Submitted by Kerry Doring on the 2014 winter session study abroad program in Florence, Italy sponsored by the Department of Art…
Another week studying in Florence, Italy… It never gets old! We have drawn from the masters in every museum here. We’re constantly in and out of the Galleria Accademia, the Uffizi, the Pitti, the Boboli Gardens, and the Bargello. Besides that, art is everywhere you turn. It could be in all of the churches, the small piazzas, on the corners of major streets; it could take years to discover every piece of artwork in this magical city, but we’ve been trying anyway! Unmistakably, the most magnificent sight of Florence is the Piazzale Michelangelo. The views are breathtaking, especially as the sun sets; you can watch the the sun’s last few rays hit all of your favorite attractions, from the Duomo to the Ponte Vecchio. As the sun falls behind the surrounding hills, the sky is illuminated with dusty pinks and pearly purples, before settling into the deep blue of night. The lights of the city look as if they are sparkling!
On a weekend trip to explore yet another part of Tuscany, we were introduced to Cortona. Many recognize it as the city from Under the Tuscan Sun, but this beautiful city actually towers above the clouds! The roads twist and wind all the way up, topped with a fortress and the church, St. Margherita of Cortona. Along the narrow cobble-stoned streets and terraced pathways, the locals have perched their homes right on the edge of the mountain. Their houses overlook a magnificent view; if you dare to look straight down or straight up, you see the stacking of the buildings, layered in warm Tuscan colors, that allow the locals to call this beautiful, hilly town home.