Back from Florence and I think my 12th trip to Italy. I have left my heart and my soul in Italy. Every time I go there I feel like I am going home. It’s something special about Italy. It’s simply too beautiful where you can find everything you need and make your soul sing... It’s like a museum under the open sky. Every little place is a piece of magic with its own history. Every time I go there I wanna stay there forever.
I am posting my photographs with Florence like postcards so that you could better feel the beauty of this magical place. I have also included the most famous quotes about Florence and Italy as I guess I am not alone feeling this way...
All pics are available as high resolution files. If you would like to use these photos for your own projects, please feel free to drop me a note.
Here is another link for the Florence pictures.
“Among the four old bridges that span the river, the Ponte Vecchio, that bridge which is covered with the shops of jewelers and goldsmiths, is a most enchanting feature in the scene. The space of one house, in the center, being left open, the view beyond, is shown as in a frame; and that precious glimpse of sky, and water, and rich buildings, shining so quietly among the huddled roofs and gables on the bridge, is exquisite". (Charles Dickens)
"Stand on a bridge over the Arno river several times in a day and the light, mood and view changes every time. Firenze is magnetic, romantic and busy. Its urban fabric has hardly changed since the Renaissance, its narrow streets evoke a thousand tales, and its food and wine are so wonderful the tag 'Fiorentina' has become an international label of quality assurance." (Lonely Planet)
"Florence is considered to be the artistic, historical, and cultural capital of not only Tuscany, but of all Italy. Its physical elegance coexists beautifully with the il dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing) lifestyle of the Florentines and it reveals the city in a strong, yet gentle way that makes us want to delve deep into its art, culture, and history." (....)
"A city-size shrine to the Renaissance, Florence offers frescoes, sculptures, churches, palaces, and other monuments from the richest cultural flowering the world has known." (National Geographic)
"Tuscany is a storybook landscape, home to medieval hill towns, fabled wines and, as crucible of the Renaissance, an unrivaled collection of artistic masterpieces." (....)
"To see the sun sink down, drowned on his pink and purple and golden floods, and overwhelm Florence with tides of color that make all the sharp lines dim and faint and turn the solid city to a city of dreams, is a sight to stir the coldest nature." - Mark Twain
"Florence is known for its cultural vibes that fill the streets. These vibes give you a feeling of overwhelming happiness. It’s a city of color; the intricately designed buildings are filled with hand-carved details. People were dancing in the streets. No matter where you turned, there was a small cafe just waiting for you to try the traditional cappuccinos that Italy is most famously known for, and people never failed to make you feel welcomed." (....)
"Walking through the city of Florence is like walking through a fashion magazine." (.....)
"This is the fairest picture on our planet, the most enchanting to look upon, the most satisfying to the eye and spirit. To see the sun sink down, drowned in his pink and purple and golden floods, and overwhelm Florence with tides of color that make all the sharp lines dim and faint and turn the solid city to a city of dreams, is a sight to stir the coldest nature, and make a sympathetic one drunk with ecstasy." (Mark Twain)
"We are fortunate: Florence isn’t just the cradle of art—it is a city that celebrates the art of living well." (...)
"Unlike Rome and Milan, Florence has a much more 'homey' feel to it. It’s easy to immerse oneself in the Florentine lifestyle and find yourself never wanting to leave." (....)
"Simply walking through the streets of the town er transports you back into the past. This is a place that has remained intact, there is a genuineness to the city and its people, just as has been described by so many famous poets and writers." (...)
"A city-size shrine to the Renaissance, Florence offers frescoes, sculptures, churches, palaces, and other monuments from the richest cultural flowering the world has known." (National Geographic)
"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." (.....)
As the birthplace of Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), Francesco Petrarca (1304-74) and Boccaccio (1313-75), Florence has been a source of inspiration for foreign poets and writers since Chaucer visited the city in 1373.
"The energy of Florence is indescribable: overflowing with bustle and charm, teeming with life. Every corner bears new treasures, every cobblestone a gem. The artistry in the sculptures, the landscapes, the architecture is beyond compare. I feel a sense of humility and awe walking along these ancient streets, which have served as witness to countless revolutions, tread upon for so many centuries by artists and martyrs and geniuses alike. The stones are infused with history and culture and knowledge: I feel it. I feel the presence of generations, I feel the weight of giants." (Emily Kyle, CAPA Florence alumna)
"Firenze and the surrounding Tuscan countryside are the most sensuous places I have ever visited. The splendorous art of the city is a kaleidoscopic circus of colors, figures, lines, and shapes which dazzle the eye. The aromas of delicious cuisine waft out of the trattorie and into the streets. And the sounds of the city – from the bells of the imposing campanile to the massive church organs to the street musicians – create a marvelous musical melody accompanying you on every corner." (Jack Meyer, CAPA Florence alum)
"Florence’s is a subtle beauty - its staid, unprepossessing palaces built in local stone are not showy, even though they are very large. They take on a certain magnificence when day breaks and when the sun sets; their muted colors glow in this light.” (Fodors)
"Sure, Florence is touristy. But where else can you stroll the same pedestrian streets walked by Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Botticelli while savoring the world's best gelato?" (....)
"The beauty of Florence is infinite." (...)
"If Italy were Mona Lisa then Florence would be her smile." (....)
"Florence is like a diamond that I keep looking at from different angles to find more of her to love." (......)
Florence is charming, cozy, beautiful, inspiring - it has so many great places to go to and so many unique things to see that you won't find anywhere else! (Edgardo Osorio)
"The very beginning of European aesthetics started from Florence. Everything here was beauty, money, and creativity, the power of the good money." (Alessandro Michele)
"If you go to Florence, it has all surface beauty, but like Venice, it’s simply a museum of Renaissance times." (....)
"Nothing is permanent, but the beauty of antiquity remains in Florence." (...)
"You may have the universe if I may have Italy." (Giuseppe Verdi, Italian composer)
"I was offered a free villa in Hollywood, but I said no thank you, I prefer to live in Italy." ( Ennio Morricone, Italian composer)
"To be in Florence is to reflect on Europe's intricate diversity - and its lost creativity."
(Timothy Garton Ash)