Today was amazing! First we went to the Santa Maria Novella, one of the most extravagant and tasteful churches that we have seen. Inside, there was a very unique crucifix that hung in the middle of the church rather than over the altar. There were also checkered borders around the pillars which made it more beautiful. The main interior walls were a simple cream while the alcoves were covered in detailed frescoes. It was truly a beautiful church. Next, we visited two DaVinci museums, each filled with different inventions by Leonardo DaVinci, including a flying machine, a tank, and many other creative tools. Next we had lunch in an open market, similar to the Reading Terminal in Philadelphia. The food was delicious. We also had time to shop in a market close to lunch. After a little bit of shopping, we had to opportunity to climb the 467 stairs to the top of the Duomo. The view was incredible and the pictures were well worth the hike!
We ate dinner at a place called Ristorante la Grotta Guelfa. It had one of the best dinners that we have had so far! Many people got the classic spaghetti with marinara sauce, a highly recommended dish. It was fantastic! Of course we had to stop to get gelato after dinner. YUM!
Overall, we’ve walked a total of 19,135 steps, 8.55 miles, and 32 flights of stairs today alone! You could say that we had a good opportunity to walk off all of the gelato!