We were brought to Italy because a college friend of mine was having her nuptials amongst the vineyards in Tuscany. Before heading straight to the countryside, we spent a few days in Florence, the capital city of Tuscany. We learnt quickly that despite Italians being masters of the culinary arts, they didn’t place much importance on breakfast and tend to wake up late having stayed up eating and drinking the night prior.
This is great for runners where early mornings are naturally a part of who we are. You can run through town in the morning and see the sites in their purest form before being touched by tourist. You run further back in time with each step admiring the beautiful architecture of the historical sites – the angle of the sun too helps provide a unique perspective to the landmarks.
We stayed at the Gallery Art Hotel in the center of town which provides a good base for exploring the city given its proximity to the the Uffizi museum, the Piazza della Signoria and its closeness to the River Arno. On the second day, we went for a beautiful morning run down the River Arno, passed the American embassy and around the park at 7am where a handful of runners and cyclists, both local and foreign, were also out for their daily fitness fix- many sporting the latest from Lululemon, Nike and Asics. In a country known for its beauty and fashion, I find the word ‘runway’ takes on a slightly broader definition.
Dawn over Arno
Crossing the bridge on the River Arno in mid-afternoon
Sunset over Arno
View over the city from the Uffizi Gallery, one of the oldest art museums in the world
Beautiful frescos in the Palazzo Vecchio (the City Hall)
Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (Florence Cathedral) built in 1436
Inside the Cathedral where you can admire the magnificent fresco art of the 16th century
Need to Knows
Firenze Card. Gives you 72 hours of access to 72 museums as well as wifi points and local transport.
Gallery Hotel Art. Run by the Lugarno Collection (the Ferragamo group of hotels) which we booked through Mr and Mrs Smith.
Visit Florence. An independent travel website that gives you all the activities and information on attractions in and around Florence.
