A couple of questions as I try to whittle down my LONG list of want-to-sees in Florence. First, after the cooking class are we actually in Oltrano close to the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens? For the sake of saving steps, is that the best closest option for our afternoon?
Second, is it really truly (so sadly!) true that the Laurentian Library at San Lorenzo closes at 1:30pm and does not reopen the rest of the day? And if so, is there time between the Uffizi tour (which I do NOT want to rush) to sprint to San Lorenzo and see the Library before it closes??
Tour veterans... counting on you here!!! Many thanks!
Posted by
Olympia, WA, USA
6713 posts
On my tour last fall the cooking class was in Oltrarno, near San Spirito, a few minutes' walk from the Pitti Palace. I don't know if they use the same school for all the tours, though. I skipped the class and visited other sights, but Pitti and Boboli would have been easy to reach if they'd been on my list. Can't help you much about the library. Our Uffizi tour ended in late morning, as I recall, in the gallery itself. I stayed longer to see more paintings, browsed the gift shop, then had lunch nearby. I think I'd have had time to walk (briskly) to San Lorenzo and visit there before 1:30, but maybe at the expense of some Uffizi time, or a sit-down lunch. (Sitting down was an important part of it for me. I did visit San Lorenzo Church later that afternoon as I recall.)
Based on my one experience (so far), the RS itineraries seem thoughtully designed with a good mix of structured and free time. For me, the cooking class had lower priority than some alternatives, but everyone else went and seemed to appreciate it a lot. I would never have traded off time at the Uffizi. Have a good trip!
Posted by
East Peoria, IL
800 posts
Our cooking class was at La Tavola. All the VFR tour scrapbooks I’ve seen have shown the class at the same place. It’s very close to Boboli Gardens, which we loved. Be sure to climb the hill (you’ll know it when you see it). It’s a wonderful view. Our son exclaimed, “This is my favorite thing on the tour so far.” (This was before he saw Saint Peter’s in Rome.)
Posted by
OP
11 posts
Thanks for the replies!