The golden hour in Florence

As calendar pages are turned from May to June, the ideal conditions are created for that extraordinary moment when Florence reaches the pinnacle of prettiness: the golden hour. It’s that interval of time just before the dusk, when sunlight reflects on the facades of Florentine palazzi, on the bridges and breadth of the River Arno, and casts a super soft shimmer, hand held by a refined, friendly warmth, a.k.a. the perfect setting for an aperitivo all’aperto. The riverside banks, the steps of piazzale Michelangelo, random kiosks and mainstay bars embrace an eclectic mix of customers, office workers in after-work attire or the flat-shoe, worn-out tourist brigade. Sixty-plus minutes of richness and reward, when Florence gifts her last golden smile.

Photos by Francesca Fumagalli