The tourist off-season in Florence can feel like a dream. Especially if the weather permits as it has been, I’m able to walk around town as if it were all mine. Today, I strolled along the Arno and wandered through the centro storico (historical center) without always watching where I’m going. I brought my reflex camera with me so that I could take a few pictures. Ever since I got on Instagram, I have been taking photos with my iPhone. I love it because it’s so handy, but the quality isn’t the same. I have become rather reluctant to lug my cumbersome camera with me, but every time I do I am happy because I was able to take some amazing photos.
The ebb and flow of the tourists in Florence is noticeable. From one day to the next, the city changes. The feeling I get in my beloved city varies depending on the time of day, the season, and the amount of people around. I don’t mind sharing Florence with tourists and am happy that so many come to visit it.
The most noticeable advantage is how empty the streets are. Especially in July and August, I usually add about five to ten minutes to my walk when I have to go somewhere. I usually have to zigzag through the crowds and avoid the main streets. In the off-season, I can walk at a leisurely pace. I finally get a chance to look up at the buildings and churches to observe more of the details. I can stand in a piazza or on a ponte (bridge) and just take in my surroundings without getting bumped into.
More people that I walk past speak Italian. Usually in the centro storico, I hear a mix of foreign languages, but these days, almost everyone around me speaks Italian.
I absolutely love that I can take photos of almost anything without having anyone in them. I am always overjoyed when I see the arches under the Vasari Corridor empty and I can see all the way to the other side. It can happen in the summer, but I have to be out of the house before 7 am.
Some locals might prefer it when the tourists are not around, but I don’t like one season over the other necessarily. I enjoy different things in different seasons. It’s nice when there is more animation all around, but I do enjoy the quiet days while they last. The goal isn’t to have a constant flow, but rather to adjust to the changes that arise all year round.
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