Bob the Florence I wouldn’t miss….

1 The Facia of Santa Marie Novella

This is where my passion for the art and power of the Renaissance took off – so much so I
wrote about it here.

2 Michelangelo’s Atlas Slave - Accademia

Of course you must see David but please check out the Atlas Slave – you
almost can hear him shouting, desperate to be released – so powerful!

3 Coffee in Piazza della Signoria admiring the space and its David copy
then a walk around the statues on display.

4 Botticelli’s Primavera at the Uffizi it’s an iconic cliché nevertheless so awesome when you
confront the original for the first time.

5 Palazzo Medici - Benozzo Gozzoli Procession of the Magi for me one of THE most beautiful
and powerful (and historic) Magi images and testament to artist ego as Gozzoli appears in it
five times…and I love the Black presence!

6 Medici Tombs
Michelangelo has created one of the most soulful spaces in Florence - get to see his wall
sketches. There’s a Black presence here in the form of Alessandro D’Medici hear from the
Catherine Fletcher who has written the definitive text on his life here.

7 Baptistery
One of THE great spaces of European art – sit and look up and wonder while following the
story of Jesus to him being seated alone in power (before the Catholics stared worshiping
Mary the ‘Mother of God’).

8 Boboli Gardens
Beautiful space, the model for royal, stately homes and municipal parks the length and
breadth of Britain – a lovely space on sunny afternoon.

9 The Duomo
A great cathedral space with huge Cross - imagine the priest and his entourage with their
smoking hand bags and elevated gold cross processing from the high altar to give a powerful
sermon from that pulpit. Great to wander at the dome and its history not worth the trek to
the top IMO.

Those are my highlights ….having said that EVERY move you make in Florence you will see
something beautiful or iconic often both.

Hope this helps your trip,

MICHAEL OHAJURU
June 2023