Rome Week 3

Melissa Tait checks in weekly from her study abroad semester in Rome; catch up with her every Wednesday on Trazee Travel.

The best part about studying in Rome is being surrounded by some of the most beautiful cities in Italy that are only a train ride away. A bonus is not having class on Fridays (thank you Italian culture!), giving us extra time for our weekend getaways. This weekend, my friends and I hopped a train Friday morning and headed to Florence.

© Melissa Tait

Since we only had two days to explore the city, we got right to sightseeing and started at Galleria Dell’Accademia to see Michelangelo’s Statue of David. It was here I began to realize the impact art and literature had during the Renaissance period. Each piece we saw was a depiction of an elaborate story. The Statue of David, for example, was built to guard the parliament building and told the story of his defeat over the slain Goliath. The detailing in the marble was breathtaking, from his facial expression to his disproportionate features.

Another illustration of this was at the Cattedrale di Santa Maria, standing in one of the main squares in Florence, which we toured our second day. The outside is unimaginably embellished with details of geometrical designs and painted in pastel pinks and blues. The inside, although not as elaborate as the outside, had a beautiful fresco on the dome, which we admired on our climb to the top. The peak of the dome showcased panoramic views of Florence and I couldn’t help but imagine the city when the most famous artists in the world inhabited it. I love the raw appearance of Italy’s cities and I cannot wait to explore more.