A while back, I had an early flight to catch for Paris and was going to be away for two weeks. I had only been back to Florence for a short time and felt like I hadn’t experienced enough of her before my departure the next day. On the morning of my flight, I woke up an hour earlier so I could walk around Florence and say goodbye to her. By the time, I reached Ponte alle Grazie, the sun hadn’t even risen yet. I stood along the low brick wall and decided to watch the sunrise. A great sense of serenity came over me as I listened to the water flowing over the weir in the Arno and observed the birds flying overhead.

When I’m walking around Florence, no matter if I’m in a rush or focused on getting to a specific location, I try to keep my eyes and heart open as much as possible. I don’t just keep myself open to the beauty I have seen many times, but also to the beauty that I might not have seen yet. I think that’s one of the reasons why I take photos of Florence. I don’t just take photos to capture her beauty and share it, but also to remember that she presents more of her beauty to me every day with every step I take.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Florence. Even if you don't know me, it’s fairly obvious. I not only write about living in Florence, but I also take pictures of the beauty around me in Florence. I don’t love Florence just because of her apparent beauty; I love Florence because of how she makes me feel when I am here. Florence stirs up powerful emotions within me, she inspires me to listen more closely to my heart, she nudges me to act and speak from love, she motivates me to be sincere, and she encourages me to fully embrace who I am.

To some people, Florence might just be a beautiful city to visit and enjoy. To me, Florence is one of my greatest loves. Loving a city is like loving a person: I was initially attracted to Florence’s beauty, I enjoy so many of her qualities, I accept my beloved city as she is, and I love how she makes me feel when I am in her embrace. I didn’t choose to love Florence by checking items off of a list, but rather by feeling her love inside of me. While I am attracted to Florence’s exterior, it is her interior that I fell in love with. Her heart, her soul, and her vibrant energy influence me every day.

I felt a twinge of excitement this morning as I closed the door of my apartment building and walked toward the Arno river. I have been running up to San Miniato al Monte for the past week and I couldn’t wait to get up there again today. I love running up the winding viale Michelangiolo on the path up to Piazzale Michelangiolo. When I first started running again, I would stroll around the Giardino delle Rose before heading back down through San Niccolò. Then, I would just stop at Piazzale Michelangiolo and take a few photos before running back down the viale. Nowadays, I run up to San Miniato, climb the steps to the church, and then run back down the viale.

People often ask me for my advice when they come to Florence for a visit. Instead of giving them any specific information about where to go and what to visit, I always suggest that people let themselves be drawn into Florence. Even though I have lived here for many years, I still enjoy letting Florence lead the way. For me, it’s the best way to discover new aspects of my beloved city. If I stick to what I know and where I’ve been, I’ll never discover anything new.

As soon as I set foot on the narrow path in the Giardino Bardini, I feel a sense of tranquility come over me. While the gravel crunches under my feet, the hum of the city begins to fade. I take the shortcut to the top by hiking up the steps in the middle section of the gardens. At the top of the staircase, I see the two statues on the terrace wall. Instead of walking through the gardens on the right, I turn left and walk up the incline. I feel a sense of excitement as I stroll through the tunnel of purple and pink wisteria that has just started hanging down. When I reach the top, I look out at Florence and can only hear the birds chirping and the church bells ringing in the distance.

The other day I was standing outside a friend’s door on via dei Servi waiting to be buzzed in and I saw the Duomo at the end of the street. I was so taken by the view and the way the sun was shining on the street that I took a photo. It got me thinking about just how incredibly fortunate I am to enjoy so much beauty. Instead of going home directly after my appointment, I walked around the Duomo to admire it in its entirety. I was so taken by its beauty that I almost didn’t notice how crowded it was in front of the Duomo. When I finally looked around me, I saw tourists huddled in groups, bikes zigzagging around us, and horse drawn carriages ringing their bells and making their way through the crowds.

Standing in the middle of the Ponte Santa Trinita, I feel as if I am in the center of Florence. It’s not that the ponte (bridge) is in the middle of the city physically, but it is where I feel completely immersed in Florence’s energy. On the ponte, I feel as if I am a part of Florence’s completeness with the water flowing below me, people circulating around me, and the buildings and monuments above me.

When I head out for a run in the morning, I am excited not just to run, but also to bask in my beloved city's beauty. I enjoy running outside, even when I'm on vacation, to see more of my surroundings. Of all the places where I have run, Florence is my favorite. Not just because Florence has such lovely monuments and churches, but because of how Mother Nature enhances her beauty. At sunrise and sunset, the sun casts a golden light on the city. When it's cloudy, the pastel-colored buildings become more vibrant. When the wind dies down, the Arno is so still that you can see the reflections of the buildings on it. After a big rain, the water in the Arno flows swiftly and cascades over the three pescaie (weirs) in town.

Every experience inspires you to fully embrace who you are. For the last five years, I have been bouncing back and forth between Florence and Paris. Initially, I was overjoyed to go back to Paris where my expat life first began, but slowly it became less joyful for me. When I moved to Florence the first time, I blocked Paris out of my mind so that I could fully experience Florence. I didn’t want to keep looking over my shoulder wondering what my life would be like in Paris, so I closed that chapter of my life and began a new one in Florence.

Every morning I open up my persiane (shutters) and look out at the sky above the four-story hotel that blocks my view of San Niccolò. I can’t see the sun rising along the Arno, but I can see the vivid colors filling up the sky. If the sky isn’t overcast, I consider going outside to stand along the Arno and watch the sunrise. Most of the time, however, my head convinces me to stay home where I am comfortable and warm. Sometimes I do feel inspired to just head outside no matter what thoughts might prevent me.

Beauty is not just pleasing to the eye; it’s also pleasing to the heart and soul. I’m fortunate to live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but it isn’t enough for me to just fall asleep and wake up in Florence every day. I do my best to take the time to walk around Florence so that I can admire and appreciate her every day. I always carry my iPhone in my pocket so that I’m ready to take a picture the moment I see something that inspires me. Inevitably a lot inspires me and I take a lot of pictures on my walks.

This year has been an intense one for me. I didn’t realize the intensity of it until I went to California at the end of July. All of a sudden, everything came to a halt when I fell ill. For three weeks, I was tired and feverish. I tried to get better, but my body just needed a break. The only thing that made me feel better was doing absolutely nothing. All the plans I had made for my trip were cancelled and I even missed my friend’s wedding, which was one of the main reasons of my going to California.

At 7am this morning, I opened up my shutters and got excited when I saw the vibrant pink, light blue, and gold sky. I stood gazing out at the sky, but buildings blocked my view. I debated for about a minute whether I was really going to go outside or not. I really wanted to, but I hadn’t even had my tea yet and was just waking up. I looked out again at the sky and I just couldn’t resist going outside. I threw on my sweats, grabbed a jacket, laced up my sneakers, and raced out the door.