I know it is only a replica, of course. The original of Michelangelo’s David is safely tucked into the Accademia Gallery just north of where I am standing outside Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio. But there is something about seeing what is perhaps the most famous sculpture of all time in its original spot, where it was…
Way back in 2002, when this writer was just a college student, one of my closest friends spent a semester studying abroad in a small town in Italy I’d never heard of. The experience changed her life, and for more than twenty years, I’ve heard her wax poetically about Siena. So when I realized that…
Editor’s note: I’ve long said that Chicago is one of my favorite American cities, and written all about different aspects of the place. Click here to read my Ultimate Guide to Chicago. It’s always nice when others have similarly wonderful experiences, and this article from Jackie illustrates some great parts of Chicago that I haven’t…
Most visitors to Florence make a beeline straight for its most famous sight: the Duomo. The fourth largest church in the world (behind St. Peter’s in Rome, St. Paul’s in London, and the Duomo of Milan), it dwarfs the city around it, although perspective makes it seem a bit smaller from the square immediately surrounding,…
There are few, if any, landmarks on the planet more recognizable than the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It is unique, and not only for its tilt, which is somewhere between 4 and 5.5 degrees after having been stabilized in the early 2000s. It represents a distinct architectural style, Pisan Romanesque. And it caters to one…
I am currently sitting on a train from Florence to Milan, one that happens to be about 80 minutes delayed. I’ve been meaning to write about train travel in Europe, so this seems like a good time to do so. My seat is comfortable, wifi seems stable, and my lunch has long since been eaten,…
Though connected to the San Lorenzo Basilica, the Medici Chapel has a separate entrance - and a separate entrance fee. Stepping inside, one finds simple entombments of some of the more minor members of one of the world’s more famous families, including that of Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici, who bequeathed the family’s vast collection…
Editor’s note: On October 7 of this year, Israel was attacked by the terrorist group Hamas, with more Jews slaughtered in a single day than any day since the Holocaust. Since then, Israel has vowed to dismantle Hamas and its networks inside of the Gaza Strip, an area crowded with civilians that the terrorists use…
Shockingly, Florence existed before the Renaissance. There was a city here before the art and culture that would come out of Florence would change the world. There were buildings; there were people. And while little of that is a draw for tourists, it is important to talk about what Florence was prior to the official…
The morning dawns cool and clear, a lovely respite from the heat of my apartment for the month in Florence. As I make my way down to my hotel lobby, I am asked if I want breakfast inside or out on the terrace. The answer is a no-brainer, and my cappuccino and I make our…