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Abroad, Florence, Italy

The happiness to be an Italian #Florence 2

posted by Dario
Jul 18, 2017 778 1 2
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The happiness to be an Italian # Florence

  • Renaissance idyll – Part Two
  • Uffizi Gallery
  • Ponte Vecchio

Renaissance idyll – Part Two

 

In today’s publication I will tell you about two of the most symbolic sights of Florence. Spots which contribute largely to the unity and charm of the Tuscan capital.

Uffizi Gallery

The first landmark is the magnificent Uffizi Gallery (Art Museum).

It can be said that this is one of the most remarkable galleries in the world. What distinguishes it from all other art museums is the incredible wealth of collections of Renaissance works belonging to masters from Italy and Europe. The gallery consists of over 45 halls, exhibiting more than 2000 exhibits. Each of them presents a specific period of art development.


From the 3th to the 6th hall present the lessons of Giotto;
From the 7th to the 8th hall, the Renaissance, the so-called Early Renaissance period, is also seen.
From the 10th to the 14th hall are home to the incredible works of Botticelli, such as La Primavera and La Nascita Di Venera, which fully represent the meaning of Renaissance art;


From the 15th to the 29th hall, you can witness the rapid progress and success of Florence;
30th to 35th are dedicated to artists from Northern Italy, Venice and others;


The rest of the halls feature the works of other artists outside the borders of Italy such as Anthony van Dyck and Peter Paul Rubens;
Uffizi is a place that should not be missed in any way. Even if you are not interested in such  type of museums, it’s worth every minute spent in this building, full of artistic, splendid and purest form of the Renaissance spirit.

Curious facts:
Uffizi was built in the 1560s and the first purpose of the complex was to house the so-called Ruffi (where the name of the museum comes from), which means the offices of Duke Cosimo I;
The Medici family itself (who were rulers of the kingdom at that time) has collected the belonging collection over the centuries;
The most important thing is to understand that Anna Maria Louisa, the sister of the last grand derby from the Medici dynasty, bequeaths the building with a collection of masterpieces. With the only condition – the accessories of the gallery never leave its boundaries;

Useful information:
Work time:
We strongly recommend buying tickets via the Internet, making it easier for you, but it will not save you from waiting to get in. Because once you book your tickets for a certain date and time, you need to go ahead with your ID cards and pick up your tickets from the online booking;
Closed – Monday, January 1st, May 1st, December 25th;
Works from Tuesday to Sunday from 8.15 am until 6.50 pm;
The ticket desk is open until 6.05 pm, and the closing of the Gallery begins at 6.35 pm;
Library: Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9.30 am until 1.30 pm; Thursday and Friday from 9.00 am until 13.00 pm

Prices:
Adult – 6.50 Euro; If there are additional exhibitions, the price is – 11 Euros;
Audioguide (Italian, English, French, Spanish, German, Japanese) for one – 6 euros, for two – 10 euros;
For young people under 18 – free of charge; For adults over 65 years – free of charge

As a person who is not impressed by this kind of museums and art I can promise you wholeheartedly that you will not be disappointed and it deserves every minute you waited for entry as well as the time spent in the museum!
And, ultimately, your visit here will only positively contribute to your attitude towards art and a significant enrichment of your culture;

Ponte Vecchio

The next landmark I will focus on is Ponte Vecchio (it means “Old Bridge”).

A majestic bridge that has survived for seven centuries. It was built on the narrowest part of the Arno River in 1345. The distinction that distinguishes it from other architectural buildings is that it is closed and has numerous shops.

These stores nowadays feature luxurious jewellery shops  with a variety of jewels. Another intriguing part of the bridge is Corridor Vazariano. A corridor that connects Uffizi and Palazio Pitti directly. Nowadays Renaissance paintings are featured in the corridor.

Curious facts:
There are only four covered bridges in Europe. One of them is Ponte Vecchio. We are lucky to have one in the Bulgarian town of Lovech and the other two are located in Lucerne, Switzerland and Erfurt in Germany.
This is the only bridge which survived the Nazis’ attacks during the Second World War. As they strategically destroy all other bridges in the city to make it impossible for hostile troops to reach it;

Useful information:
The bridge can be visited at any time. There is no specific time to recommend you to visit it. For the simple reason that it never looses its charm!
It is under constant video control and  police is circulating in the area;
Personal advice – do not hang a padlock on the fence of the bridge because it undermines the architectural heritage of the bridge and the city. Fees up to 160 euros are in place for law offenders

Coming soon- Part Three

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The happiness to be an Italian #Genoa

About me

Travel Blogger

Dario Dionisi



If you want to know something more about me – my soul is a traveler, my origin is Italian and my true essence is a faithful friend. I am always open to new ideas and will be very happy if you want to contact me at dario@beyondsofia.com

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Dario • Exploring beyond Sofia
February brings the rain, thaws the frozen lake ag February brings the rain, thaws the frozen lake again. 

Yuki-Doro is challenging me who is the better poser. 🧐

#dog #hike # winter
I guess I am starting this year with a true challe I guess I am starting this year with a true challenge - hiking during winter under -15 degrees.

That was the case with the Boyana waterfall. Last year I visited them during the late summer and decided that I want to visit this place during the winter because, to be honest, I have never seen in person a big and full waterfall to be completely frozen.

So, let’s say it was something as a target for me to see it sooner or later. 

But as you can see it was really pleasant conquering this adventure because I had with me the best assistant ever - Mr. little adventurer Yuki-Doro. 

And yes, I won’t lie, I almost lost my hands and one of my legs from the extremely low temperature.

#dog #hike #winter
Most people are fascinated by the natural beauty o Most people are fascinated by the natural beauty of Yuki-Doro and I don’t blame them, to be honest. 

But as it is said - the devilish creations are the sweetest. Well, I can confirm this through my dog. 

SWIPE to the next picture and witness yourself that I have a true monster as a pet, he is twisted and scary, like a loooooot.

#dog #hiking #winter
Is it a fox? Is it a wolf? Is it Hachiko? No, it' Is it a fox? Is it a wolf? Is it Hachiko? 
No, it's Yuki-Doro conquering Cherni vrah peak at the age of 4 months.

Who would think that this little guy would manage to accomplish this so early stage in his life.

Imagine what he would do in the future, Everest here we come! 😂

#hiking #winter #dog
People have said it well that the dog is man's bes People have said it well that the dog is man's best friend.

This weekend was Yuki-Doro's first real adventure-challenge.

We wandered through the winter landscapes of snowy Vitosha.  Based on the amount of snow he ate, yes, he definitely liked the snow, it's good that it is low in calories, otherwise I would have returned to Sofia with a meatball.

Definitely this little one knows how to brighten up the atmosphere and make the trips more interesting.

I look forward to our next adventures.

Do you travel with your pets?

#winter #mountain #dog
Winter etudes of Vitosha Mountain • So, let us Winter etudes of Vitosha Mountain •

So, let us be clear here - I cannot stand winter and I really do not like the snow and cold. It is probably inherited from my Italian bloodline, who knows, but anyways.

However, I must confess, I have been multiple times in Vitosha mountain but probably for the first time I visit it for a whole hike to the peak during winter. Won’t lie, I enjoyed a lot the nature scenes I saw during my hike but still I was going to loose my hands no matter I had gloves all the time.

Overall, the experience was pleasant because it is good to remind ourselves what a true winter looks like. We all know that because of the global warming we do not have that heavy winter that we used to have back in the early 2000s. So, to see so much snow and peace at one place was a delight for my senses.

As I always say, it is good to challenge yourself and go out of your comfort zone. Only then you can discover many intriguing things, but most importantly -  to learn so many new things about yourself.

#winter #hiking #nature
Cherni vruh, the highest point of Vitosha mountain Cherni vruh, the highest point of Vitosha mountain 2290 m the peak is the fourth highest mountain summit in Bulgaria.

It presents the best spontaneous getaway if you want to go out in the nature. Also is way to good challenge yourself. I myself did it multiple times and must confess every time I climb it from different points it amazes me with the beauty that this mountain contains.

#Bulgaria #nature #mountain
The stone river in Vitosha or also known as The Go The stone river in Vitosha or also known as The Golden Bridges - amazingly beautiful natural phenomenon - the largest stone river in the Vitosha National Park. Massive stones (average size 2-3 meters) flow down from the mountain top to the valley for more than 2 miles long and 150 meters wide.

The stone river is ‘descending’ from elevation 1800 m above sea level to 1410 m at Golden Bridges site.

#Bulgaria #nature #stoneriver
Etudes of Vitosha • Is there anyone who lives i Etudes of Vitosha •

Is there anyone who lives in Sofia and had never visited Vitosha Mountain?

Because clearly this mountain is a pure nature gift for us all!

Vitosha Mountain is the oldest nature park on the Balkan Peninsula. Its gorgeous silhouette is visible from almost all positions in the city and is inseparable part of Sofia’ image.

Vitosha Naturе Park is the most broadly protected territory in Bulgaria, and due to its proximity to Sofia it has turned into a site of education in responsible attitude towards nature.

And don’t forget Sofia is the only European capital with such a big mountain so close to the city center.

So no matter the time and season Vitosha is always a good choice for adventures.

#Bulgaria #mountain #tourism
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