Our third week started with a Sunday afternoon vineyard tour and wine tasting in Chianti. Located on the hills not too far from the city of Florence, Chianti is a vast, mountainous area used primarily for farmland and one of the wine-making capitals of Italy. The weather was beautiful for getting to take a walk through the vineyards and observe the acres and acres of grapes being grown throughout the land.
We also got a tour of the facilities where the wine is made, and the family who owned the vineyard showed us how it was done. Afterwards, we were treated to a lovely meal where we were able to taste some of the amazing wine made at the vineyard.
Probably one of my favorite Florence adventures also happened this week, when I was able to climb to the top of the Duomo. The Duomo, or the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, is one of the most renowned landmarks in the city, known for its complex architecture, facade, and enormous dome-like structure that completes the Florentine skyline. Our group was lucky enough to attend mass in the church on the feast of St. John the Baptist, but some of us had the goal of getting to the very top. This wasn't very easy, but we did it.
After 463 spiral steps up a tight corridor (in the 90+ degree weather), we gazed out upon the most remarkable and breathtaking view I had seen this whole trip.
To see this all in person was certainly an experience I will never forget.
Also shout-out to the Manhattan College campus for being the perfect leg preparation for climbing all of those stairs. The daily climbs to class finally all paid off.
Another amazing experience from this week was our trip to the Uffizi Gallery, one of the most famous art museums in the world. Here, we were able to see incredible sculptures, paintings, and various art pieces created by some of the most famous medieval and renaissance artists. These included Botticelli's Birth of Venus.
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