Jacobs Travel Blog

Italy Travels - episode 9.a
Florence, an Open-Air Museum:

Florence is best explored with a camera. Every street seemed to lead to another masterpiece.
There is a lot more than the Duomo and all the walkable streets around it. The iconic Ponte Vecchio, lined with centuries-old jewellers, reflected beautifully across the Arno as the changing light transforms the scene throughout the day. Crossing the river into the quieter Oltrarno district revealed a different side of Florence—artisan workshops, narrow cobbled streets, welcoming cafés, and a pace of life that felt wonderfully authentic. The grandeur of Pitti Palace offered a glimpse into the wealth and power of the Medici family.
Florence's many piazzas each had their own personality. From lively gathering places filled with music and conversation to elegant squares framed by historic churches and sculptures, every corner invited you to stop, observe and photograph. We stayed at the Hotel Pendini, right on Piazza della Repubblica, such a lively and active square.
Even outside the famous Uffizi Gallery, art was everywhere. Magnificent statues, elegant arches and the constant flow of visitors created endless opportunities for street photography and storytelling. What impressed me most was that Florence doesn't reserve its beauty for museums. The city itself is the museum. Every bridge, palace, piazza and alleyway tells a story spanning hundreds of years.
More to come on art, culture, people and food.

Italy Travels - episode 9. Florence.
The DUOMO – The Heart and Soul of Florence

The Duomo of Florence is not just a building to be admired, it is one to be experienced.

Standing in the Piazza del Duomo, it is almost impossible to comprehend the scale of Santa Maria del Fiore. Every surface seems to demand attention—the intricate pink, white and green marble façade, the elegant bell tower, the Baptistery, and above it all, Brunelleschi's magnificent dome dominating the skyline.
What makes this cathedral extraordinary isn't just its beauty—it's the audacity behind it. When construction began in 1296, no one knew how the enormous dome would ever be built. More than a century later, Filippo Brunelleschi solved what many believed was an impossible engineering challenge, creating the world's largest masonry dome without the massive wooden scaffolding thought to be essential. Nearly six centuries later, it still inspires architects and engineers alike.

The closer you get, the more details emerge. Delicate carvings, geometric marble patterns, statues, and soaring Gothic lines reveal themselves with every step. Yet no single photograph can capture the Duomo. It is a monument that changes character throughout the day as the Tuscan light shifts across its marble and terracotta dome.

For photographers like me, Florence offers an endless challenge. Wide angles capture the grandeur of the cathedral, while wandering the surrounding streets reveals intimate glimpses framed by medieval buildings, cafés, and bustling piazzas. Every corner seems to present a new composition.

The Duomo is more than Florence's most famous landmark. It is a symbol of the Renaissance—a reminder of what imagination, artistry, and human ingenuity can achieve when someone refuses to accept that something is impossible.

No matter how many times you see it, the first glimpse of Brunelleschi's dome rising above the rooftops is one of those travel moments that stays with you long after you've left Florence.