Between bouts of rain and clear skies, I enjoyed strolling around Florence to experience her charm from every angle.

Whenever I am ambling around Florence, something catches my attention and I take the time to embrace it. Twice I spotted the Duomo from afar—in the Giardino Bardini and from the Viale Galileo. Two other times, I relished the full moon above the giostra in Piazza della Repubblica and hovering the Duomo.

As the summer turned to fall, I enjoyed many walks around Florence. Every time that Mother Nature communed with my beloved city to create a special moment, I snapped a photo. Sometimes it occurred while strolling along the river or just ambling through the streets or gardens.

As we slid into August, the days shortened, but the temperatures peaked. This month has been a mellow one, filled with quiet days and nights. Many shops, bars, and restaurants were closed as many locals gravitated to either the seaside or the mountains. Florence benefited from the summer holiday as well, experiencing less traffic. In these anecdotes, I relished my time with my beloved city. From a walk down a road, a pass through Piazza di San Giovanni, a hike up to Piazzale Michelangiolo, and a jaunt in the Giardino Bardini. 

As summer slowly began, I visited the Giardino delle Rose, walked along the Arno, enjoyed a sunset, and hiked up to San Miniato al Monte. Each of these excursions offered me many delicious moments to experience. I snapped photos, took a video of the noon bells chiming, and soaked up my beloved city’s energy. Every time I returned home, I felt both peaceful and revitalized.

Over these past few weeks, I captured special moments that I reveled in while walking along the Arno, watching the sunset from Ponte Santa Trinita, strolling up Viale Poggi, and visiting Giardino Bardini.

April showers brought glicine (wisteria), roses, and irises to Florence’s gardens. Every spring, I am drawn to visit the gardens to enjoy the colors and scents that fill the air. After traipsing around the roses, I always felt rejuvenated.

Regardless of the shifts in the weather, I reveled in my beloved city every time I went outside. Florence presented me with snippets of beauty that spurred me to pause. Over a few weeks, I captured special moments while roaming around Giardino Bardini, strolling through Piazzale degli Uffizi, hiking up to Viale Michelangelo, and walking along Lungarno degli Archibusieri. 

As winter was ending, I came across birds everywhere, especially when I walked along the Arno. Only in one of my pictures were the birds absent. As I was walking home late one night, I paused in Piazza San Giovanni. The air was cool and serene as I breathed in Santa Maria del Fiore before continuing on my path.   

After the celebrations, the city seemed to be on a break. Shops were closed and streets were calm. I enjoyed my time strolling around Florence and basking in her energy. My many highlights include glimpsing the cupola above the holiday lights, spotting a crow perched on a lamppost, watching the sunset from Ponte Santa Trinita, and catching another one the next day along Ponte alle Grazie.

December was a month of sheer magic. From the slick sidewalks, along Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli to the quiet moment on Ponte Vecchio, the bright skies above Santo Spirito, the wintry sunset above the Arno, to the glistening holiday lights in Piazza Santa Trinita. As we say goodbye to 2023, may this new year bring us all much love and light in our hearts and our surroundings.

During the heart of autumn, I traipsed around Florence, basking in views from the gardens and from alongside the Arno. As the days grew shorter and the temperatures dropped, the city continued to shine and emanate her charm.

As summer ends, the sun loses its strength and the temperatures cool down. The colors are becoming softer as the trees are changing color. Over the past month, I have enjoyed moments that delighted my senses: the sunlight celebrating the return of a favorite monument, the full moon peeking between the Duomo and the Campanile, a snippet of the skyline from across the river, and a sunset above the Arno. These brief moments made me want to connect with Florence more often.

During these past few weeks, I was inspired me to focus on soaking up my beloved city. It has been a treat to walk around and just revel in Florence’s streets and piazzas. The flow is interesting: busy days and quiet mornings and evenings. I have taken many photos, but wasn’t inspired to write anything. Sometimes a sentence would trickle in, but then I would lose the motivation to write more. For me, these moments are always special and yet once they have passed, they become memories.

At the onset of summer, I took strolls along the Arno and walks through Giardino delle Rose and Giardino Bardini. Florence led me to places where I could experience more beauty. These brief moments infused me with a warm tranquility in my heart. When I returned home, I felt inspired to live my life more fully by taking more breaks to enjoy my surroundings.