but walkable, is the Chiesu di San Minato Monte (Via Monte alle Croci)
Once it was not allowed to bury people in Florence, and so this became a place for the dead.
According to local legend, San Miniato, converted to Christianity and martyred in its name, walked decapitated up the hill before collapsing on the site of the present church, which was erected in his name in 1013. The imposing front is nothing compared to what awaits you inside, truly one of the most serene churches in the city.
The view back towards the the Ponte Vecchiro (Old Bridge) is spectacular.
and from here you can see the city walls.
A replica of the statue of David can be found in the large parking area.
The texture of the stone, worn with ages caught my attention.
as did the view back towards the Duomo
Known for the brilliant alternating white and green marble of the exterior (considered one of the finest examples of the Florentine Romanesque style), the façade is further embellished with a 13th-century gilded mosaic of Christ placed between the Virgin Mary and the martyred Saint. 
Inside, apart from the saintly remains, the main place to sit and mediate is the Renaissance Chapel.
One of monks is Benedictus Abbas - the name of Muna's father
the Renaissance Chapel with the crypt of Cardinale del Portogallo (carved by Rossellino), an Annunciation by Baldovinetti, a barrel-vaulted ceiling by Luca della Robbia and an altarpiece (original in the Uffizi) which is the work of Antonio and Piero del Pollaiolo.
spectacular ceiling
the main chaple is a place to marvel.
even the floors create great beauty with the use of mosaics
The ceiling is wooden and decoratively painted.
an artist was playing a guitr like a piano - amazing sounds.
Florence truly is the most wonderful city in Italy.
the river Arno flows through the town, creating a lovely scene by both day and night.
Located near the Mercato Nuovo, the splendid Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) is an outstanding example of medieval bridge architecture. Designed by Taddeo Daddi in 1345, it was constructed to replace an even older bridge that had been dragged away by an angry Arno river in 1333.
A monument to Benvenuto Cellini, a maestro, stands in the middle of the bridge.
Musicians of all types gather and play here. Muna loved this spot.
The butchers who originally occupied it were replaced at the end of the 17th century by the jewelry traders you still see today (Ferdinando I de’ Medici couldn’t stand the smell of the butcher shops along the Corridoio Vasariano). You can easily understand from its design what a bridge represented to locals in the Middle Ages. This is medieval bridge architecture at its most splendid. 
Now jewelers abound on all sides.
their wooden-fronted shops hide a glittering array behind secure walls!
On the side of the river stands Chiesa di San Frediano in Cestello, a magnificent church not even mentioned in the tourist brochures.
The outside of this church has an unusual stone front.
It is also a monastery.
Inside is something to be believed.
Along the river people make an effort to bring even more beauty to this graceful city.The fronts of houses are also decorative.
and the narrow streets bustle with life, mainly tourist life.
Galleria Palatina and Appartamenti Reali (Palatina Gallery and Royal Apartments, Palazzo Pitti)
Housed in the Pitti’s noblest rooms and considered by many to be Florence’s most important art collection other than the Uffizi, this gallery displays many of the best works collected by the Medici and subsequent Lorraine dynasty. The gallery’s showpieces are works by 16th-century artists spread over six main rooms.Outside, people sit on the stone sloped public area.
Of course looking at the myriad of shops in Florence is a great activity. The city s famous for its leather work, and stalls abound.
clearly a very livable city. It would be easy to return here.
even if they have named a piazza after mosquitoes
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