It’s no surprise that any trip through Florence will eventually lead you to the famed Ponte Vecchio (old bridge).

This bridge was first mentioned during Roman times and spans the Arno river at its narrowest point. It has survived a few floods and story has it that even Hitler ordered that the bridge not be destroyed during WWII.

When you come upon the bridge,

the old Florence comes alive. Did Brunelleschi or a Medici stroll down these corridors looking for inspiration or dreaming about world domination?

Or did a random merchant or butcher haunt the bridge scouting for a new place of business?

These days the bridge is full of jewelry stores, leather shops, art galleries and restaurants vying for tourists’ attention.

I always enjoy this walk because along the waterway you can hit a few magnificent museums…

as well as find interesting food for your camera:

These signs are everywhere… once you see one, you want to find more:

Two of Ponte Vecchio’s neighbors are the Ponte Santa Trinita and the Ponte alle Grazie. It may seem like a long walk but your camera will thank you:

Plus from here, you can walk to a fantastic place for a bird’s eye view of Florence. More on that in a future post, but a fashion report/interruption is coming in the next entry–winter sales, after all, are now breaking on this continent!