Five Fabulously Full Days in Florence
I have the unenviable task of writing about our time in Florence, which included visits to 9 churches, 4 museums, 4 palaces and 2 gardens, knowing full well that almost everyone receiving this note has walked these stone slab streets, trudged through these museums, marveled at these art works, and taken enough photos to fill a bookshelf of albums. Undaunted, my fingers tense above the keys and I begin . . . From a distance, Florence (Firenze to Italians) appears like the perfect tourist destination. With over 60 museums, most of which are packed into a walkable centro storico, and a concentration of more 14th and 15th century artwork than any city in the world, it has been a premiere stop on the Grand Tour since the early 17th century. Recent statistics suggest that as many as 80,000 tourists a day from every corner of the earth vie for spots in the long lines before such popular items as the Uffizi and Accademia. Which, as you have already guessed, means that you are literally rubbing...
