Italy Family Travel Review: Venice, Florence, Verona, San Gimignano, Tuscany, Montepulciano, Gondola Ride, Winery, Art, Cuisine

1. The gondola ride in Venice.  Yes, very touristy but we are tourists after all.  This was our one day of perfect weather so it was nice to be on the canal.
2. The winery visit in Tuscany.  Arranged last-minute as we were driving from San Gimignano to Montepulciano, the Madonnabella winery was wonderful.  The wine was tasty as was the cheese, bread and grilled veggies they served to go with it.  And the view was fantastic.  It was late in the day and we were the only ones there so it was some quality family time. 
3. The meal at Osteria Mondo D'oro in Verona.  We were craving something different and about to go to a well-rated Ethiopian restaurant when my son found this restaurant on the Michelin website.  It is not Michelin-starred but rated in the guide. Luckily there was a table available for 4 right when they opened at 7:30 p.m. and the food was really inventive and delicious, and affordable.  The staff was very friendly and let us take our time.
4. Visiting L'Accademia in Florence and seeing the David statue.  We had to buy scalped tickets from a "guide" service but it was really nice to see the statue in person.
5. Our long self-guided walking tour of Florence in one day.  We saw the Uffizi galleries and L'Accademia, then crossed the river to Pitti palace and Baboli gardens.  Then we went to dinner in the San Niccolo neighborhood and ate at Hosteria Del Bricco, before finally walking back to our hotel.  25K steps!