Nearby we'll see the Battistero Di
San Giovanni. Built
between 1059 and 1128,and remodeled on an earlier
Baptistery built in the 5th or 6th century, is one of the
oldest buildings in Florence, and was for a long time
believed to have been an original roman temple dedicated
to the god Mars. The building is famous for its
bronze doors, which many art historians say mark the birth
of the Renaissance, believed by many to have begun in 1411
by Lorenzo Ghiberti.
Piazza Signoria is
dominated by Palazzo Vecchio with its
commanding view of Florence and the Arno River that winds
lazily through city. A grand open air museum of
monumental marble statues and one of the most elegant
collections of sculptures in the world, Piazza Signoria
has been the heart of Florence since the 15th
century.
Ponte Vecchio is Florence's most famous bridge. Built in 1345, the Ponte
Vecchio is the oldest bridge in Florence and spans the
River Arno. This three-arched bridge was the only one in
the city to survive the bombings in World War II, and is
lined with shops, mainly gold and silversmiths, making
this a popular shopping area. There is a secret passageway
high above the shops, the Corrodoio Vasariano, that links
the Uffizi Gallery to the Pitti Palace, that was
originally built so that the wealthy Medici family could
walk into town in private.
Along the way we'll have a light lunch at The
Golden View Ristorante, with a fabulous panorama of
the Ponte Vecchio and Arno River, just across from the
great Ufizi Museum. Don't eat too much, because in the
afternoon, we'll walk upward to the magnificent Boboli
Gardens, offering spectacular panoramas of Florence,
the Arno River, Il Duomo, and the towers of the Bargello
and Palazzo Vecchio. Our train returns in time to get us
back to Rome in the early evening.
This is not the end of your
journey - but only the beginning. What you have seen and
learned in the Imaging In Italy tour will last a
lifetime and continue to enrich your photography in new
and unexpected ways. We won't say good-by, rather, "Ci Vediamo" - Farewell, until next time!
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Prices include tour
fee, instruction, and assistance by our travel expert in
securing 
accommodations. Hotel
accommodations, tips/gratuities, drinks/food,
Air/train tickets to/from Rome and Mr. Boccaccio's
expenses are not included in the price. Children
under 13 years old not allowed on tour without prior
permission. We reserve the right to make changes in
the itinerary if circumstances beyond our control occur.
We'll take an early morning train to
arrive in Florence in time to catch the Tuscan morning
light that makes this city so romantic. We'll photograph
the cathedral of Il Duomo, an architectural
masterpiece that has become the symbol of
Tuscany. Work on the cathedral took 170 years, with
the first stone laid on 8 Sep 1296 under the direction
of Arnolfo di Cambio and before its completion its
architects would also include the likes of Giotto and
Brunelleschi.
Attached to the
Duomo is the 