Gate 1 had purchased our ticket from Rome to Florence, so all we had to do is find our train, car, and seat, and board, very convenient. The hotel, Delle Nazioni, is only a block from the station, which unfortunately made it loud with the rumble of trains coming into the station. We ventured out under overcast skies that turned to rain by the time we reached the river
The next day was beautiful, but Steve’s cough had worsened during the night and he felt he needed to see a doctor (Sunday no less). We had taken out travel insurance and they said they would reimburse us for expenses. The hotel called a doctor, who came to the room and spoke beautiful English. He diagnosed an upper respiratory infection and prescribed antibiotic and cough medicine, which we were able to fill at a pharmacy at the train station. I was amazed that a doctor would make a house call on a Sunday morning (150 E+ 13 for prescriptions), very reasonable, I thought.
While he rested, I explored the town, with its streets strung with lights for Christmas, and crowds of shoppers and tourists out enjoying the blue skies and chilly temperatures (high 40’s).
Basilica Santa Maria Novella
The Duomo is a few blocks away. 
The Palazzo Vechio with its statues is another few blocks toward the river Arno.
Palazzo Vecciho
I wandered the leather stalls behind the Piazza della Signora (behind Ufitzi Gallery) and bought a purse (how could I resist?).
Ponte Vecchio
Then I crossed the Ponte Vecchio and decided to explore the Pitti Palace, the home of the Medici. The building is large but plain on the outside, and I had no idea of the splendors that awaited inside.
Pitti Palace
The building was designed by Brunelleschi in the late 1400 and expanded by various families since. It is designed around a central courtyard and back onto the Boboli Gardens, immense formal gardens that I didn’t have time to tour. The Mecici (especially Cardinal Leoplolo) were collectors and the palace is now several museums filled with Roman statues and treasures from the ancient world.
old carriage entryway to palace
Each room is spectacular, with ceiling frescoes, gigantic chandeliers, sumptuous drapes, inlaid furniture, and paintings by European masters covering the walls.
Rubens
Napoleon lived in the palace for a time, and the Lorraine-Hapsburgs also lived here. It makes me want to learn more about the Medici and Italian history.
I must have walked through 25 rooms, each more sumptuous than the last. It rivals any palace I have seen.
Inlaid marble table
Rafael
The Tesoro (treasury) is not to be missed. It is filled with rare pieces from all over the world but primarily ancient Rome and Italian masters. There is a nice collection of Galileo’s instruments, of silver pieces, carved amber, lapis lazuli, rock crystal, and ivory. The collection of precious objects was begun in the mid 1400 by Cosimo the Elder and expanded by his son Piero and grandson Lorenzo.
cabinets of carved ivory pieces
Leopoldo had agents buying pieces for him everywhere. The Medici commissioned great works of art and turned Florence into a center for the arts. I could have spent the entire day in the Pitti and not seen it all.
On the way back to the hotel, the sun was setting and the crowds had grown more dense, if possible.