The other side of St John`s Gate, looking south. Pic 2 is the detail of the ceiling inside the gateway. Click on the link to my website to read about my walk and all the interesting places I found along the way. I have included a map for others who enjoy a self-guided walk.
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#stjohnsgateclerkenwell #stjohnsgate #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #historiclondon #historicchurch #history #londontravel #londontrip #londonhistory #londonwalks #londoncalling #londonisalwaysagoodidea #london #londonstreets #londonsbest #seekandyoushallfind #traveltheworldwithme #12thcenturyarchitecture

One of my favourite stores - Liberty, I love that is was built using the timber from a couple of old ships, it all creeks as you walk through. See the golden ship on the wind thingy on the roof of the 3rd pic. They usually have an amazing display hanging down through the middle of the store, I was expecting something with an Easter theme, but nothing!!
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#libertylondon #libertyaddict #liberty #shoppinginlondon #historicalbuildingsenrichourlives #londontravel #londontrip #londonhistory #londoncalling #londonisalwaysagoodidea #londonstreets #londontaxi #londonlandmarks #oneofmyfavouriteplaces #oneofmyfavoritethings #tudorstyle #traveladdict #neverstopexploring #teaveltheworldwithme

Taken from the little balcony surrounding the dome of Siena Duomo. A great experience to be able to go up there, then to go outside to see the views as well as look down into the inside of the Cathedral.
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#sienahistory #siena #sienaduomo #sienatrip #sienatravel #sienaitaly #sienaduomobellissimagiornata #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything #seekandyoushallfind #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #historygeek #solotrip #italianhistory #italytravel #italytrip #solotravelinitaly #outsidethedome

The Bridge of Sighs in Venice with the gondolas going along the Canal underneath it, and a row of Manolo Valdes bronze sculptures in Piazza San Marco. They will apparently be there until mid June 2024.
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#venice #veniceart #venicetravel #venicetrip #veniceintherain #venicearchitecture #veniceitaly #brigeofsighs #gondolas #piazzasanmarcovenezia #manolovaldes #manolovaldesartwork #bronzesculptures #seekandyoushallfind #seeeverythingdoeverything #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #traveltheworldwithme

My walk continued down Aldersgate St where I came across this lovely old building, Ironmongers Hall, and next door with a complete change of architectural style, the Barbican......click the link to my website in the bio to read about my walk, there is a map so you can find all these places too.
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#ironmongershall #barbican #barbicancentre #londonarchitecture #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #historiclondon #londonwalks #londontravel #londontrip #londonhistory #londoncalling #londonisalwaysagoodidea #london #traveladdict #traveltheworldwithme #solotravelinlondon #solotravel #

In the main square of Florence, Piazza della Signoria, the Palazzo Vecchio with the Torre di Arnolfo rising from above it, and next to Palazzo Vecchio is Loggia dei Lanzi, full of sculptures from Florence`s history.
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#palazzovecchiofirenze #palazzovecchioflorence #loggiadeilanzi #michelangelosdavidreplica #perseusfirenze #perseuswithmedusashead #piazzadellasignoria #florenceitaly #florencetrip #florencewalk #florencetravel #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #historygeek #solotrip #solotravelinitaly

David acting cool in Piazza Della Signoria, he`s not the real David. The real one by Michelangelo was taken away for safe keeping inside Galleria dell`Accademia in 1910 and this one replaced him. You are not allowed to photograph the real one. I have no idea who created this David, but I think anyone who can create a David, or even any recognisable shape out of a piece of rock is pretty skilled!!!
The second pic is a bronze sratue of Perseus having severed the head of Medusa. This one is in the Loggia dei Lanzi, just near David.
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#florence #piazzadellasignoria #loggiadeilanzi #david #michelangelo #perseusfirenze #perseuswithmedusashead #artinpublicspaces #sculptures #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict #travelinitaly #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #neverstopexploring #neverstoptravelling #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #seekandyoushallfind #seeeverythingdoeverything

This is Porcellino, the bronze pig next to the New Market. Rubbing his nose brings you good fortune, so it is polished to a high shine from all the fortune seekers over the years. There is a replica of Porcellino on Macquarie Street in Sydney, so I`ll check in on my fortune when I get home!!
Second pic is the end of the Uffizi Gallery, down by the River Arno, the top floor is the Vasari Corridor, built so the Medici could walk from here, across Ponte Vecchio to Pitti Palace without having to put up with the stench from the butchers shops that used to be on the bridge, and not have to walk with the peasants.....it is being made ready for visitors, but will not be open until May 2024.....oh well, it looks like I`ll have to come back to Florence one day 🌞
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#florence #florenceitaly #florencetrip #florencetravel #porcellinofirenze #porcellino #uffizigallery #vasaricorridor #florencewalk #travelinitaly #solotravelinitaly #solotravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #seekandyoushallfind #neverstopexplroring #goodfortune #rubthepigsnoseforgoodluck #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict

A bronze variation of David up the hill in Piazzale Michelangelo looking over Florence as if he owns the place.

The Florence he owns, the Duomo, amazing building, you can see it from everywhere.

Ponte Vecchio, and all the other bridges that cross the River Arno, apparently the Ferris wheel was put up at Christmas time and not taken down, maybe it`s waiting for next Christmas!!
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#david #michelangelo #michelangelosdavid #michelangelosdavidreplica #bronzesculptures #piazzalemichelangelo #florenceduomo #viewfromthetop #lookingoverflorence #pontevecchio #riverarno #florencebridges #viewsofflorence #blueskywhiteclouds #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything #historicbuildingsenrichourlives

This lampshade made from umbrellas was most appropriate for my first few days in Venice, it just rained....🌧 but I always knew I was heading in the right direction to get back to my hotel when I saw this.
Pic 2 is a really old Venetian Windows with the wall crumbling around it.
Pic 3 is evidence of Venice falling apart right in front of us, the salt damage to the old walls is tragic.
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#veniceitaly #venice #venicelife #venicetrip #veniceintherain #oldstreetlamp #oldwindow #oldwall #italytrip #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #crumblingvenice #destructionofvenice #savevenice #historicvenice #waterworld #seekandyoushallfind #artinthestreets #iloveitaly #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #oneofmyfavouritethingsintheworld #traveladdict

Walking up hundreds of steps on a centuries old spiral staircase was a killer, but so worth it for the view from the top of what was going to be the high alter in Siena Duomo, but building stopped in 1339 when the black death wiped out a lot of the population, and it has just stood there like thus for the last 1000 years, it is really high and only about one metre wide!!
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#sienahistory #siena #sienaduomo #sienatravel #sienaduomobellissimagiornata #sienatrip #sienaitalia #viewovertuscany #viewfromthetop #spiralstaircase #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #oldbuildingsmakemehappy #seekandyoushallfind #seeeverythingdoeverything #solotravelinitaly #solotravel #neverstopexporing #traveltheworldwithme

Looking out of the windows at Pitti Palace into Boboli Gardens where the rulers of Florence once lived.
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#pittipalaceflorence #boboligardens #florenceitaly #florencetrip #florencewalk #florence #florencetravel #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmyeyes

The Florence Duomo, all made of marble, hoping to go inside once the Easter crowds disappear, also hoping the Easter crowds do disappear!!
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#florence #florenceitaly #florenceduomo #firenzecityitaly #firenzeduomo #florencetravel #florencetrip #solotravelinitaly #marblebuilding #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #italianhistory #seeeverythingdoeverything #traveltheworldwithme #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #neverstopexploring

The She Wolf feeding Romulus and Remus is the symbol of Siena. The wolf, lupe in Italian, is also one of the Contradas that make up all the different areas of Siena.
2. Siena Duomo bell tower peaking over the top of other buildings.
3. Porta Camollia, the entrance gate to the walled city of Siena, you arrive at this gate after coming up many escalators from the station.
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#shewolf #lupe #romulusandremus #sienaduomo #portacamollia #siena #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #oldbuildingsmakemehappy #solotravel #sienatrip #sienatravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict #travelinitaly #solotravelinitaly

Venice streets getting a good wash in the rain, the place in the second pic is where the Rialto markets are held in the mornings.
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#rialto #rialtomarkets #venice #veniceitaly #venicelife #veniceintherain #venicearchitecture #venicestreets #explorevenice #venicewalks #solotravelinitaly #solotravel #neverstopexporing #traveltheworldwithme #venicetrip #venicetravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #seeeverythingdoeverything

Further along London Wall, the remains of the hospital entrance, Elsyng Spital, built in the 1300s, but a couple of World Wars were too much for it.....😒 Visit my website by clicking the link in the bio, to read about my long walk through London`s history.
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#elsyngspital #londonwall #londontravel #londontrip #londonhistory #londonwalks #londoncalling #londonisalwaysagoodidea #londonstreets #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #seekandyoushallfind #solotravel #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #historiclondon #london #solotravelinlondon #longwalk #traveladdict #neverstopexploring

Spencer House in St James`s, London, is the home built by Diana`s ancestors so they has a place in the city as well as Althorp House where Diana grew up. Both houses are owned by Diana`s brother, the current Earl Spencer.
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#spencerhouse #spencerhouselondon #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #chandeliers #columns #statues #palmroom #stjamess #londonlocals #london #londonwalks #londontravel #londontrip #londoncalling #londonisalwaysagoodidea #seekandyoushallfind #solotravel

Flower carts at Covent Garden in London, one of the beautiful market places in London, and has been for hundreds of years.
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#coventgarden #coventgardenmarket #coventgardenlondon #flowercart #londonmarketsarethebest #londonmarkets #londontravel #londontrip #londonhistory #londoncalling #londonisalwaysagoodidea #seekandyoushallfind #londonwalks #london #solotravelinlondon #solotravel #exploringlondon

I spent hours wondering around the Boboli Gardens behind Pitti Palace in Florence, some of the stairs are very steep and seem to go on forever, like the ones in the pic behind Neptune`s Island. Then miles further away there was suddenly this giant sculpture of a head, or really just a face and neck.....
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#boboligardens #neptunesisland #reflectionsonwater #giantheadsculpture #parksinflorence #stairsinthepark #stairwaytoheaven #walkinthepark #neptubesculpture #pittipalaceflorence #florenceitaly #florence #florencetrip #solotravelinitaly #seetheworldthroughmylens #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything #seekandyoushallfind

Strolling around the arty area of Venice, Dorsoduro, looking in the windows of some of the galleries, this is a quieter area across Academia Bridge, turn left!!
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#venice #veniceitaly #venicewalks #venicetravel #veniceintherain #venicestreets #venicetrip #veniceart #dorsodura #dorsoduravenezia #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #seetheworldthroughmylens #windowshopping #artinvenice #seekandyoushallfind #traveltheworldwithme

When I arrived in Venice is was cold, rainy and very grey, but that didn`t stop me from walking miles exploring this amazing water world. Basilica di San Marco, and Torre dell`Orologio look beautiful no matter what the weather is.
I learned the art of layering up a puffer coat under a trench coat, wearing waterproof shoe covers, a rain hat and carrying an umbrella and pretending everything is just fine 🤣!!
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#veniceintherain #venice #veniceitaly #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #piazzasanmarco #piazzasanmarcovenice #venezia #torredellorologia #basilicadisanmarco #waterworld #traveltheworldworldwithme #italytrip #italytravel #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #seetheworldthroughmylens #seeeverythingdoeverything #traveladdict #neverstopexploring

The pulpit in Siena Duomo, and the stairs leading up to it, I can`t get over the fact that people have been walking in here for over 1000 years, and I`m one of them🌞
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#siena #sienahistory #sienatravel #sienaitaly #sienaduomo #sienaduomobellissimagiornata #sienatrip #sienaitalia #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #solotrip #italianhistory #seeeverythingdoeverything #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict #travelinitaly #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #oldbuildingsmakemehappy #seekandyoushallfind #sienaduomopulpit

Inside Siena Duomo, amazing to think it was built over 1000 years ago, and is still standing in original condition. You can pretty much guarantee that there will be nothing built today that will still be standing in 1000 years!!
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#siena #sienaduomo #sienatrip #sienaitaly #sienahistory #italytravel #italytrip #madeinitaly #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #neverstopexploring #neverstoptravelling #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #historygeek #seekandyoushallfind #blackandwhitemarble #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #oldbuildingsmakemehappy

Finding inspiration all over the V and A Museum, all the flattened musical instruments strung across this void with fishing line are certainly an idea if you happen to have a lot of flat musical instruments and don`t know what to do with them!!
2. A 17th century table decoration made of lots of small glass vases hooked on to a larger glass vase.
3. One of Dale Chihuly`s glass creations hanging above the main entrance lobby of the museum.
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#victoriaandalbertmuseum #vandamuseum #musicaldecoration #glasstabledecoration #glassvases #dalechiluly #dalechihulyart #dalechihulyglassinbloom #inspiration #artinstallation #exploringlondon #londontravel #londontrip #londonpics #solotravel #solotravelinlondon #walkalloverthecity #londoncalling #londonisalwaysagoodidea #seekandyoushallfind #seetheworldthroughmylens

The Albert Memorial that Queen Victoria had built after the death of Prince Albert, her husband. It stands in Kensington Gardens looking over the Royal Albert Hall. The second pic is a model of it in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
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#albertmemorial #royalalberthall #royalalberthalllondon #princealbertmonument #kensingtongardens #vandamuseum #victoriaandalbertmuseum #londontravel #londontrip #londonhistory #londoncalling #londonisalwaysagoodidea #seekandyoushallfind #londonwalks #londonparks #londonlandmarks #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #royalparksandgardens

Pitti Palace was the home of the Medici family, who ruled over Florence for most of thr period from 1434 until 1737. They lived in absolute luxury in this massive Palace with m massive gardens, chandeliers and sculptures are in every room. On the side of the Palace that didn`t look over their gardens, the windows were higher so the peasants couldn`t look in, so they built little stairs to walk up if they wanted to look out.
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#pittipalaceflorence #medici #palazzopitti #palazzopittiflorence #palazzopittimuseum #chandeliers #sculptures #carvedceilings #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #neverstopexploring #seekandyoushallfind #seeeverythingdoeverything #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #italianhistory

At the Rialto Markets in Venice, seemed to be a lot of locals shopping there, I bought a punnet of strawberries, so fresh and juicy. I thought the Risstto kits looked like great gift ideas, but bringing food items back to Australia isn`t going to work.
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#rialtomarkets #shoppinginvenice #wherethelocalsshop #fishmarket #fruitandveggies #veniceitaly #venicewalks #venicelife #venicetrip #venicetravel #solotravelinitaly #solotravel #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #travellerau #traveladdict

Gondolas on the Grand Canal in Venice near Rialto Bridge, and on one of many smaller canals, giving way to a delivery boat to go under a small bridge. Love the way the Gondoliers kick off the wall to stop the boat hitting the wall and to steer it off in the right direction.
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#venice #grandcanal #goldola #gondolier #outonthecanal #underrialtobridge #canalsinvenice #italy #italytravel #italytrip #veniceitaly #venicecanals #solotravel #solotravelinitaly #waterworld #lifeonthewater #neverstopexploring #neverstoptravelling #venicetrip #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme

Inside the Royal Albert Hall as they set up for the next performance, not sure what is behind that grubby screen!
2. Apparently the design of the interior was based on the Colluseum in Rome.
3. The King`s Box, they put different chairs in there when it is used by the monarch, often these seats are given to other members of the family, or friends, or staff to attend performances.
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#royalalberthall #royalalberthalllondon #insidethetheatre #londontrip #londontravel #londonpics #londoncalling #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #neverstopexploring #seeeverythingdoeverything #seetheworldthroughmyeyes #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict #solotravel #solotravelinlondon #walkalloverthecity #neverstoptravelling

The Memorial to Heroic Self-Sacrifice in Postmans`s Park in London. People who died saving, or trying to save, others who found themselves in trouble. Click the link to my website in the bio to read about all the other things I found on my walk.
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#postmansparklondon #postmanspark #postmansparkmemorial #heroicselfsacrifice #londonwalks #londonpics #londonsights #londonparks #londoninautumn #londonshistory #london #londontrip #londontimes #londoncalling #traveltheworldwithme #traveladdict

Inside The Prospect of Whitby that has been serving up drinks for 800 years!!! Swipe to see the board listing all the monarchs who have reigned since it opened, going back to Henry Vlll, they had just enough room to add Charles! And the wall of info about regular punter Samuel Pepys in the 1600s. Amazing history here....
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#theprospectofwhitby #oldlondonpubsarethebest #oldlondon #londonpub #historiclondon #london #londonwalks #londonlife #londontravel #londontrip #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #solotravelinlondon #seekandyoushallfind #seeeverythingdoeverything #londoncalling #londonisalwaysagoodidea #londonhistory

The amazing building that is the Victoria and Albert Museum, all the white marble at the main entrance with the V & A initials. The second pic is in the cafe amidst the columns, arches and lights.
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#victoriaandalbertmuseum #vandamuseum #whitemarble #vandacafe #bigroundlights #marblecolumns #historicalbuildingsenrichourlives #historicroyalpalaces #londontravel #londontrip #londonhistory #londoncalling #londonisalwaysagoodidea #london #traveladdict #solotravelinlondon #solotravel #seekandyoushallfind #seetheworldthroughmylens #londontimes

On the "beach" side of the Prospect of Whitby on the River Thames. It was originally named The Pelican 800 years ago, the stairs to the river still have that name, later named The Prospect of Whitby after a ship that used to moore out the front. When I arrived at the pub the tide was lapping around the top of the steps, by the time I had finished eating, the tide had gone out completely!! I wasn`t eating for that long, and only one glass of wine!!! The water on the Thames moves fast!!

#theprospectofwhitby #pelicanstairs #pelicanstairslondon #riverthames #historicpubcrawlslondon #londonsoldestpub #londontravel #londontrip #londonlife #historicbuildingsenrichourlives #historiclondon #oldlondonpub #londonwalks #londoncalling #londonisalwaysagoodidea #london #traveladdict #travellerau #traveltheworldwithme #neverstopexploring #solotravelinlondon