Last Sunday night, my parents arrived in Florence for their one-week long visit. After sharing our first Italian meal together and of course some gelato, they settled in to their lovely Bed & Breakfast, which is conveniently located across the street from my apartment. On Monday, my cousin, Katie, who is currently studying abroad in Portugal, joined us to see Florence. We all strolled together through the leather market and ate another delicious Italian dinner at my new favorite restaurant - Trattoria Za-Za.
Tuesday and Wednesday were spent exploring Florence with my family, while balancing classes and schoolwork. We visited the Duomo, reveled in the beauty of San Maria Novella, enjoyed the history and art in Santa Croce, and made our way through the countless rooms of renaissance art in the Uffizzi. Each night was filled with magnificent meals and even more delectable sweet treats. One night we climbed up to Piazza Michelangelo to enjoy the beautiful views of the entire city of Florence.
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| My parents and I at Piazza Michelangelo |
On Thursday, we boarded a regional train and traveled to the small Tuscan town of Lucca. Lucca is a medieval, walled city, and today, the residents and visitors of Lucca enjoy strolling or biking along the wall. We stayed in a lovely hotel and enjoyed shopping in the little shops, climbing the ancient tower - which had living trees at the top, and biking along the wall. The town was so beautiful with it's blooming trees, grassy parks, and rolling hills in the background. I loved every minute of our time spent in Lucca.
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| Train to Lucca |
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| Climbing the tower in Lucca |
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| Biking on the wall in Lucca |
Now we've returned to Florence and my parents leave for the U.S. tomorrow afternoon, but not after a traditional Florentine Easter celebration!
