Florence, Tuscany, Italy

The city of Florence, serving multiple roles as the capital of Tuscany, a center of commerce, and a popular tourist destination, is crowded with sightseers on the Ponte Vecchio, a bridge which has spanned the Arno River since Roman times (although replaced in 1345 after a flood).

A view of the Arno River, Ponte Vecchio, and other downriver bridges from inside the Uffizi Gallery.

The hawkers at the stalls near the Central Market attempt to entice passersby to purchase all manner of leather goods and other products.

The frenzied crowds stream in and out of the Santa Maria Novella downtown train station either boarding or exiting trains. We took the train from Lucca - about an hour and twenty minutes each way, very civilized and comfortable, the station is right downtown in the thick of things - much less stressful than trying to drive and park a car in the big, busy city of Florence.

This high speed train to or from Rome sits awaiting its next trip.

The Central Market houses countless vendors selling all manner of edibles.

And in the Piazza outside the Duomo (cathedral), the young children engage in that time-honored tradition of chasing the pigeons.....

....but never catching one.

These newlyweds are having pictures taken beside the Duomo.

This classical guitarist plays for tips and fills the plaza with his wonderful and gently amplified music. 

On a rooftop cafe at the Uffizi Gallery, clouds race by on this beautiful spring day.

Close-up detail.

In a city full of museums, art is everywhere. This exhibit is in the Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze, or in English "Gallery of the Academy of Florence." This is also the gallery where Michelangelo's original sculpture of David is on display. I will have a separate post about that soon. (Assuming I can retrieve the images from my dead and crashed computer).

The central dome in the Duomo stands 376 feet high!

In the Piazza della Signoria, this statue of Neptune stands in the sunshine.

This sculpture in the Uffizi Gallery stopped me in my tracks at the ability of this artist to chisel the folds of fabric so realistically in marble! 

Florence is a city teeming with people, life, history, and culture. A great place to visit on a perfect spring day!

(Note: all images in this post were made with my smartphone - I broke my camera).