Running [and Power Walking!] in Florence

As engaging as Florence is from an historical and cultural point of view, there is another undeniably powerful attraction to the city, its food! And if one is going to enjoy the cuisine the city has to offer, some exercise is required if one wishes to avoid developing Rubenesque proportions. Fortunately, Florence offers stunning vistas to those who wish to pound the pavement, provided they are willing to rise early enough to avoid the traffic. I found a running route of about 8 kilometers (five miles) that must rank among the most scenic of any urban setting. Tracy, on the other hand, eschewed the hills in favor of scenic walks along the Arno. The routes are described below.

From Oltrarno to Piazzale Michelangelo:

The course that I ran every morning began at our apartment I would head south on Via dei Serralgi until I reached the Old City Gates. From there it was a steady uphill climb on a wide paved street past the Boboli Gardens, fashionable villas and hotels until reaching the crest of the hill. Now on a steady downhill grade, I passed Santa Miniato al Monte on the right, and then was treated to views of the Tuscan hills and the Forte di Belvedere on the left. This winding path lead to the stunning panorama of Florence at the Piazzale Michelangelo. From there one winds down the roads leading to the Piazza Giuseppe Roggi, and then along the banks of the Arno River, past the Uffizi Gallery and then winding through the Borgo San Frediano until arriving back at Masolino. A taste of the Renaissance on the run.

Walking Along the Arno:

Tracy prefers power walking to running, and flat terrain to hills. Her morning walks traversed both sides of the Arno River, from as far east as the Ponte San Niccolo to as far west as Ponte Amerigo Vespucci. Where the running route affords a view of the highlight of Florence from a distance, the river route gives one a taste of Florence up close and in detail. The photo to the left shows the stretch beyond Ponte Amerigo Vespucci, while the photo to the right looks in the opposite direction, toward the Ponte Vecchio. Below are some other shots Tracy took on one of her walks.

Views along the Arno