To Florence we went!  After our arrival, we ventured to Piazza della Signoria which was home to lots of statues and a replica of the Statue of David.  We were not able to take a picture of the real David so a picture of the fake one will have to suffice.

We then went to see the Cathedral of Maria del Fiore.  It was a beautiful church inside and out!  We also got the opportunity to go up into the bell tower to get a good look of the city from above.

The best part about being in Florence is the delicious gelato!!  So many flavors and it’s cheap!

The next day, Justin worked and the rest of the group went to the Accadamia.  This housed lots of famous statues and paintings (along with the Statue of David), but like I said before no pictures were allowed.  Next, Alan ventured off to go through the Boboli Gardens.  Katie and Julie decided to pass on the gardens and go off on a wild adventure to the Gucci and other high end retail stores just so they could say they had been in them.

 

We also crossed Ponte Vecchio.  This is the only bridge to survive WWII, therefore, making it the oldest bridge in Florence.  As you can see, there are lots of shops on the bridge.  Most of these sell jewelry and leather.