Greetings from the Medici city of Florence

If it is possible to fall in love with an inanimate object, in this case a city, then we have done so, because we are in love with Florence. It cast its spell on us from the moment we arrived, and doesn’t look like relenting. And what’s not to love about this city, which occupies pride of place in the most beautiful of Italy’s regions, Tuscany. This is our fourth Italian city, and while they all have their unique charms (and some vices), it is Florence that has captured our hearts above all others.

Wonderful Florence - the Basilica Santa Maria del Fiore can be seen towering above the skyline.

Florence is big and busy, but for some reason it feels more relaxed. And without doubt, it is a green city, its parks and gardens and beautiful avenues, many standing guard over the city in the hills which encircle it, providing a perfect contrast to the Tuscan terracotta buildings below. Nowhere is this more striking than at Pizzale Michelangelo, no more than a very large lookout, but frequented by hundreds of people, particularly at dusk, when the setting sun provides the most perfect backdrop for a city transitioning from day to night.

Florence at dusk, with the Ponte Vecchio in the foreground.

View of Florence from San Miniato Church

The views from the Pizzale are, well to be honest, beyond words. With the buildings of Florence below, some medieval, some Renaissance, others more modern, the beautiful river with its many bridges, and the hills of Tuscany seemingly so close you could jump from one to another, it is easy to understand why both locals and visitors alike keep returning to this landmark (we’ve already been twice, and plan to have dinner on the steps one night).

The other thing about Florence is it antiquity; the famous buildings, statues and other famous artefacts of culture which populate this space. To be sure, they almost assault the senses, and can almost become overwhelming at first. We’ve seen many spectacles in our two months of travels, but nowhere have we ‘oohed and ahhed’ quite like we have in Florence. We have already visited quite a few of these monuments to Italian culture, and today we plan to visit even more, including Michelangelo’s ‘David’. 

But for us, yesterday was a day of gardens, namely Boboli and Giardino Bardini. The Boboli gardens were built by a family whose name is synonymous with Florentine wealth and grandeur, the Medici Family. Cosimo Medici had this garden built for his wife in the 15^th century, and all I can say is he must have loved her very much, as the gardens are spectacular in every sense of the word. Much smaller, but equally impressive, are the nearby Giardino Bardini, which provide a more intimate feel. 

Boboli gardens.

Hedges are a feature of these, and other Renaissance gardens.

 

Statues are another feature of these gardens, and we loved them all.

Some of the statues look harmless, but be careful, they can bite.

Both gardens provide spectacular views of the city below and the Tuscan hills. Tuscanites love their gardens, and they have a feel about them quite different to that back home. Of course, hedges are everywhere, but they also features trees and flowers and, that most famous and ubiquitous of Renaissance garden features, water and statues. Walking through these gardens always evokes a sense of peace and harmony, a sense that everything is in balance. They are truly a delight to the senses, and we love each and every one of them.

Giardino Bardini (giardino means garden in Italian).

 

More of these lovely gardens.