Read This Blog! Because everyone is entitled to my opinion.

We started today with a visit to the Galileo Science Museum. They have two main collections of scientific instruments, the Medici Collection (16th-18th Centuries) and the Lorraine Collection (18th-19th Centuries). The instruments contributed to the advancement of science, and many of them are beautiful works of art, too.

Box of Mathematical Instruments, Quadrants, and Gunner’s Rule

Optical trick (look in the mirror above the painting)

Galilean Compound Microscope (second half of 17th C.)

Fifty- and one-hundred-degree thermometers (17th C).

We finished at the Galileo Museum a bit before noon, with just enough time to grab a quick lunch before our 1pm entry time for the Uffizi. Rick Steves steered us to All’Antico Vinalo, which he called “trendy”. The line stretched on for nearly a block!

The line for All’Antico Vinaio’s sandwiches

Fortunately, I noticed they had a location across the street with kiosks for placing your order and a warning that you could not customize your sandwiches at that location. We waited three minutes to get to a kiosk, five minutes for our sandwich, and were able to find seats inside at the location with the endless line! We both had caprese sandwiches and enjoyed them immensely…and even had time for dessert at Vivoli Gelato (another trendy place).

We got back to the Uffizi a few minutes before 1pm, ready to stroll into the museum. We were not alone.

It was probably 1:30 before we were actually in the galleries; the Uffizi stays open on Tuesdays until 9pm, but we ran out of energy (and had seen almost everythihg) by 5:30.

Crucifix with scenes from the life of Christ (circa 1230-1250)

Adoration of the Christ Child (Fra Lippi)

Madonna and Child with Two Angels (Fra Lippi)

Two panels depicting Hercules (Pollaiolo, 15th C)

The Three Archangels and Tobias (Botticini)

La Primavera (Botticelli) – LOQI put this on their Uffizi bag, and Diane bought it!

The Old Dominion of the Florentine State (Butt, 1588)

Perseus freeing Andromeda (Piero di Cosimo)

Crucifixion with Mary Magdalen (Signorelli)

Holy Family with the Young St. John the Baptist (Michaelangelo)

Madonna and Child with the Young St. John the Baptist “Madonna of the Goldfinch” (Raphael)

Portraits of Agnolo Doni and Maddalena Strozzi (Raphael)

The Expulsion of Adam and Eve (Tintoretto)

Salome with the head of St. John the Baptist (Battistello)

Portrait of Galileo Galilei (Suttermans)

We were ready for dinner, and there was an interesting looking place just down the block – Auditore Ristorante Braceria. Given their location, I was afraid they might be a tourist trip, so I looked them up on TripAdvisor and was shocked to discover that they had a 5.0 rating! How could we refuse?

They specialize in steak, but we’d both had that yesterday, so I had the roasted chicken with arugula and Grand Padano cheese and Diane had pasta with basil pesto and cherry tomatoes, plus a salad, roast potatoes, and wine. They lived up to their rating!

We like Rick Steves’ books and often use his tours as the basis for our explorations. Today, we took two of his Florence tours: the Renaissance Walk, which is an overview of Florence from the Duomo to the Arno (and a bit beyond) and the Duomo Museum tour. We also visited the other sites covered by the Duomo’s Ghilberti Pass (the Bapistery (which is being renovated) and the Crypt of Santa Reparata (inside the Duomo itself – having the pass meant we didn’t have to stand in the very long line for free entry to the Duomo).

I took many, many pictures. Here are some of the best.