It would take months—maybe years— to really see Florence.  We only had a day.  Our walking tour began in the best possible place, though, because the view from Pizzale Michelangiolo was spectacular!  We were so fortunate to have a sunny day, because we put in a lot of walking miles and shot a lot of photos—neither of which would have been much fun in the rain!

Following the tour, we had a couple of hours to see more of this beautiful city on our own, so we wasted no time.  Rather than spend it dining in a restaurant, we passed on lunch and walked the streets of the city with our heads on a swivel, taking in all there was to see.

The streets were very crowded; that’s just how it is in big cities anywhere you go these days.  The crowds get to both of us, so there were times we just needed to seek out a quieter area for a respite.

Here, then, is our day in Florence:

(For all pictures, click on the image to see full screen view.)

Coming up next: CHIANTI COUNTRYSIDE