We were up bright and early this morning to make the 80 minute drive into Florence. Known as the "Cradle of the Italian Renaissance", this beautiful city is home to the Piazza Del Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, and the Cathedral of Santa Maria Del Fiore (pictured).
Our first stop was to Misuri, a manufacturer of luxury handcrafted Italian leather. Here we learned about the Florentine art of leather gilding before Chris, Sharon and Jenn walked the runway showing off some of the magnificent Italian leather.
Next we were joined by a local guide who took the group on a tour of downtown Florence ending with a stop at the Accademia Museum. Founded in 1784, the museum hosts a collection of sculptures, picture galleries and paintings. One of the most important works on display at the museum is David by Michelangelo, which was completed around 1504.
The balance of the day was spent exploring Florence independently until we met up with our fellow travelers on the Piazza di Santa Croce. Here we enjoyed a lovely group dinner at Finisterrae Ristorante complete with a birthday celebration for Deb Singer '74!
On our way out of Florence, we made a surprise stop at Piazzale Michelangelo, a public square and viewing terrace that offers stunning views of the city at sunset.
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