Traveling with someone you love is one of the most fulfilling things to do, but we are only human, humans who can get on each other’s nerves and have different wants and needs to make us happy. Two and a half weeks into our trip and in our eighth city Ben and I were made to realize that to have the most fun sometimes we need to do things on our own. After long overnight train rides and early buses, sleep inevitably caught up to us and instead of walking the cobblestoned streets, pillows and sheets seemed more exciting. So while Ben gave in to the need for sleep, I wandered the city on my own.
Walking through the streets without a certain destination was surprisingly more fun than I expected it to be. Somehow I had found myself in the midst of almost every tourist attraction in the city, the Duomo, a square full of Renaissance art, and a bridge built in the fourteenth century. The Duomo is a beautiful church built in the thirteenth century and until modern technology, had the largest dome in the world. When I stumbled upon it I was absolutely amazed, the intricate detailing of the outside of the church left me in awe. I felt like I was staring at a painting that had come to life.
The Duomo
After making a circle around the building I chose a street at random to walk down and came across the piazza of Renaissance art and statues. Street vendors and tourists crowded the square and I let myself get lost in the statues. On the perimeter of the square was a 
platform of statues with seating around the edge of it. Since it was upwards of 90 degrees the shade felt great and refreshing and I sat and people watched surrounded by 500 year old sculptures. The rest of my journey brought me to the river and a very famous bridge lined with jewelry stores and a great view of Florence.
After venturing my way home with gelato melting in my hands I found Ben awake and refreshed, ready to see Florence. We started our afternoon with a trip to the oldest garden in the world, which was started by a Duke in the sixteenth century, which was peaceful but unfortunately unkept and containing less flowers than I expected. Afterwards I took Ben around to the sights I had seen earlier in the day.
Our second day we visited Piazzale Michelangelo, which is situated at the top of a hill overlooking the city of Florence and the river. The view was incredible, especially seeing the Duomo stand above the city. 
A few minutes away from the piazza there stood a church on yet another hill (we did a lot of hiking) that had a gorgeous cemetery filled with old tombstones and mausoleums. This is the third cemetery Ben and I have ventured into and I must say, they are extremely interesting and provide a peaceful atmosphere after a long day of dealing with tour groups.
I enjoyed my time in Florence so much better than in Rome. The streets were calmer and I was able to navigate myself through the streets so well that I didn’t need to use a map to get home after wandering by myself. There were many outdoor leather markets and surprisingly a lot of college students studying abroad. The whole feel the Florence was friendly and less tourist oriented. It is definitely a city I would love to come back to later in my life.
From Europe With Love
xoxo
From Peru With Love 