Our third day in Florence, or Firenze, began as a wet one.  That didn’t stop me from getting outside and exploring! A plaque on a wall commemorates the building where Saint Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi lived and died. Saint Maria Maddalena de’ Pazzi lived in the monastery of the Chiesa di San Frediano in Cestello….

The Chiesa di Santo Spirito is located at the end of the piazza of the same name.  The piazza is the scene of a daily market, as well as home to a number of cafés and restaurants. The church dates from 1444, and was built on the site of an earlier church.  Designed by Filippo…

To me, the city of Florence is like a ornately set piece of jewelry: It is beautiful, delicate, and perfect in its arrangement.  Walking the streets of this city can be a transporting experience, sending one back to the times of the Renaissance, for this is the city that gave birth to that most glorious…

Window shopping in Florence can be an artistically educating experience, particularly in the Oltrarno neighborhood. A plaque on a wall pays tribute to the birthplace of famous Italian lawyer and politician, Giuseppe Mantellini. In Piazza San Felice, a small triangular space just past the Palazzo Pitti, you will find La Colonna di Cosimo I, or…

This was not the first time that I’d visited the lovely city of Florence, or Firenze, as the Italians call it.  As a matter of fact, this was my seventh visit to the city.  When visiting this popular Tuscan destination, I prefer to stay in the area known as the Oltrarno.  This is the area…