April showers brought glicine (wisteria), roses, and irises to Florence’s gardens. Every spring, I am drawn to visit the gardens to enjoy the colors and scents that fill the air. After traipsing around the roses, I always felt rejuvenated.

Regardless of the shifts in the weather, I reveled in my beloved city every time I went outside. Florence presented me with snippets of beauty that spurred me to pause. Over a few weeks, I captured special moments while roaming around Giardino Bardini, strolling through Piazzale degli Uffizi, hiking up to Viale Michelangelo, and walking along Lungarno degli Archibusieri. 

As winter was ending, I came across birds everywhere, especially when I walked along the Arno. Only in one of my pictures were the birds absent. As I was walking home late one night, I paused in Piazza San Giovanni. The air was cool and serene as I breathed in Santa Maria del Fiore before continuing on my path.   

After the celebrations, the city seemed to be on a break. Shops were closed and streets were calm. I enjoyed my time strolling around Florence and basking in her energy. My many highlights include glimpsing the cupola above the holiday lights, spotting a crow perched on a lamppost, watching the sunset from Ponte Santa Trinita, and catching another one the next day along Ponte alle Grazie.

December was a month of sheer magic. From the slick sidewalks, along Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli to the quiet moment on Ponte Vecchio, the bright skies above Santo Spirito, the wintry sunset above the Arno, to the glistening holiday lights in Piazza Santa Trinita. As we say goodbye to 2023, may this new year bring us all much love and light in our hearts and our surroundings.

During the heart of autumn, I traipsed around Florence, basking in views from the gardens and from alongside the Arno. As the days grew shorter and the temperatures dropped, the city continued to shine and emanate her charm.

As summer ends, the sun loses its strength and the temperatures cool down. The colors are becoming softer as the trees are changing color. Over the past month, I have enjoyed moments that delighted my senses: the sunlight celebrating the return of a favorite monument, the full moon peeking between the Duomo and the Campanile, a snippet of the skyline from across the river, and a sunset above the Arno. These brief moments made me want to connect with Florence more often.

During these past few weeks, I was inspired me to focus on soaking up my beloved city. It has been a treat to walk around and just revel in Florence’s streets and piazzas. The flow is interesting: busy days and quiet mornings and evenings. I have taken many photos, but wasn’t inspired to write anything. Sometimes a sentence would trickle in, but then I would lose the motivation to write more. For me, these moments are always special and yet once they have passed, they become memories.

At the onset of summer, I took strolls along the Arno and walks through Giardino delle Rose and Giardino Bardini. Florence led me to places where I could experience more beauty. These brief moments infused me with a warm tranquility in my heart. When I returned home, I felt inspired to live my life more fully by taking more breaks to enjoy my surroundings.

Florence emanates her energy, encouraging nature to reach its pinnacle and inspiring us to do the same. I indulged in many moments, especially an evening stroll along Via Romana, a hike up to Piazzale Michelangiolo, a saunter through the Giardino dell’Iris and the Giardino delle Rose.

No matter where I go, I appreciate spotting a cupola. In these last few weeks, I caught an enchanting sunset behind San Frediano in Cestello and glimpsed the Duomo at the end of a street, through the branches of a Judas tree, and from above near Piazzale Michelangiolo. 

For the past few weeks, spring has dropped more hints of its arrival. I delighted in many special moments: catching a sunrise in Piazza San Giovanni, paying homage to Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici in Palazzo Vecchio, relishing the panorama from San Miniato al Monte, and enjoying a stroll around Giardino Bardini.

As January ended and February began, I experienced hints of an early spring in Florence. A rainbow from the terrace of Giardino Bardini, a sunset that hinted at warmer days to come, a golden glow behind San Frediano in Cestello, and a brilliant moon reigning the blue skies above Ponte Vecchio. These moments are memories I create in my Florentine life. Not occasions to glance at, snap a photo of, and walk away from, but to breathe in, enjoy, appreciate, and share. 

The year began with unpredictable weather: from clear blue skies to rain and from mild temperatures to colder ones. The streets filled up for the weekend and emptied during the week. Florence held me in her embrace and presented me with extraordinary moments that I captured in my heart.

The end of the year included heavy rains that swelled up the Arno and milder temperatures. Streets and piazzas were crowded with locals and out-of-towners. The holiday lights brightened up the centro storico. Florence’s festive mood invited us to partake either alone or in the company of others.