Under the shadow of a stately Pile,
The dome of Florence, pensive and alone,
Nor giving heed to aught that passed the while,
I stood, and gazed upon a marble stone,
The laurelled Dante’s favourite seat.
A throne.
William Wordsworth, Memorials of a Tour in Italy, 1837
My surprise birthday trip to Florence, a city I’ve long wanted to visit, was naturally wonderful. In three days of rather mixed weather (one wet, one cloudy, one sunny) we managed to see many of its sights (but missed more than we saw), wandered its streets, ate gelati every day and excellent meals every evening, and slept well in a beautiful old house in the Borgo Santa Croce.
It will take some time to digest everything we saw, sort through and edit my photos. But I’ve had an initial trawl for some that I think work well in black and white for this week’s theme-free Monochrome Madness. There is a mix of street scenes, architecture and sculpture. I hope you enjoy this monochrome preview of sights I’m certain to share in more detail in future posts.
My feature photo is of course the Duomo, the ‘dome of Florence’ referred to in Wordsworth’s poem. More properly known as the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (‘Saint Mary of the Flowers’) it dominates the heart of the city and its skyline. In one of those future posts I will take you inside, as well as show many more details of its awe-inspiring architecture.
The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (il Duomo)
The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore
Campanile of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore
Cathedral door detail
Santa Croce and Dante at night
Evening dog walker in the Piazza di Santa Croce
In the Piazza della Signoria
Tripe stall, Piazza della Signoria
Bookshop near the cathedral
In the Via dei Neri
The Torre d’Arnolfo from the Via dei Neri
Perseus with the Head of Medusa by Cellini, Loggia dei Lanzi, Piazza della Signoria
Detail of Hercules and Cacus by Bandinelli in the Piazza della Signoria
Replica of Michelangelo’s David in the Piazza della Signoria
Replica of Michelangelo’s David in the Piazzale Michelangelo
David by Donatello in the Palazzo Bargello
Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child in the Medici Chapel
Detail of Michelangelo’s tomb, Santa Croce
Filming ‘Dinner with Dante’ in the Piazza di Santa Croce
Selfie takers on the Ponte Vecchio
The Arno and Ponte Vecchio
I visited Florence in October/November 2025
58 Comments
equinoxio21
A perfect selection, Sarah. B&W works well…
il Duomo is a photographer’s nightmare: too many buildings crowding the square, hard to get a distance… 😉
(Makes me long for Florence again. And Dante’s throne. His house was a fantastic visit.)
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you. On the contrary, I found photographing the Duomo a delight! Such a striking building and with so many interesting angles, plus all the details! These first photos were taken on our rainy day but we went back later in the trip when the weather improved and I took many more, which you’ll no doubt see soon in colour!
equinoxio21
Interesting. I didn’t have a wide angle feature on my phone then. (Now I do.) So photos were a bit difficult.
Look forward to the colour versions…
Annie Berger
I think your B&W shots were inspired, given the generally miserable weather you had, Sarah! Happy that you got your (belated?) birthday wish to visit Florence. What marvelous churches and statues everywhere! Are you already itching to return for a longer visit?
Sarah Wilkie
The weather was mixed Annie – miserable and wet on our first full day (which was my actual birthday) but dry by the evening. Cloudy the next morning, turning bright by the afternoon, and warm and sunny for our last day 🙂 I wouldn’t mind a return visit as we didn’t see even half of what is there but on the other hand there are so many other Italian visits on our wish lists that I’d be OK if we didn’t get around to going back!
rkrontheroad
The architecture does lend itself well to black and white. My favorite is the dog walker, with reflections in the puddles.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Ruth, I’m glad you like that one 🙂 It sums up that part of the city for me, very much a place for locals as well as tourists.
Klausbernd
Dear Sarah
GREAT pictures 👍👍 beautifully presented. Thank you very much
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much Fab Four 😊
Amy
What a treat! Florence is a beautiful and special place. I really love this black and white version.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much Amy 😊 I’m really pleased you like this take on Florence!
Anonymous
The Duomo certainly lends itself to B&W and you’ve captured it brilliantly. I’m so glad you posted this as Florence was the first Italian city my husband and I visited and we were bowled over by it. Nick had just taken up sculpting and he was drunk on the art in Florence. We went especially to see the Donatello ‘David’ in the Uffizi and stood awestruck in front of it when we got there. I think this was in the late 60’s or early 70’s. We made another trip there in the 90’s but never recovered the magic of that first trip. I’m glad you ate gelati every day, it’s what I do too, often two cones at a time, one in each hand!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much for the lovely comment 🙂 I’m trying to think who I know who is married to a Nick who is a sculptor and I’ve drawn a blank, so please do let me know who you are!
Suzanne
Stunning images, Sarah. I especially liked the rainy reflections with the woman and dog. Florence still holds wonderful memories for me. I wouldn’t say no to returning.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Suzanne ☺️ We had rather too many opportunities for puddle reflection shots! But I loved the city and would happily return too.
grandmisadventures
Oh these are beautifully- you just can’t go wrong with an architectural gem like Florence in black and white
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much Meg 😊
Leanne Cole
These are fantastic Sarah, though I really think the first few were amazing in monochrome. Happy Birthday, for when it was.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much Leanne 🙂 The architecture of the cathedral really lends itself to monochrome, although it looks great in colour too!
sheetalbravon
Italy was the first foreign country I ever visited and I was besotted. So you can imagine my delight when I came across your Florence post. Sarah, I time travelled back. (The b/w theme was fitting). Matching your photos to my memory was the most glorious exercise. I can’t wait to see more; Firenze still has my heart. Also belated birthday wishes. To your health and happiness, cheers!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Sheetal, for both the lovely comment and the birthday wishes 😊 I can see how the monochrome shots added to your sense of time travel! I’ll have plenty of colour ones too which I hope will also transport you back to a city you clearly love.
bushboy
Florence comes alive in monochrome Sarah. I like the dog walker and the puddle reflections.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Brian, I’m glad you liked those shots in particular 😀
Vicki
Thanks for sharing this wonderful city and it’s architecture. I’m looking forward to seeing more (as I don’t remember my 3 days in Florence in 1976).
I especially like the building details reflected in the puddles. So unique. I also like your image of the cathedral door.
So much to love about Florence. I love street photography too, so the everyday scenes in the street certainly appeal.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Vicki 😊 I’m pleased my more unusual shots appealed to you, like the puddles. And I love street photography so I’m always on the look out for such opportunities!
Anna
Gorgeous photos! I need to go back to Florence because when I was there for 2 days only I had a nasty flu. I remember sitting on the steps of the duomo slowly dying. lol
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anna 😊 There’s little worse than feeling ill on holiday and knowing you’re not getting the best out of the experience, I do sympathise Sx
Egídio
Oh, the memories you rekindled with these images. Beautiful!
Sarah Wilkie
Glad to have taken you back Egidio 🙂
Rose
I could hardly wait for your Florence Birthday photos to get here! They are fantastic! You got to eat gelati every day, oh I miss gelati… Love the Duomo in black and white, can hardly wait for you to show us the interior. I have a very similar photograph of the “Campanile of the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore” that you have (taken in 2015). It’s keenly interesting to compare your black and white to my color version.
Sarah Wilkie
So glad this initial set of photos from Florence appealed to you – thanks so much Rose 😊 Oh yes, a daily gelato is a must when visiting Italy – we even had them on the day it rained! I’ll share my colour exterior photos of the cathedral too, some time soon, so you’ll be able to do an even more direct comparison, but I bet you’ll find them very similar. I reckon most people take the same shots! But I have quite a few details too that perhaps not everyone takes.
Sue
what a fab birthday treat! And you’ve given us a beautiful set of monochrome images to whet our whistle for more to come 😊😊
Sarah Wilkie
It was ‘absolutely fab’ 😀 And I’m glad these shots whetted your appetite!
Sue
Well, I visited Florence in 1980, and have never been back since so I am keen to do a bit of virtual travelling!
the eternal traveller
Beautiful! We’ve been in Trieste all day today as part of our 14 day Adriatic Sea cruise. We’ve had another marvellous day. We won’t be going to Florence on this trip so I’ve enjoyed seeing it with you.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you 🙂 And I’ll enjoy seeing Trieste with you in due course, as it’s a city we’ve never visited but which is on our radar as a future option!
Dawn M. Miller
Love it!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much Dawn 😊
Monkey's Tale
What a great birthday surprise! Love your sneak-a-peak pics, as with everyone else the Duomo is stunning. Was that someone famous in the film production picture? Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Maggie 🙂 It was a super surprise, and Chris managed to keep our destination secret until we were actually walking up to the departure gate! I don’t think that’s anyone famous – it seemed like a small production company (and we were told the film is a short), plus that particular woman was one of the extras I believe.
restlessjo
The Duomo photos are easily my favourites in mono. It’s a wonderful city xx
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Jo 😘 The Duomo certainly lends itself to B&W, with all those stripes!
gsilvosatrekpix
It’s a place where you visit and want to go back. Wonderful B&Ws.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you very much 🙂 Yes, I’d love to return!
Anne Sandler
Amazing captures Sarah, especially of The Duomo.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Anne – I found it a very photogenic city 😊
Graham Stephen
love the shot of the selfie takers!
⬻𓂀✧ 🔺 ✬ღ☆ 🔺 ∞ ♡ ∞ 🔺 ☆ღ✬ 🔺 ✧𓂀⤖
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Graham – there were plenty of them on the bridge to choose from!
Graham Stephen
👌👍🌟✨💫
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
The Duomo really looks fabulous in black and white, doesn’t it? not sure why I’m surprised, but i am.
Sarah Wilkie
I liked it equally in colour and B&W – the latter worked best on our first day when it was dull and rainy, but later in the trip we saw it in bright sunshine so colour was definitely the better choice.
margaret21
Ah, such happy memories for me, so beautifully expressed in black and white. But also making me a little sad, that this happy period of my life is long gone. Wasn’t I lucky though?
Sarah Wilkie
Very lucky – that must have been an amazing experience! I hope I can take you back in my future posts about the city too. As I mentioned already, we did manage to dodge the crowds much of the time 🙂
margaret21
Excellent!
Easymalc
What a great birthday surprise Sarah, and it’s also a surprise to me that you haven’t been there before. Strangely enough, it was one of the first foreign cities that I visited and I’ll be interested to hear what you thought of it. Your images of the city certainly don’t look out of place in black & white, but I’ll also be interested in your opinion as to how they compare to your colour pics.
Sarah Wilkie
I’d always fancied Florence but Chris was less keen so we’ve picked other Italian cities in the past – that’s why he chose it for my birthday surprise 😀 I’m equally happy with many of these shots in colour and B&W, but we did have some dull weather which meant monochrome worked better at times. I’ll be bound to share the colour versions of most of these in future posts so you’ll be able to judge for yourself!
Rebecca
What a beautiful birthday getaway! Florence is the perfect choice to celebrate a milestone. Can’t wait to read about your time there– I especially love your Wordsworth quote, a favorite poet of mine!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Rebecca – it was a real treat, as I’d always wanted to go there!