Italy was the primary focus of my first trip to Europe in 2003. I spent the bulk of a month traveling throughout the upper half of the country and easily saw the appeal of the Tuscany region. In many ways, Florence is the crowned jewel of Tuscany – and for good reason. It boasts some jaw-droppingly beautiful buildings and is the center of so many precious works of art.

I love that the Florentines in the center of this photo almost appear as if they were posing for a painting, yet still maintain a naturalness while the buildings provide a great perspective.