This year the temperatures have never really ramped up to winter levels which is why Florence has been plagued by periodic waves of deep fog.  Since we are located in a valley surrounded by mountains (or at least very tall hills) weather tends to get stuck over the city leading to really hot or really cold or really wet days that follow each other one after the other.   If there’s a bit of sun hiding beyond the cloud cover, the fog slowly burns off a bit as noon approaches, then gets thick again as the afternoon wears on and becomes cooler.  But no matter how dense the fog, the Duomo looms high and its rusty red roof always manages to peek through the gray and claim its position as the official logo of Florence.

Foggy Florence, February, 2016                                                                                          

As long as you’re not a traveler stranded at the airport, it’s a really beautiful time to wander through the city.  All the colors are muted and the old cobblestone streets add to the mysterious atmosphere that descends with the fog.  Just be sure you have a scarf wrapped around your neck to ward off the dampness and keep your camera ready to capture wistful moments…..it’s almost like London, but with better food!

Foggy Arno, Florence, Italy, February, 2016