Fashion and Food

Okay this one is for you Amy! Before heading to our dinner we went to the FUA Fashion Store/School for their Apertivo and store student sale. The building use to be old horse stables and was converted into the FUA Fashion School.The store “FLY” promotes upcoming designers and the students were offered 30% off (even with that most of the stuff I couldn’t afford). The clothes were amazing and the “build your own bag” station. It was so much fun to shop, but I couldn’t afford it though I walked around the store with it for about 30 minutes. They had wonderful finger foods and great desserts. We wandered around the design rooms and talked to the students about their pieces too. It was a great start to the evening and I cannot wait for our 5 course dinner at Ganzo in an hour!

Climbing the Dome

Today is our last real day in Florence! 😦 We had a free day (except a dinner at 8:30) so we decided to see the Duomo because we have past it about a hundred time since we got here. We bought our ticket and went to the some because it opened the earliest.( 10€ to see the some, tower, baptistry, cathedral, and crypts.)

We climbed the 463 stair to the top and both agreed that that alone was worth the 10€! About half way you enter a walkway that runs around the dome and directly under the painting.

We then climbed the rounded stair case that takes you up the inside of the dome to the tip top. The view was stunning. We could see for miles and because we went early the too wasn’t crowded.

We stayed on the top for about 15 minutes then headed down the dome. It’s harder because for a few flights you share a stair way with people going up and you have to squeeze. When we exited at the bottom we headed straight for the bell tower and climbed it’s 417 steps. This climb is great because the stairs are wider and there are 3 large viewing platforms before reaching the top. The view from the top was incredible too because you look right at the Dome.

We befriended a British Woman whose husband was too afraid to climb the tower. We climbed down and then got in the short line to enter the main Cathedral. It wasn’t as exciting as St. Peter’s in Rome but the Old crypts were cool to see.

After we finished the church we walked over to the baptistry. This inside dome was beautiful! We looked around then headed to lunch to our favorite Sandwich place. You order as much as you want on it (meat out only get 1 kind but they pile it one!) and the bread is amazing!! We got tomato paste, artichoke paste, tomatoes, egg plant, arugula, picorono cheese and turkey. Taylor and I split it again cause it was so large!

After we walked around for a while then through the leather market to meet Allison at the FUA bakery shop Fedora. Allison and Taylor got Americano’s and we sat and talked. They were close to closing and have us a free sample plate of their almond and cream pound cake. The middle was like ice cream! It was very good.

When they closed at 3:00pm we decided to wander for the last time through the streets of Florence for the last time! We ended up at a new organic gelato shop where I got cinnamon and apple (sorry but this was better even than Grom!!!) and Taylor got red wine (yes red wine gelato!) and cream. Both hit the spot on this hot day.

After we wandered around and then back to the apartment at around 4:30pm to change for the fashion Aportivo and then our final dinner. I’ll try to post about them tomorrow but it’s going to be a late night! Such a successful last day!