Museums tend to hold the majority of cherished and prized Italian art. However, outside a number of Florentine residents add to the outdoor museum of the city. Part of what I love about Florence is its cohesive architecture, the city's ability to stick to one style even throughout newer, more modern buildings. Part of that appeal lies in nearly every piazza and around every corner. There is some sort of statue to be seen, admired, and yes, even feared. The more famous, the lesser known, the symbolic and the evil eyed are among my favorites in Florence. Continue Reading
Ponte alla Carraia in Florence, Italy Wishes You Were Here
Most draw their attentions to the Ponte Vecchio in the other direction, but Ponte alla Carraia warrants more than a look. Standing on Ponte Santa Trinitá, Ponte alla Carraia spans the River Arno and appears covered in a haze this evening. The reflections of nearby buildings use the Arno as their mirror, getting ready for a big night out in Florence. Would you like to have your photo featured here? Email me at suzy [at] suzyguese [dot] com. Continue Reading
The Local Battle
This week, I am pleased to present a guest post from Annie Bettis of Wayward Traveller. I am proud to say I have actually had the opportunity to meet Annie while here in Florence. Aside from being an incredibly nice person, Annie is also extremely insightful about Italian life, living with Italians, and making the leap for travel experiences. She has spent the last 6 months living in Florence and recently launched her new travel blog, Wayward Traveller. I love Annie’s tagline, “Until I’ve seen it all”. Follow Annie on Twitter while giving this new travel writer a read and learn about life in Continue Reading
Always More To See
Florence begins to grumble as my stomach does the same. Rain sprinkles down, but not in a pouring fashion. Perhaps this is not the best time for exploration, but my feet have a mind of their own. Usually, if you have lived in a place or have visited before, you can remember your way around. You delight in being able to show your travel companions that you have roamed these streets before and don’t need a map. Even at home, we often take the same streets because we know where they will lead. Erring on being overly cautious, I choose the known, beaten path. Not in the sense that I don’t take Continue Reading
Just A Place To Rest My Head
The room I now occupy in Florence functions as a bedroom, living room, dining room, kitchen and closet all in one. The studio apartment combines all areas of living. Coffee is just two feet from the bed. My new desk where work will take place merges with the relaxation a couch and TV provide. There are no walls keeping one room’s role out from the other. As I chatted with my landlord about the space with 24 hours of no sleep hanging over, she told me how it served as the library of her old family villa. She recounted just where all of the books were stacked against the walls. Today, books Continue Reading
Sitting On Italian Church Steps
When the chaos of the outside world grows, expands, and engulfs everything in my travel path, I head not to a museum, hotel, or restaurant for respite but rather to a church. Throughout Italy, a Catholic church seems to be the requirement in every town, along the same lines of having a supermarket or a post office. Those without are normally towns along the side of the road merely consisting of a café, bank, and tabacchi, the religious rejects if you will. The outside world whizzes on by. Cars honk loudly and vespas interject throughout most side conversations. When I need a break from that Continue Reading
Spring in the Boboli Gardens of Florence Through the Camera’s Eye
Barbie pink roses cover remarkably green bushes. It may be a fairytale, but the handful of tourists with fanny packs pull me out of this dream, but only for a moment. Spring has arrived in Florence, but you wouldn’t know it in the historic center with little patches of greenery to be found. The store windows may be the only indication that it is time to change that winter wardrobe of coats and scarves to floral dresses and sandals. One of my favorite moments with spring came in the Boboli Gardens in Florence. The Boboli Gardens sit perched above historic Florence, Italy. From Continue Reading