Before taking off on a three-week trip to California, I watched the sunset. Upon my return, I watched another one. I love to say goodbye to my beloved city with a sunset. When I returned, the days were quite mild and sometimes still warm. I spent many days walking around Florence and enjoyed my time in the gardens, especially the Giardino delle Rose, and in the streets where I basked in the beauty around me.
Ponte Santa Trinita - September 28, 2025
As soon as the skies cleared, I ventured to Ponte Santa Trinita. It rained intermittently most of the day. To the east, dark clouds were inching further and further away. The sun hovered above the rooftops along Lungarno Guiccardini while a steady breeze dissipated the lingering clouds.
I faced west to observe the cannotieri (rowers) rowing back and forth along the river. As the sun drifted behind the buildings, the wispy clouds radiated a golden glow. The ripples on the water, where brownish leaves were bobbing on the surface, lulled me into a meditative state.
I pulled out my iPhone when the Arno’s glistening water reflected the pink, orange, and yellow hues in the sky. The spectacle didn’t last long before the skies turned gray. The wind kicked up and had become downright cold.
Without a scarf around my neck or a jacket over my shoulders, I walked toward Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli to escape the rush of air. After rounding the corner below the Primavera statue, two white herons traveled east, leading me home.
Ponte Santa Trinita - October 28, 2025
After a day of dark clouds that sprinkled, and sometimes poured, rain down, the weather shifted before sunset. Steady winds blew from the southwest, sweeping clouds away, unveiling a layer of velvety white ones that soaked up the last sunrays and beamed orange and yellow patches.
I faced the sunset from the middle of Ponte Santa Trinita. Seagulls raced west as a dark gray heron squawked from the muddy meadow. Cars and bicycles clambered over the bridge’s stone road.
The soft chiming of church bells wove its way through the gusts of wind as streaks of rain trailed behind some clouds in the distance, spilling water onto the outskirts.
When I turned around, I was delighted that I had a clear view of the Ponte Vecchio. The golden lights of the jewelry shops glowed below the sky’s somber colors.
It wasn’t until the sky dimmed and the heavens turned a royal blue that I departed. Along my path home, I took many photos of the city that glistened during the blue hour.
Giardino delle Rose - November 2, 2025
It was a chiaroscuro day, where fluffy clouds glided to the east, hindering the sunlight from shining every now and again. Right after lunch, I crossed Ponte alle Grazie. The sun was blazing across my face but kept the Ponte Vecchio in the dark.
Before leaving my place, my plan was to go to the Giardino delle Rose. During my absence from Florence, I often wondered how the garden looked like. Were the roses blooming? Was the grass lush and green? Were the leaves on the trees turning color?
With great enthusiasm fueling my steps, I reached the Giardino delle Rose in less than 10 minutes. I peered over the stone wall and smiled at the pops of color everywhere. The roses were flourishing.
I made my rounds, tiptoeing around the rosebushes. Pale pink, pastel orange, white, fuchsia, soft yellow, and lipstick red. Around and around I went to appreciate as many roses as possible.
I sat on a cold stone bordering the lawn contemplating the flora, the birds, the city, the clouds, and the people meandering through the garden.
After the church bells chimed, I hiked back up to the terrace to walk down the Scalinata di Via Crucis. Shadows of towering cypresses graced the stone path and wall below the panorama.
With the scents of roses, wet soil, and dry leaves circulating in the air, I headed home. My heart filled with all the beauty I sniffed, savored, and felt.
Via Maggio - November 7, 2025
On my way to Santo Spirito, I crossed Ponte Santa Trinita. The pale blue sky welcomed a veil of clouds that softened the light. As I turned my head from left to right to take in the riverscape, I basked in the faint sunlight and cool air. I slowed down my pace to breathe in the gentle breeze that filled me with the buoyant energy of a new day.
I skirted around the pedestrians walking over the crosswalk, where cars, trucks, and motorini reluctantly paused.
Before turning down Via Santo Spirito, I glanced at the Fontana dello Sprone. Just the sunlight cast down the one-way road prompted me to stop.
I tried to revel in the scenery while cars and pedestrians passed by. Red apples, pineapples, bags of chestnuts, and white, green, and purple cauliflower were neatly displayed at the ortolano (greengrocer). Motorini were parked in a row along Via dello Sprone.
What delighted me the most was the Giglio di Firenze (the symbol of Florence). The decorations signify the beginning of the holiday season. The lights are being strung up around the downtown area to be lit up later this month.
Once the streetlight turned red, causing the traffic to stop, I stood across the street and just smiled. I walked away only after the traffic started up again.
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