We started off our first full day in Rome with a visit to the Uffizi Gallery. Completed in 1581, the Uffizi Gallery is one of the most popular tourist sites in Florence. Adjacent to the Medici Palace, the museum is home numerous collections of paintings and statues including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Caravaggio, Raphael and many other celebrated artists. After an afternoon of free time, we walked to the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, the cathedral of Florence. The cathedral (Duomo) is the world’s third largest church. We walked up 463 steps to the top of the Duomo for the best aerial view of Florence. For dinner, we tested our skills in the kitchen, as tonight was our first night of cooking groups! Each group picked a students apartment and started preparing all the ingredients. Tonight’s recipe was Insalata Verde (green salad) and Gnocchi alla Sorrentina (gnocchi with tomato sauce). Yum!
