Florence Trip - September 2025
I got up at 4am due to crippling anxiety driven by my OCD, just so I can take on the necessary last minute organising. A taxi my father had booked picked us up at 5:30am to take us to London Gatwick.
After getting through security, we had breakfast at Wagamama, then sat and waited for the gate number while I charged my phone in a charging port as it hadn’t charged fully overnight.
I am a nervous flyer; I only had my Frankenstein cat plushie from HMS Belfast as a comfort item, as well as a good book to keep me entertained. My adrenaline kicked in as soon as the cabin door closed and the gangway disconnected. It’s take off I find the most nerve wracking (self-explanatory), but as soon as we were at cruising height, I felt calm, then read a couple of chapters of my book whilst sipping on coffee served by the cabin crew as I didn’t get a chance to buy some at the airport.
Once we had landed, (bounced like Tigger as soon as the wheels hit the runway!!) and got through the process of passport control, we got a tram and bus into Florence where it started to heavily storm; there was thunder and lightning which was quite deafening it set off my ‘freeze’ response from noise sensitivity and sensory processing, then walked to our apartment once the rain calmed down.
Later that evening, we had a wonderful meal out where I had ravioli with aubergine and tomato, then we went for a little walk round Florence where we saw a beautiful fountain of what is assumably Neptune, and a replica of David, then strolling past the Uffizi and over the Ponto Vecchio, then back to our apartment.
Academia and Duomo Bell Tower
The first activity of the day was joining a guided tour group to head to Academia to see Michaelangelo’s David. The tour guide was very knowledgeable, who explained how Michaelangelo’s best art form was sculpting with his three-ring signature and attention to detail with a lot of anatomical detail on David.
My mother said that he could have been autistic, with how he was encouraged to take up painting but would not agree to it and expressed he was more into sculpture, he was very passionate about his work and he was not the type to work with others; he much preferred to work independently.
The tour guide even pointed out that on his unfinished work, he would inscribe it with a three-ring signature, almost resembling Mickey Mouse [below]. You can see it on top of the block of stone he was carving a sculpture from. The signature is also displayed on his tomb at Santa Croce with leaves around the edge of the three rings.
After a delicious lunch of a freshly-baked pizza topped with courgette, aubergine and peppers, we looked around the food market before heading to the Duomo’s bell tower which took over 400 steps to the top! We did consider climbing the steps of the Duomo dome, but not only do you have to book in advance, but it was fully booked until the middle of October!
Even though I generally am very fit, it was physically stressful, but the views were amazing!
Getting back down was quite scary as I felt gravity taking control of me on uneven stone steps and worrying I might twist my ankle or fall on top of other tourists, having a domino effect.
We thought we’d have a leisurely stroll back to our apartment, stopping to buy some picky bits at a supermarket for supper.
Uffizi
Went on a tour of the highlights of the Uffizi Gallery and saw some wonderful works of the Ninja Turtles (except Donatello, and that Botachelli is not a ninja turtle).
I have to include the Birth of Venus by Botachelli which is an icon of beauty, but my favourites are The Holy Family with the Young St John, Spring by Botachelli and The Announciation by Leonardo Da Vinci. Leonardo DiCaprio was named after Da Vinci; his expectant parents were looking at that very painting when he kicked, which inspired them to name their child Leonardo. Imagine how the Hollywood studio system could develop a Da Vinci biopic and DiCaprio was to play him! I am now having intrusive thoughts about this fantasy!! ðŸ¤
It was an affirming surprise when the tour guide pointed out the transgender or gender diverse people in the background of the Raphael and Michaelangelo painting The Holy Family with the Young St John. Michaelangelo couldn't decide whether he wanted to paint men or women in the background, so he thought why not make them transgender or non-binary! Raphael painted the main subject figures, the Holy Family (also called Tondo Doni). This was also affirming with how that trans+ people have always existed, despite Christianity not allowing it during that period. I had to buy a postcard and button badge of the painting from the gift shop as historical proof of such existence.
Boboli Gardens
Literally an outdoor museum of horticultural design and roman to renaissance sculpture, opened in 1766. Originally designed for the Medici, it inspired the designs of many other European courts of the 18th century.
My favourite part was the Neptune Fountain because they were magical and had ducks and koi fish inside. I loved the exotic vibes! You can buy a combined ticket to the Uffizi, Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens which serves as a 5-day pass; it made perfect sense when I sat down on a sun lounger to take the weight off my feet after so much walking, the lounger had the Uffizi logo on it.
Santa Croce
Santa Croce was beautiful with lots of pre-renaissance art and memorials made from semi-precious stone; most commonly lapis lazuli.
Inside are the tombs of Galileo and Michaelangelo; the audio guide you can hire for €6 will explain how on these monuments, their professions are personified by female figures.
On Galileo’s tomb are personified figures of astronomy and geometry [above], whereas Michaelangelo has art, sculpture and architecture [below].
In the final part of the audio tour is a signpost measuring the water depth level of whenever Florence was flooded (which did affect the paintings and collections inside). The last time Florence flooded was in 1966 and that flood was deeper than the previous floods. If this was to happen again, the water depth level would likely be higher due to climate change.
Duomo
After a delicious lunch of a aubergine and tomato cheese croquette, we headed to the Duomo of Florence.
The inside is so grand that even Sir Christopher Wren would be so jealous! The first thing I noticed was a large clock above the main entrance; it had a lot more numbers, which made me think it was an astronomical clock, until I realised it is a 24 hour clock in Roman Numerals.
Heading down the baroque knave, underneath the dome was a dramatic painting known as The Final Judgement on the inside of the dome; the background and main subjects showed heavenly figures with blessed souls in a bright blue sky, whereas the below foreground in the corners happened to be of darker themes with devilish figures luring cursed souls into their dimension. If you look more closely, you will notice a difference in themes with the main subject being the angelic nature, and the more graphic details with the nightmarish subject underneath.
Looking forward in front of me, there was the beautifully guilded altars, crucifix and cut stained glass windows.
I was desperate to leave as the crowds of other visitors were becoming increasingly large that it felt I was being pushed out of my own path like a road sweeper. I had a brief glimpse at the crypt where my mother overheard a whisper radio tour guide say that it serves as a burial place where people are buried on top of each other followed by a layer of earth or stone, like a lasagne! As soon as we left, I was desperate for some gelato, I went for a double scoop of chocolate and lavender which both had such comforting and luxurious tastes.
Piazzale Michaelangelnd Giardino delle Rosa
After a quick access break back at the apartment (before heading out to dinner), me and my father went for a quick stroll to the Giardino delle Rosa (Rose Garden) up to the Piazzale Michaelangelo, a neoclassical piazza with contemporary art and horticultural design overlooking the river Arno.
You can take in breathtaking views of Florence as well as plenty of photo opportunities, souvenir market stalls, a bronze copy of David in the car park and bars to buy a cocktail if you want to join the other tourists sat on the steps or along the piazza.
Ponte Vecchio
We had crossed the iconic bridge in Florence plenty of times throughout the trip, but this time, (as we were due to jet back to the UK), we thought we could take in the sparkles and glamour of the jewellers situated on the Ponte Vecchio (picture above taken from the top floor of the Uffizi). This bridge is famous for being the only bridge not to be mined by German troops during the Second World War; some believe that Hitler himself had given them strict orders not to touch it.
There was one particular shop that sold ornamental enamel miniature animals and birds that were so sweet, I had to take a picture of the kangaroo for my aunt in Australia. There is such an endearing array of animals from cats and dogs to bugs and birds of different colours and sizes. It was very reminiscent of two of my aunt's collection of enamel figures, glass and crystal.
Back in the UK
It took a while to adjust after touching back down in the UK; I had 6 mosquito bites (three on my right ankle, one of my right calf, one on my left ankle and one on my left hand) and had to re-engage in the joys of Great British shenanigans.
At least whilst I was out there, I had my journal on my phone to reflect on my outings and discoveries which gave a little help with writing this post.
Have you been to Florence? Feel free to share with me the highlights of your trip or any amazing facts you learnt along the way! 😉
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