Florence was the last destination that Yvon and I went to with Rick and Dave in June of 2015. After the confusion and noise of Naples, it was sort of a relief to be in a smaller cleaner more manageable place. The tourist crowds were present, but not overwhelming, and we spent pleasant, hot days, wandering through piazzas, churches and neighbourhoods. The sense here was of a place that is devoted largely to the glories of its past, less a city than a series of interlocked museums.
Photo List (Total 520 Photos)
Click bolded headers below to view, or click "just the best" for quick tour
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The Duomo (82 photos) - The Duomo, otherwise known as the Cattedrale di Santi Maria del Fiore, or the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Flower, is the large cathedral and accompanying bell tower and baptistry that dominates and defines Florence. This group of photos documents the complex. There are photos of the buildings outside, then outside at night, then inside, then photos as we ascend up the dome. There are lovely photos with view of Florence from the top of the dome. We also ascended the bell tower, so interior photos of that and a few more views of the city. There are internal photos of the baptistry, the exterior of which was being renovated. There are some photos of the Fete-Dieu procession that Yvon witnessed, and a few of the Piazza San Giovanni surrounding the Duomo.
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Central Piazzas (80 photos) - Central Florence can be understood as a series of piazzas connected by streets. This group of photos is essentially the central city organized by piazza. It starts at the Piazza della Signoria, dominated by the Palazzio Vecchio, and full of statues. We saw a live concert there one night. There are quite a few photos of the Piazza della Republica, with it's huge arcade and carousel. We ate supper here one evening. These two piazzas are followed by a bunch of scenes around the central city, including buildings, and architectural details like doors and lights. There are quite a few night photos intersperced in this group.
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West Central Florence (72 photos) - This gallery starts with the large Basilica of Santa Maria Novella and the Cloister of the Dead, near the train station and near to our hotel. It continues through the Medici Chapel Museum, various squares and plazas nearer to our hotel, and into the Central Market.
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North Central Florence (34 photos) - These photos document two walks into the north end of the city, Bob and David at one point, and later Yvon and Bob. This brought us to a few quieter piazzas than those found in the central city, to a sweet little park called the Giardino del Borgo whose shade was appreciated, and to the English Cemetery.
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East Central Florence (37 photos) - Almost all these photos are of the Basilica di Santa Croce, which Yvon and I visited after our walk north. It includes exterior and interior photos of the church, a cloister, and then a few photos of streetscapes in the surrounding area.
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Arno River and the South Shore (148 photos) - This large gallery brings together everything from view of the Arno River and south. The first photos were our first glimpse of the river, and include some scullers. There are a few photos of bridges, especially the Ponte Vecchio, which is famously lined with buildings housing shops for gold and jewellery. On the south side, the gallery starts with the Piazza Santo Spirito, where we ate lunch two days in a row, and includes photos of the nearby Basilica. There are some general shots of the neighbourhood, then a large group of shots of the Boboli Gardens, attached to the Pitti Palace. We continued to the Forte Belvedere and saw some modern art. Yvon and I went up to two churches as well as the Cemeterio de Porta Santa near the Piazzale Michaelangelo, which offered lovely views of the city.
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Uffizi (38 photos) - On our last day in Florence, I went to the Uffizi Gallery first thing in the morning, no one else wanted to go. These photos are a mix of those depicting the gallery in general, especially the light-filled hallways that link the rooms, with a few shots of particular artworks.
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Other Florence and Transit Photos (29 photos) - This gallery starts with 11 random photos that didn't fall easily somewhere else, like Yvon posing as Pinocchio, or boots, or Yvon passing by a bunch of Hare Krishnas on the street. It continues with travel-related images, including Florence's interesting mid-century train station. The last few show us on our train journey to Rome and boarding the plane for Toronto.
