Day 28 detour to Florence - Firenze

Monday October 7th  Day 28  detour to Florence - Firenze!!!

When we wake up at 7 am, we get organised and check if we can stay at the Misericordia in Lucca 

another night... yes that's fine! 

(such good pilgrim accommodation, living room, 3 bedrooms, kitchen, and in the centre of old Lucca!)

Great, off we go for our day trip!

We set off with just our day packs (bliss, so light!) to catch the train from Lucca to Firenze. €28.40 for 

both of us return.  We make the 8:31 train, about 1:30 hour train trip

When we arrive in Firenze, the weather is a light drizzle, we walk to the Duomo, an amazing sight!

I'd like to go in, but there are already long lines- the  lines are too long for Patrick... 

he's not one to line up, or join queues... 

I'll have to come back to Firenze again some time (maybe a girl's trip with Elke and Hannah??)

The rain is starting to fall quite steadily now.

 We wander on to the Bargello museum  (Also called the National Museum) where there are no line ups - and it's  out of the weather!

A lovely, fascinating museum housed in one of the oldest buildings in Firenze, dating back to 1225, 

it's been a prison, police headquarters, and museum.

Jason with the Golden Fleece below...

As well as famous sculptures by Michelangelo, Donatello, other artists, ceramics and teracotta displays,

 religious art etc.. there are quirky displays that I love, such as this one of old locks and keys! incredibly detailed metalwork.

Locks of the doors of the Bargello Museum

We then wander through the rain to the famous Palazzo della Signoria - Palazzo Vecchio where there is a replica of Michelangelo's "David" I didn't realise how huge the sculpture was! 

The sculptures in the loggia in the Piazza are incredible,

 they're so full of movement and life!

No line ups or queues to gaze at these for as long as we like! (and the loggia is out of the rain)

the fountain of Neptune sculpture!

Later we go to the Firenze centro mercado to check out the food stalls and buy some pranzo.

 I feel sorry for these dogs, must be torture being surrounded by all the meat!

The rain gets heavier! I even buy an umbrella, we didn't bring our waterproof jackets...

Amazing! when we arrive back in Lucca late in the afternoon... it's sunny!

I have another wander around the church of San Michele

amazing vibrant reds in this painting below,

And the outside of the Lucca Cathedral (there's a mass service, so can't go inside) 

On the outside there's a sculpture for each month of the year

Dinner tonight is great! We try another Trattoria, Trattoria da Leo just around the corner from our 

accommodation!

www.trattoriadaleo.it. via Tegrimi 1 Lucca

Back on the Pilgrimage tomorrow!