In the late spring of 2025, I returned to the beautiful cities of Florence and Rome. Unlike my first time there, this was a moment in time for documentation and continued interest in the culture and vibrance of both places. For two weeks, I spent time walking the streets, meeting with locals, and exploring the inner workings of the city.

ITALIA

Italy is a place I consistently look to during periods of stagnation or boredom. It is constantly alive and moving, and immersion often feels easy: its as simple as retreating into a crowd.
Couple walking together on a cobblestone street at dusk, sharing a pink umbrella, surrounded by European-style buildings with neon signs.
A park with a bench, trees, a grassy area, and a building in the background, overcast sky.
A brightly lit vintage carousel at night with ornate decorations and children riding the horses, and a young boy standing nearby with a stroller.
Three bicycles parked along a sidewalk next to an aged orange wall with small windows and graffiti.
People sitting and standing outside at a cafe on a city street, next to a large stone building with ornate window grille, some using their phones, with street signs visible on the corner.
A street musician sitting on a small folding chair, playing an accordion. He is wearing a hat, a checkered shirt, and pants. There is a person walking away in the background, dressed in a red shirt and carrying a black bag.
Street art sale display featuring caricature portraits on framed boards against a stone building wall.
Two children playing basketball on an outdoor court, while a person sits on a park bench watching, surrounded by tall trees.
View of Florence, Italy skyline with the Florence Cathedral and surrounding buildings, seen from a lookout with coin-operated binoculars in the foreground.
Room with art and sculpture, including a large white sculpture on a pedestal, framed pictures on the wall, wooden chairs, and shelves with books and statues, lit by a large window.
Two people walking along a riverside pathway with cobblestone pavement, lined with trees and old-style street lamps, next to a stone wall and a river with a bridge in the background.
Four people are standing and talking inside a grand, ornate cathedral with gold accents, large columns, and elaborate ceiling artwork. Wooden pews and an altar are visible in the background.
Room under renovation with scaffolding, construction tools, and materials, natural light coming through open window.
A person sitting alone at a small outdoor table outside a cafe under a string of lights, with a white and green striped chair, in front of a building with a sign for Tree Charme Parliament, a boutique hotel and bistro.
A person sitting on a low wall in front of a yellow building with decorative window frames and a large window. The person has their back to the camera and is wearing a black shirt and a floral backpack. Sunlight casts shadows on the yellow wall, and
A street musician playing guitar outdoors in a park, with a small amplifier and a chair displaying pictures and donation items, with trees and a stone monument in the background.
Two young people sit on a stone stairway in an urban area, overlooking a cityscape with apartment buildings, trees, and graffiti-covered walls. The sky is overcast.
A vintage Volkswagen van parked on a residential street next to a large leafy tree, with a stone retaining wall and green grass on the left and a sidewalk and a rail on the right, during daylight.
An elderly man in a blue jacket standing behind a metal railing, looking at ancient ruins with multi-level stone and brick structures, arches, and windows, and a few tourists exploring the site, likely in Rome, Italy.
A historic building with a decorative stone balustrade, a potted plant with pink flowers, a streetlight with security cameras, and a bright blue sky with some clouds.
A clothing store with mannequins dressed in white and gray garments displayed in the window, and a sign reading 'BRANDY MELVILLE', with a delivery truck parked nearby and a few pigeons on the sidewalk.
Street scene with a parked Vespa scooter in front of a wall with graffiti of a person with wings holding a broom.
A street performer playing a guitar on a city square with a carousel and crowded pedestrians in the background.
Group of people dressed in historical costumes, carrying flags in a parade on a city street.
A large crowd of people gathered on a city street during a parade or festival, with people holding up flags, some taking photos, and historic buildings in the background.
People standing and sitting on a stone wall in an urban setting with tall buildings in the background.
People sitting and walking along the riverbank with a stone wall and green trees overhead
People gathered on a cobblestone street with a cityscape of buildings in the background, under a partly cloudy sky during daytime.
A couple sitting on stone stairs in an alleyway, sharing an intimate moment, with an old brick building in the background.
People walking past a street vendor selling items like souvenirs and accessories on a sidewalk in daytime.
A garden with a gravel pathway, lush green trees, trimmed bushes, and a large building with pink and peach-colored walls in the background, under a partly cloudy sky.
Inside a church, people seated on benches facing an ornate altar with a crucifix and religious icons.
Nighttime scene of a restaurant with outdoor seating, illuminated by warm lights, with a cyclist passing by on the street in the foreground.
A person riding a scooter on a city street at night in front of a lit storefront with signs and posters on the door and window.
A crowded nighttime scene under a stone arch, with people gathered on a city street, some taking photos, others talking or walking, illuminated by streetlights and building lights.
A display with small lit candles in a dark church or chapel.
Children and teenagers playing soccer on a fenced outdoor sports court during daytime, with buildings and trees in the background.
People walking and standing on a cobblestone street in Florence, Italy, with historic buildings in the background. The sun is setting, casting long shadows.
Underground parking area with four motorcycles parked near a metal railing, illuminated by natural light from an opening in the background.
Street scene in an urban area with a large yellow building, cars on the road, and pedestrians walking. There is a green cross sign on a pole, and outdoor seating for a restaurant or cafe.
A person sitting on a bench between large white stone columns in a classical architectural setting, with sunlight creating shadows on the ground.
A street vendor stall in a busy outdoor market on a sunny day, with a man in black clothing looking at souvenirs like magnets and small figurines, and many people walking and shopping in the background.
A boy with a red cap and a backpack is taking a photo with a smartphone in front of a construction site with metal barricades, graffiti, and apartment buildings in the background.
Empty outdoor seating area with chairs and a small wooden table with art supplies on it, painted concrete ground.
Crowd gathered on a street holding flags and cameras, with a brick building in the background.
A narrow alleyway in a historic city with stone pavement, old stone and plaster buildings on each side, and a person standing and talking on the phone near the middle of the alley.
Two people watch over Florence from a viewing platform, with the city skyline, the Florence Cathedral's dome, and the mountains in the background.
A street scene at sunset in an Italian city with buildings, pedestrians, and outdoor dining. The sunlight creates a warm glow on the buildings.
Statue of a figure holding a fish, located on a bridge with people and a bicycle nearby, overlooking a cityscape with trees and buildings.
A couple standing close and gazing at each other on a terrace with a cityscape background, including historic buildings and mountains.
People participating in a parade dressed in historical costumes, carrying a large flag with a red and white lion emblem, walking past a ornate, gold-trimmed carousel in a European city square.
A person sitting on a ledge in an arched balcony, looking at a mobile phone, with a cityscape in the background during sunset.
View of a narrow city street with parked cars, pedestrians, and multi-story buildings on both sides, leading toward domed rooftops in the distance under a partly cloudy sky.
Street artist selling watercolor paintings of cityscapes outside a historic building with large columns.