Florence, Italy

Florence is the first part of the video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdGDmGXiy74

One morning in Jaunary 2017 I took an Italia train from Venice Italy to Florence to spend the day.  I arrived in Florence at around 10 AM and left at around 9 PM. While I was only there for a short period of time, I ate a lot of food and climbed a lot of stairs....

Things to See in Florence

1. The Duomo - With a single ticket you get access to multiple different attractions right in the heart of Florence.  I chose to climb the steps of the Dumo, which is the beautiful central church.  I've got to say that there were a lot of steps (about 400), and the hallways were not made for hundreds of tourists to climb up..that being said the views of Florence from atop the Duomo were incredible and the climb was an excellent workout, though it is likely not for everyone.  The view of the murals on the interior of the Dome were also breathtaking up close.  
2. The Campanille - Since I did not climb enough steps on the Duomo, I decided to climb the Campanille directly afterward!  Climbing the Campanille was a bit easier because there were more places to take a break in the open air and there may have been slightly fewer steps. The views from the Campanille were also magnificent, especially because you could see the Duomo.  
3. The Baptisttry of St. John - There is a beautiful gold leaf dome roof on the inside, and a beautiful large golden door on the outside that has 3 Dimensional sculptures, part of the birth of more realistic art related to the renaissance.  
4. The Statue of David - The famous statue of David is right in the open and is surrounded by a beautiful plaza and a multitude of other interesting statues and works of art.  
5. Mercato Centrale - An amazing market and place for a snack!  I enjoyed some freshly made canolis and other delicious treats at the market.  If you've got $ 300,000 you can buy a massive piece of truffle. 
6. The Ponte Vecchio - This is the main bridge that links the two sides of Florence and is itself a beautiful landmark. I'd recommend walking to the water near the Uffizi Gallery for a good vantage point.  
7. Piazzele Michaelangelo - I decided I hadn't climbed or walked enough, so I went to climb yet another hill to watch the sunset; this was my favorite part of the day.  I walked along the water until I reached Piazza Nicola Demidoff and then turned right following the signs for the Piazzele.  After meandering through the streets a bit I made my way through a large stone archway and climbed to the top of the hill.  There were tons of people hanging out on top of the hill and the view was just incredible.  As the sun was setting, thousands of birds swarmed over the city in a truly miraculous dance.  

Food
No trip to Florence would be complete without stuffing your face with some delicious and affordable food! Thanks to Tori Bakey for some of these awesome recommendations:

1. Mercato Centrale - As I described above, this market has something for everyone.  My favorite was the ready made canoli from a pop up food cart inside. 
   
2. Pizzeria Toto Atto II - Pizza by the slice in a pretty casual restaurant.  The pizza was incredibly good, possibly the best I have ever had.
   
3. Osteria San Spirito - Wow.  I had a delicious four course meail with Gnocchi, Tortellini, Rabbit, and Tiramisu with a glass of red wine for ~$25.  This meal was incredible!  As a solo traveler it was easy to get a table, but it might be more difficult in the summer months as the place was pretty well packed while I was there.  Great atmosphere and great food.   
   

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places visited

Lisbon, portugal