Friday morning we got up early and walked to the Accademia to see Michelangelo’s David. In the quiet of the morning, Florence’s empty streets were more charming than ever. We passed the Duomo and enjoyed the piazza in it’s gloriously empty state (knowing that the afternoon would bring the crowds).

The David was amazing. It’s hard to describe what is so arresting about him, but he was definitely impressive and we stood there for several minutes just taking it in. RS guided us through the museum and pointed out Michelangelo’s unfinished sculptures leading up to the David, which gave us such a huge appreciation for the process of sculpting and just how amazing Michelangelo really was. It was so so cool.

We went to Mercado Centrale to pick up a few things for a late breakfast. The market was fun to browse and we ended up with some fresh pastries and fruit, as well as some dried fruits for later. We walked through a cool street market (lots of leather!) and ate our breakfast on the steps of the Basilica of San Lorenzo.