When in Florence, a visit to the Pitti Palace is not to be overlooked! While the Medici family did not build the oldest part, they added to it and lived in it for many generations. It is known as a Medici work of art.

I walked by the Palace on my first pre-tour day, and thought it quite unprepossessing. However, our group leader and our art guide recommended a visit, so Gillian and I took ourselves there. And wow! Is the Pitti Palace ever something to experience!

The pure opulance of the place willl bowl you over. 31,000 square feet of frescoed ceilings and walls, hallways lined with sculptures – I mean, how many sculptors were there? – and even a costume gallery.

It’s hard to grasp from still photos the overwhelming presence of art in the Palace. Here’s a video I took of one smallish room’s walls. The time, the love, the cost (!) of decorating this building takes my breath away.

A visit to the costume gallery was optional, but as involved in theatre as I am, I had to take a peek. The display was arranged by era, old to new.

This gown, a “court mantle” circa 1902, earned a room of its own.

The Boboli Gardens are behind the Palace and are a wonder in themselves.

I confess that I emerge from such an experience with brain saturation, wishing there were a 30-45 minute tour on YouTube. There probably is. I haven’t checked.

All this walking and gawping gave us an appetite. We headed back to the centre of Florence to the Caffè Gilli which dates back to a Medici venture in 1763. It is not in the same location but it is the same business, well known for its confectiionary offerings. We had lunch, and some difficulty deciding on which dessert to choose.

We opted for the bruschetta (seen in the banner of this post), the stuffed zuchini blossoms, a brioche bun with creamed cheese, two carefully chosen desserts and of course, a glass of rosé.

One can never eat enough in Florence, so we followed the Caffè Gilli with a food tour led by a charming young woman who combined history lessons with food and wine talk. There were five stops: first, a charcutery plate served with wine; second, a plate of cucina povera (every day food) served with wine; third, a wine tasting and tour of Enoteca Alessi‘s cellar which was pretty darn impressive; fourth, a stop for gelato (no wine here 🙃; and finally, a visit to a wine window.

By the way, when you’re looking for gelato, do NOT go to places where the gelato is built up into “mountains.” It only stays that way because of additives. Gelato melts – you will find real gelato in flat plans. I’ve confess that I have developed quite a taste for it!

As though we hadn’t had enough food for one day, Gillian and I headed back to Enoteca Alessi’s wine bar for a “Mix Salad with Pears, Pecorino Cheese and Nuts” and a night cap.

One final note today – at breakfast at the hotel, the server checked my room key after bringing me my first cappuccino – they are very small! I thought he was checking that I was not a freeloader, but no …

Who could not fall in love with Florence? Un altro giorno in paradiso. Fino a domani.