Italy. Florence
Our first encounter with an Italian city was with Florence, and it was Florence that evoked the brightest emotions in us. We arrived in this ancient city at midnight, but despite the exhaustion from the journey and the late hour, we couldn't stay in our room. Thus, our first impressions came from the nightscapes of the cultural capital of the Renaissance...
Our nighttime stroll was made easier by the hotel's proximity to the city center. Stepping outside, we immediately found ourselves on the banks of the "Arno" river. A warm May evening and the feeling that I was in the Italy I had dreamt of all my life created a fantastic atmosphere. Walking along the cracked cobblestones and dimly lit embankment, I imagined I was in my hometown Uzhhorod, with a familiar river flowing nearby... That evening, I was so overwhelmed that the sensation of chills running down my spine didn't leave me for a second.
After just a 15-minute walk, we found ourselves at the city's oldest bridge, the "Ponte Vecchio." At the entrance to the bridge, we witnessed an interesting scene where local Afro-Italian vendors were selling women's handbags. They carried their entire stock, featuring the most famous brands, wrapped in huge bundles that they would unfold, organizing illegal trade wherever there was a large crowd and no police...
The atmosphere of the night city was extraordinarily cozy, sometimes feeling as if we were inside a huge house rather than on the street...
The main cathedral of Florence, "Santa Maria del Fiore," was well lit, and despite the late hour, many people were still walking around...
Many young people were sitting on the steps of the church, chatting, and the cafés along the main squares were also filled with people. Realizing that we weren't the only ones wandering the city late at night, we returned to our hotel with peaceful and content hearts to get some sleep. The Santa Croce Cathedral was the last night photo we took...
The next morning, we retraced our steps to the center, walking along the embankment of the Arno river...
The "Ponte Vecchio" looked even more stunning during the day. The houses along the bridge created a fairytale atmosphere, reminiscent of the scene in the novel "Perfume" describing a bridge with buildings, likely the "Pont au Change"...
During the day, there were no Afro-Italian vendors on the bridge, but numerous souvenir and jewelry shops, which occupied most of the bridge's buildings, catered to tourists' desires...
From the "Ponte Vecchio," we had a beautiful view of the "Ponte Santa Trinita." The clear sky reflected serenity, and the bright sun filled us with positivity...
Here stood a monument to the famous Italian sculptor and painter Benvenuto Cellini...
Crossing to the other bank, we had another view of the oldest bridge in Florence and the legendary Uffizi Gallery—a palace that is one of the largest museums of European art (the gray building with three arches)...
The square around the Santa Croce Cathedral was surrounded by old buildings that had absorbed so much energy and spirit over their centuries-long history that it was palpable, especially to first-time visitors...
Getting closer to the "Santa Maria del Fiore" cathedral with the towering "Giotto's Campanile" beside it, we couldn't resist the temptation to go inside and later climb to the top of the cathedral's legendary dome...
From the top of the dome, the panoramic views of the city were fantastic. The abundance of red-tiled roofs and low-rise buildings harmoniously fit into Florence's overall medieval scenery...
Here, the spirit of the past is truly felt; there are no buildings reminiscent of modernity. It seems as though these landscapes have remained unchanged for centuries. Constructing, for example, a skyscraper within the city would be as blasphemous as building a classical-style structure in a modern district like "La Défense" in Paris...
The mountains visible in the background gave Florence familiar notes that we loved and were used to, living near the Carpathian mountain range...
Back on the ground, we felt as if we were once again immersed in a sea of old houses. Reaching the "Palazzo Vecchio," we stood still for a while at the "Piazza della Signoria"...
Back on the ground, we felt as if we were once again immersed in a sea of old houses. Reaching the "Palazzo Vecchio," we stood still for a while at the "Piazza della Signoria"...
Another famous statue that caught our attention was "Perseus" by sculptor Benvenuto Cellini, which reminded me of the childhood favorite computer game "Mortal Kombat"...
We continued to wander the city's winding streets, in a state of creative chaos of thoughts...
How could we not mention the souvenir market selling a vast array of quality and relatively inexpensive handbags, a paradise for girls...
And here is an angel...
The narrow streets between the houses left little room for car traffic, making scooters and one-way roads very popular here...
The oldest public building in Florence, the Bargello (1256), the first town hall of Florence, now a national museum...
After Florence, we went on to conquer Rome, probably because all roads lead there...
Comments
Post a Comment