Tuesday 3rd April 1883
Rose early and went to Duomo and Baptistry. Latter open but former closed - admired the lightness and ...[?] of Giotto's campanile. Had the morning in Uffizi and Royal palaces - most in the Tribune wh. contains some of the finest paintings and sculptures: the Venus de Medici, Apollo, wrestlers and Sarmatian sharpening his sword. Raphael and Titian are splendidly represented. The Madonna della Sedia, the Magdalen of Correggio are lovely pictures. Among the newest pictures are those of Watts, Millais and Leighton, all well executed by themselves. After lunch went to Lorenzo to see the Medici chapel with its fine marbles and mosaics and above all the celebrated 'night and morning' with bust of Cosimo de Medici of M[ichel] Angelo. Drove for 2 hours in suburbs as far as San Miniato which is lovely view of F[lorence] and the Val d'Arno with Fiesole on the opposite hill and the Apennines north - their snowy crests in the distance. On our way back looked in at St. Croce and saw monuments of Dante, Alfieri, Machiavelli and Michelangelo - all handsome, though church is plain and not equal to our Westminster Abbey work. Left H Cavour in time for 7.40 train for Milan and travelled all night stopping 1/2 way at Bologna for a wretched lunch and getting to M[ilan] at 7am.
