The wide, brown River Arno, lined with pastel coloured Florentine buildings and spanned by five bridges, flows through the heart of this beautiful Italian Renaissance city.

Glorious piazzas, sculpture, museums, galleries, narrow cobbled streets and lanes with interesting boutiques and enormous wooden doors, the entrances to many storied apartments, cafes and bars, fine leather and Florentine jewellery - a magnet for tourists.

People everywhere,flocking to this artistic and cultural city all year round. A constant buzz of traffic, motorbikes outnumbering cars, but many of the cars small and economical, even electric. Some motorbikes are seen parked at electric plug-in sites, re-charging for later.

In the late afternoon the Arno, sky and bridges reflect the golden light of the lowering sun. The Ponte Vecchio, oldest surviving bridge in the city, dating back to the 14th C and even earlier to Roman times, draws constant throngs of people to stroll, gaze, take photos and to browse the antique and specialised jewellery shops.