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Prevoious post: Sunrise, Inefficiency, a Hilltop Haven and a new city – Matthias Meyer

The next day, I left the hostel around 8 AM, explored the city a bit on my own, and then joined a free walking tour of Florence, which was really interesting. After the tour, I went to the Uffizi Gallery. The Uffizi is one of the oldest and most famous art museums in the world. Originally built in the 16th century to house the offices of the Florentine magistrates (the “Uffizi” means “offices”), it became a place for the Medici family, who ruled Florence for centuries, to show off their huge art collection. The gallery officially opened to the public in 1765. It has an amazing collection of Renaissance art, with masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, and Titian. The line was really long; I had to wait at least 30 minutes. I started chatting with a couple from India, which was fun. I decided to use the audio guide so it wouldn’t be so boring, since I didn’t know much about art. It cost 31 euros in total, with the audio guide.

After about three hours, I’d had enough and left. I then went to Piazzale Michelangelo. This square, built in the 19th century on a hill on the south bank of the Arno River, is popular with both locals and tourists. Architect Giuseppe Poggi designed it as part of a major urban renewal project for Florence when it briefly became the capital of Italy in 1865. The square has a bronze copy of Michelangelo’s David and offers an amazing panoramic view of Florence. From there, you can see the Arno River, the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, the Bargello, and the hills of Fiesole and Settignano in the distance. It’s a truly spectacular view, especially at sunset. Then I headed back to the hostel. At the hostel, I chatted with a few people, including the two Italians from the night before, an Indian guy who lives in Germany, and an Argentinian girl. The plan was to go to the city again with the Italians, but we ended up playing Pictionary and got stuck there. At midnight, I’d had enough and went to bed, while the others stayed up until morning. Still, I have to say our group was pretty good, if not the best and I found myself drawing at the front three times.

The next morning, December 31st, 2024, I got up at 7:30, took a shower, and headed to the city center. I wanted to visit the church of Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as the Duomo. This cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and one of the largest churches in Italy. Construction began in 1296 and was completed in 1436, with the iconic dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. The facade is covered in white marble. I knew online tickets were sold out, but I tried my luck anyway. They only had tickets for the church’s museum and the Baptistery of San Giovanni. The Baptistery, one of the oldest buildings in Florence, is famous for its bronze doors, particularly the Gates of Paradise by Lorenzo Ghiberti. It’s an octagonal building that dates back to the 11th century and is a stunning example of Florentine Romanesque architecture. The museum was better than expected, showing what a masterpiece this church was and its history. I also bought tickets for the Palazzo della Signoria, which still had space for the tower and museum, but only from 3 PM onward, which was fine.

So, I started with the Baptistery of San Giovanni and then went to the Santa Maria del Fiore Museum. Since I still had time, I went to the Pitti Palace, which was also really interesting. I surprised myself by how much time I spent in this museum, looking at the paintings and the clothing collection. The Pitti Palace, one of Florence’s largest architectural monuments, was originally the residence of Luca Pitti, a Florentine banker. It was later bought by the Medici family in the 16th century and became the chief residence of the ruling families of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany. Today, it houses five museums, including the Gallery of Modern Art, the Museum of Costume and Fashion, the Palatine Gallery, the Royal Apartments, and the Treasury of the Grand Dukes.

Afterward, I went to the Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall of Florence, to visit the museum and climb the tower. The Palazzo Vecchio is a massive, Romanesque, crenellated fortress-palace and is among the most impressive town halls of Tuscany. It overlooks the Piazza della Signoria with its copy of Michelangelo’s David statue as well as the gallery of statues in the adjacent Loggia dei Lanzi. Originally called the Palazzo della Signoria, after the Signoria of Florence, the ruling body of the Republic of Florence, it was also given several other names over the centuries. The name Palazzo Vecchio means “Old Palace”. The museum inside showcases Renaissance art and architecture, and from the top of the Arnolfo Tower, you get amazing views. I finally climbed the Arnolfo Tower, which is part of the Palazzo Vecchio. The tower offered a fantastic view of the whole city. It was also the first time there were clouds in the sky, and with the sunset, it created a unique atmosphere, as you can see in the photos. I spent at least an hour on the tower, watching the sunset and the crowds far below. Then I went back to the hostel and messaged the Italian guys to figure out what to do that evening. Neither of us knew. In the end, I decided to leave at 9 PM, and the Indian guy and the Argentinian girl from the night before joined me. We went to the Ponte Vecchio. The Ponte Vecchio, or “Old Bridge,” is one of Florence’s most famous landmarks. It’s a medieval stone bridge that spans the Arno River and is unique because it has shops built along it. Historically, these shops were occupied by butchers, but today they mainly house jewelers, art dealers, and souvenir sellers. It’s also the only bridge in Florence that survived destruction during World War II. We had some really nice philosophical discussions, and around 11 PM, the Italian guy, a German guy, and a Taiwanese girl joined us. The Italians, being Italian, brought wine to celebrate New Year’s and even water for those who don’t drink alcohol, which was funny – it was me and the German guy. So, at midnight, we toasted on the bridge next to Ponte Vecchio and watched the fireworks.

After that, we went back to the hostel, which was a challenge because the streets were full of people, and sometimes it was really hard or nearly impossible to walk. But somehow, we made it and joined the hostel party until about 4 AM – a new record for me! Then I went to bed for a short time, and at 6 AM, I was already at the reception to check out, while some people were still partying. My energy level was surprisingly good after only 1.5 hours of sleep, so I headed back to Switzerland. But this time, I didn’t talk to anyone because I’d talked enough the last few days, I think.