with the Palazzo Pitti. It was designed to allow Duke Cosimo I de' Medici, the city-state’s ruler, to move undisturbed between both palaces. The secret corridor also passes through the Uffizi. Dean and I passed on the opportunity to walk it from the Uffizi to the south bank of the Arno River. The experience cost extra money, which we decided was better spent on other things. Although the view of the bridge from inside the Uffizi wasn't such a bad compromise.

No trip to Florence is complete without crossing the River Arno and climbing the hill of San Miniato to Piazzale Michelangelo (Michelangelo Square). This broad terrace offered an unforgettable panoramic view, plus another replica statue of David. The view is iconic, with easy-to-spot landmarks like the Duomo, River Arno, and Ponte Vecchio. Looking out across a sea of red terracotta roofs was another one of those pinch-me moments.

On 15 September, Dean and I packed up our tent, ready to move on to Rome. However, the transport we organised was rather unorthodox. Weeks earlier, Dean had discovered that his cousin was travelling in Northern Italy. At the time, she was a Contiki tour guide and was escorting a group from Florence to Rome. She offered to collect us from the campground and take us with her to the Eternal City.

Her bus, filled with fare-paying travellers, duly arrived shortly after breakfast. She greeted us with strict instructions on a cover story she’d shared with the group. We were Contiki staff tasked with researching facilities for a camping-based tour of Italy. Once on board, Dean and I gamely played our part, regaling the curious crowd with stories of our detailed research, aka, our Eurail adventures to date.

Dean’s cousin subsequently arranged a complimentary hotel room for our first night in Rome, followed by a subsidised tour of the Vatican Museum the following day. My brief stint as a Contiki researcher certainly had its merits!