La Dolce Vita: Firenze

Last week I had the opportunity to take a three-hour train ride down to Florence and spend a week immersed in art, architecture and...crowds! Yes, Florence lived up to its billing as the birthplace of western art and the post-dark ages rediscovery of ancient Greek texts on science, philosophy and political theory. In short, Firenze is a vibrant, overwhelming city chock-a-block full of students, tourists and scenic viewpoints. (Not to mention countless coffee bars and umbrella salesmen.) The weather continued to be variably yucky which made being indoors a real plus at times.

The Loggia - once a place for humanistic oratory, now a display medium for ancient Roman and Renaissance statues

When it wasn't a flat-out downpour, there was a keen wind whipping through the streets that wreaked havoc with the outdoor cafes. Luckily my digs were only a ten minute hustle from everything and it's a time-honored behavior in Florence to 'shop-hop' from one warm and dry place to the next. Needless to say I drank a few too many cappuccinos; ate a few too many brioche. Ah, the life of the dilettante art lover! What follows is a smattering of some of my photos as I wandered through the streets of Firenze - plus a couple of insider views of the museums I visited. Since it would be hard to do this all in one post, I will parse them out piecemeal to you as time allows. Good luck and enjoy!