For the last day of our trip, we returned to Florence to climb the 463 steps to the top of the Duomo. We did it without a problem and it was fun! The former structural engineer in me had geeked out over a book about how the dome was built, and now I got to be inside it and on top of it.

We also got inside it to see the interior paintings more clearly as well as how abstract the painted shape are close up in the curvature of the dome. This highlighted what a difficult achievement it was– and not just logistically– to paint this.

Back on the street, a parade happened to go by us in Renaissance costume, and we did a bit of shopping (bought the green backpack shown for our younger daughter’s birthday, and a hand-marbled journal for our older daughter), followed by our last Italian dinner (see my husband with what was reportedly a very good lasagna.

We are heading home, trying to squeeze what we bough into our carry-on suitcases. We are so grateful for every aspect of the wonderful trip.