Sunday 27 March, Easter Sunday

The procession with flowers 

Today is a big day in Florence as it's Easter Sunday. And the clocks went forward one hour. We need an early breakfast to be at the Duomo by 10 am for the Scoppio del Carro. Expecting crowds. I brought two Cadbury's Creme Eggs to celebrate.

Four oxen pulled the tall cart

We had a special breakfast with boiled eggs and a cake baked by the waitress. From our window we could see the procession of guilds with bands and costumes. When we went out, we watched the huge cart being pulled by four oxen through the Piazza della Repubblica to the Duomo. We were very close to the procession and almost had a TV interview, but our Italian wasn't up to it.

The cart in P. della Repubblica on its way to the Duomo

At the Duomo, we took our place in the crowd and waited patiently with everyone else and watched the explosion being set up on the cart. Promptly at 11am, the 'dove' shot down a wire from the altar through the nave to the cart outside. On impact, fireworks on the cart went off in several stages. Many people took photos and videos of this unique occasion. We were very lucky to have experienced it.















We had to push our way out afterwards through the crowds. Then we visited the Bargello Museum to see the sculptures and ceramics by Donatello, Michelangelo and della Robbia. At 2pm we found a good place for lunch, Il Boccale, where we had a very nice meal - I had crostini with fresh tomato and rabbit with a nice sauce and artichokes, which are in season here now. Plus more Chianti.

Fireworks going off on the cart

Then we strolled to Piazza S. Trinita where a violinist and guitarist were playing, and we sat listening in the sun for a while. We came back for a rest. I wrote some postcards.


We went out later and walked to San Lorenzo but didn't find the bar Richard had in mind. Back at Piazza della Repubblica we went for a drink at Pazkowski but the service was very slow. It was also raining hard.

In the Bargello former palace and museum

We managed to find O Vesuvio (recommended by the Guardian) but there was a long queue so instead we went into Cimetori 30 opposite. I ordered deep fried courgette flowers to share and scalloppino and Richard went for pappardelle with cinghale. The service was very slow and chaotic and the house Chianti was rather rough. We didn't leave a tip.

Saturday 26 March

The cloisters of Santa Maria del Carmine

After a disturbed night we got up around 8 and had another nice breakfast of coffee, cereal, yogurt and croissant. Then we set out on a sunny day to visit the Brancacci Chapel at Santa Maria del Carmine.

The altarpiece and frescoes by Massolino and Masaccio

We crossed the Arno by Ponte San Trinita and walked for about ten minutes. We had to wait for half an hour to enter the chapel. Meanwhile we read about the series of frescoes about the life of St. Peter by Massolino and Masaccio, which was completed by Filippino Lippi.

Masaccio's wonderful frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel

Inside the small chapel we had to compete with an Italian tour guide who never stopped talking. We saw the fresco cycle on opposite walls and the rear wall of a small side chapel, in particular the figures of Adam and Eve expelled from the Garden and Peter healing the Sick with his Shadow. Masaccio was a genius of colour and emotion, who died aged 27.


After managing to take a few photos, we walked further on to S. Spirito church with its elaborate central altar and many side chapels. And in the Cenacola or Refectory next door we saw the remains of a painting of the Last Supper by Andrea Orcagna.

Richard in the Boboli Gardens

Then we found a wine bar for lunch near the Pitti Palace and I had melanzane parmigiana, plus a glass of red wine. We then queued for tickets to the Boboli Gardens behind the Pitti Palace. It was pleasant there in the warm sun. We strolled up to the top and admired the view over Florence.

We returned to our room for a rest. Then we went out for dinner at Antinori, which has branches also in Zurich and Vienna. Good job we booked. We had artichoke and parmesan salad and osso buco with mash and spinach. Plus some very nice Marchesi Antinori Chianti Classico 2011. It wasn't corked.

In the Boboli Gardens with a view of the city

Then at the Duomo we saw the preparations for tomorrow's ceremony of the Explosion of the Cart.

Thursday 24 March, Maundy Thursday

Beside the River Arno with Ponte Vecchio in the background

We arrived in Florence after a six hour train journey via Milano. Firenze is sunny, cool in the shade and very busy. We are staying in a B and B in the city centre not far from the Duomo and the Uffizi. Going out soon to explore and find a wine bar.

We strolled round the city to Piazza della Senoria; we saw the Loggia with the sculptures of Perseus holding the head of Medusa and others, saw the impressive facade of Palazzo Vecchio, and walked past the Uffizi to the River Arno and Ponte Vecchio.

The Campanile and Duomo floodlit at night

Then we had a white wine in Caffe Strozzi before finding a great place for dinner, La Bussola. I had aubergine parmigiano and we shared roast lamb with potatoes and chard, finished off with chocolate torte. Plus a bottle of Chianti Reserva 2012. Delicious.

Then we strolled to the Duomo and went inside, where there was a silent procession of people dressed in black. It was part of the commemoration of Holy Week. Outside, we marvelled at Giotto's facade for the Campanile and the pink, green and white marble on the Duomo walls and the Baptistery.

Now quite tired. I am reading Death of an Englishman by Magdalen Nabb, set in Florence, probably in the 1970s.