My Thoughts
Jan 7, 2011 | Posted in Blog, Life, Photography, Travel
Day 1: Arrived in Florence, The City of Renaissance
As an art student, I grew up learning about Renaissance art along with many stories during that period. And from that experience I always wanted to visit Florence, a city of the Renaissance. After months of planning and saving, my fiance and I finally booked our trip to Italy. Our first time in Florence was incredible. My fiance and I arrived early on a Friday morning at 11am. We were so hungry and tired. The first thing we did after check in to our hotel was getting an Italian Pizza. We wandered into a nearby restaurant and it was quite delicious.
After our breakfast / lunch, we decided just to walk around the city with our map. We stopped by at The Basilica di Santa Croce located by Piazza di Santa Croce. It's the largest Franciscan church in the world since 1294. After going through all the 16 chapels inside, we decided to move on to another place.
Related post
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Day 1: Arrived in Florence, The City of Renaissance
Day 2: Piazzale Michelangelo, Panoramic Views of Florence.
Florence for Foodies: Inside San Lorenzo Market
Pontassieve, A Medieval Village in The Heart of Tuscany.
(Just arrived in Florence, Italy)
(Waiting for our pizza)
(The Basilica di Santa Croce)
(I love dogs, even when I'm in Italy)
(Beautiful architecture)
(Nice strolls through the streets)
Next stop was the Piazza del Duomo, a small piazza surrounded by Duomo, Baptistery and The Campanile bell tower. All the cathedrals were quite impressive and the biggest highlight was looking down from the dome's observation deck. I think I have to give myself a "you did well" sticker because I'm afraid of staircases and heights. I managed to climb up 436 steps with my fiance and saw the most breath-taking city view of Florence in a 360 degree perspective. After enjoying our stunning views, we went back down the same way we came. We then headed to the Piazza della Signoria before we head off to Uffizi Gallery.
(At Piazza del Duomo)
(Inside the Duomo)
(We finally made it to the top after along climb)
(See, isn't this view stunning?)
(Another view form the top)
(I finally catch my breath)
(Palazzo Vecchio)
The last stop before our dinner was the Ponte Vecchio, a famous bridge in Florence. It sat on top of Arno River and lined with many jewelry shops. There were musicians that play on the bridge at night and the lights of the water reflect it's true beauty. We finished our day with a nice Italian dinner. That night we learned so much about Florence and I have to say the city of Florence is home to some of the most beautiful art in the world.
(You see love lock everywhere)
(I can't take my eyes off them)
(Many shops there)
(My appetizer - octopus salad)
(My entree - Seafood pasta)
(I love the night sence)
(Nice walk back to the hotel)
Following is a list of some of the most significant sites in Florence that you should see.
1 – The Basilica di Santa Croce, 2 – Piazza della Signoria, 3 – The Campanile, bell tower in Piazza del Duomo, 4 – Il Duomo - Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, 5– The Baptistery, 6 – Ponte Vecchio, 7 – Galleria degli Uffizi, 8 – Galleria dell' Academia, 9 – Palazzo Vecchio, 10 – Piazzale Michelangelo
Florence, The City of Love
Florence, Italy from Sarah Wu on Vimeo.
arts, florence, food, italy, photography, Travel
70 comments
Day 1: Arrived in Florence, The City of Renaissance
Lorna - the roamantics Says:
Jan 7th, 2011 10:58 | Reply
great post sarah! your photos are out of this world gorgeous and of course laid out beautifully (what else should i expect from an awesome designer!?) definitely appreciate the recap/shortlist of must-see places. putting that in my pocket for my rtw planning 
Lorna - the roamantics Says:
Jan 12th, 2011 08:57 | Reply
i haven't! it's on the must-see list! i have wanted to go to pompei since i was little, and once i became a foodie and wino ;) then of course the rest of italy got added! :)
Lily Chen Says:
Jan 7th, 2011 11:07 | Reply
Your pics look so great, Florence looks like a romantic city.
The architecture of Piazza del Duomo makes me stunned, what a delicate building!!
I hope next time I go to Europe, I can visit Venice and Florence.
And I want to eat octopus salad, too.
Bethany Says:
Jan 7th, 2011 15:03 | Reply
Awesome shots Sarah! I miss Florence already. What a beautiful place
Lindsay Says:
Jan 7th, 2011 15:32 | Reply
Great post, Sarah! I want to go, it is so beautiful! Looks like you had an amazing time!!
Lindsay Says:
Jan 12th, 2011 15:01 | Reply
I haven't! I really want to go! I think I'd really love it- your photos of it are beautiful!
LeslieTravel Says:
Jan 7th, 2011 15:52 | Reply
Awesome photos! Florence looks amazing. I’ll have to check it out one day
Dennis Salvatier Says:
Jan 7th, 2011 16:27 | Reply
Another great post, Sarah. I definitely want to visit Italy, France and Rome some day. If I can get out of working so much, that is. Great video by the way. I’m sure you have tons more photos and experiences to share. Continue having a great time.
swgraphic Says:
Jan 12th, 2011 07:22 | Reply
Hey Dennis, I think Florence is such a romantic place to take your wife to. Take a nice stroll to the plaza and share a gelato with her. On the other hand, Rome has more ruins and historical site, yet still beautiful. That was my 1st attempt making video, glad you like it. I know it's not as good as those video we have seen on Viemo. lol. I have a lot more pictures and I'm going to put them up. So be sure to check back on my next post :)
My Kafkaesque life Says:
Jan 7th, 2011 19:13 | Reply
Great photos, much better than mine. You’re such a great photographer, I think you would be a great travel mate around Taiwan 
Where is Hsin-Yi? Judging by your Twitter conversation, she’s been with you, or am I wrong? I want to see pics and vids of her, hehe
swgraphic Says:
Jan 12th, 2011 07:24 | Reply
Thanks Nino! Coming from a great photographer like yourself, I feel so flattered. I can't wait to see you and Lily in Taiwan near the future. I think we'll have tons of fun. I'm sure 1st date will be different then talking online. But I'll get a hang of not being shy in-front of you guys haha. I met her one night in Rome and then we had different plan booked so we went separate ways.
My Kafkaesque life Says:
Jan 12th, 2011 16:14 | Reply
Ooh, one night in Rome and you girls are sure nothing happened? :P I'm waiting for Sara and Hsin-Yi part II: One night in Manhattan, lol.
Akito Says:
Jan 7th, 2011 20:10 | Reply
Great photos. The Duomo is very imposing but you made it all the way to the top. Where to next? 
RSA Online Says:
Jan 7th, 2011 21:48 | Reply
Amazing! If I ever went to Florence you can bet I would NEVER be able to leave
sergey Says:
Jan 7th, 2011 22:00 | Reply
Another wonderful contribution Sarah. Excellent post and photos and really makes me want to visit. Its good to know in case I want to visit.
Hsin-Yi Says:
Jan 7th, 2011 23:25 | Reply
Your post always makes me hungry and distracts me from work and starts day dreaming 
Erin Says:
Jan 8th, 2011 07:47 | Reply
Great post and incredible photos, of course! Florence is still on my to do list for Italy (missed it last time!) Your post makes me want to go now!!
swgraphic Says:
Jan 12th, 2011 07:29 | Reply
Thanks for your kind words Erin. When are you thinking to do? There are so many cities to see in Italy so I totally understand what you mean. I didn't see Venice but instead I saw Naples & Pompeii. So I know if I go back Venice will be my new stop and Florence will be my favorite haha
Jeff Titelius Says:
Jan 8th, 2011 15:11 | Reply
A magnificent article and photo essay on one of my favorite cities in the world. You couldn’t have planned a more picture-perfect day…these photos are stunning, crisp and extraordinary!!!
swgraphic Says:
Jan 12th, 2011 07:31 | Reply
Hey Jeff, so glad we're connected on twitter & blog. Thank you for stopping by and your kind comment. I have more photos to post about Florence, so stay tune! Maybe subscribe to my RSS for more photo essay posts :) Don't you love it when the post has pictures. hee hee.
Jeff Titelius Says:
Jan 12th, 2011 15:08 | Reply
Me too my new friend. And yes, already subscribed to your feed...I don't want to miss another posting like this. Don't you just love Florence? Been there twice and believe me, there will be more times I visit that enchanting Renaissance city!!!
jamie - cloud people adventures Says:
Jan 9th, 2011 07:09 | Reply
great photos sarah! i especially love the one of the locks. never thought i would be saying that. ha. look forward to seeing more from your trip!
swgraphic Says:
Jan 12th, 2011 07:33 | Reply
Thank you very much Jamie! I didn't know what the lock was for until I got closer and look at them. Later on someone told me those are from couples that are in love. sweet thought right? I'm going to have more pictures up soon so stay tune and be sure to check back. heheh Take care!
Ryan Says:
Jan 9th, 2011 21:46 | Reply
I don’t even know where to start! I am so jealous of your trip, and I’m glad to see you have so many great pictures! The food, the architecture, and all the history you must be experiencing must be amazing.
swgraphic Says:
Jan 12th, 2011 07:35 | Reply
Thank you Ryan, glad you like this post and the photos. I have to admit I still think about the food much more then arts now. The food are so freshly made there and delicious. This is probably the best trip I ever had so far. Will you plan a trip to Italy too?
ciki Says:
Jan 10th, 2011 05:00 | Reply
awesome shots my dear! reminds me of my previous holiday.. feeling nostalgic now!
Natalie - Turkish Travel blog Says:
Jan 11th, 2011 04:51 | Reply
Fantastic pictures Sarah. Looks like a good holiday all round. Great food, great sights to see and you are traveling with your loved one.
swgraphic Says:
Jan 12th, 2011 07:38 | Reply
Thanks Natalie for stopping by again. Such kind comment you make, and yes the food are so delicious and served in a perfect portion. In America, any food you ordered are huge plate and make you too full. Not in Italy! Traveling with my fiance and enjoying the food with him is such a amazing experience.
kens_thought Says:
Jan 13th, 2011 09:13 | Reply
great post, Sarah.
Once again you had brought me for a virtual tour of beautiful Florence.
Just realised that you take super sharp photos.
Travelpology Says:
Jan 14th, 2011 15:02 | Reply
Beautiful photos! What kind of camera do you use? It seems like the sunlight was absolutely perfect that day! Also what was with the “love locks”? I’ve never seen those before! I’m going to Italy this summer so I’ll have to look for them!
swgraphic Says:
Jan 19th, 2011 05:53 | Reply
Thank you for your kind words. I use Canon T2i with 28mm Prime lens. How about you? What camera do you use? You'll see them almost everywhere in Italy. It's a love locks are a custom by which sweethearts affix padlocks to a fence to symbolize their love. Cute idea right?
Travelpology Says:
Jan 24th, 2011 20:22 | Reply
I have a starter DSLR. A Nikon D40. I just bought a wide angle lens which makes food shots (and just about any shot) look a lot cooler. Love the love locks! My friends just got back from Paris and they seemed to find love locks there, too! I don't know how I've missed this! And apparently you lock the lock and then throw away the key so it's permanent. So cute.
Erica Says:
Jan 16th, 2011 11:37 | Reply
RAWR I’m so jealous of your camera. Your pictures are always so stunning!
The picture of the octopus salad made my tummy grumble!
Emily Says:
Jan 18th, 2011 16:58 | Reply
Such beautiful photos! Basilica di Santa Croce was by far one of my favorite things about Florence. I loved how walkable the city is–it felt a lot smaller than I thought it would. I also ordered a seafood pasta dish and was horrified to realize that it was served with its eyeballs still there! You definitely don’t see that in the US Looks like you had a wonderful time!
swgraphic Says:
Jan 19th, 2011 06:25 | Reply
Thanks Emily! I love the Plaza by the Santa Croce too, Just relax and sitting on the ground watching people walking by. When I went to the tourist office there asking how to take the bus or get around they told me I can walk everywhere. I was surprised how small it is too. Yea usually the shrimp is without the shell in the restaurant here haha
Dave and Deb Says:
Jan 24th, 2011 15:45 | Reply
Great shots! You really captured a beautiful day in Florence. I felt like I was there with you!
mina (sending postcards) Says:
Jan 26th, 2011 04:15 | Reply
I love the video! You’ve got such a steady hand and the shots are gorgeous. Great work, looks like you had a fabulous time!
Gen Y Travel Blog Carnival: 7th Edition | beersandbeans.com Says:
Feb 3rd, 2011 10:29 | Reply
[...] design on Sarah’s blog doesn’t grab you, then the clean, colorful photos in this photo post about their first day in Florence definitely will. SW Graphic always catches my eye and the photos, like the one below, are always [...]
Todd | Todd's Wanderings Says:
Feb 5th, 2011 10:20 | Reply
Great photos Sarah, I really felt like I was there for the whole day with you! Sometimes long photo posts can get a bit boring but yours kept me with you the whole time. And I loved the video at the end as well.
Verity Says:
Feb 13th, 2011 20:59 | Reply
Oh I love Florence so much! The gelato, the sculptures, the shopping! I bought my favourite jacket there… red leather. Actually I think I need to go back… everything else I bought last time I was there (~5 years ago) is falling apart… my beautiful leather gloves, my bright blue leather belt. It really is the best place to buy leather.
As always your pictures were gorgeous. It looks so sunny and beautiful and the food looks so delicious. I loved the video! I thought it was put together very nicely
Blueprint RSA Says:
May 31st, 2011 04:12 | Reply
Lovely couple and nice pictures. Its really great to travel with your love one. Florence is really a beautiful place, good to hear that you had fun and were able to conquer your fear of heights. Did you guys put your love lock? We’ll be waiting for your next vacation engrande
