The gorgeous sunset at Ponte Vecchio in Florence
Growing up in California, I have visited and lived in many “cities by the sea.” As such, sunsets over the ocean are a Cali treasure that I happily don’t take for granted. As a result, I get great satisfaction while traveling to places offering views of multicolored skylines kissing cool ocean blue. I love when the water and sky get together and make magic happen.
Italy is a peninsular country that has a rich history indelibly tied to its marine surroundings. Sea merchants from around the world have used Italian ports to do their business while adding to the culture of the region. Bridges have been constructed over the multitude of water ways and boats of innumerable fashion have been designed to carry a cargo through the waterways and canals.
All of these elements mean something extremely important to this traveler: Italy provides some of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever seen.
There are two particular sunset spots that come to mind when I think of this past week’s journey through Florence and Venice; one in each city.
Ponte Vecchio is a bridge running over the River Arno in Florence. When standing in the middle of the bridge and looking NorthWest up the river while the sun sets, you get an incredible view of other Florentine bridges and the reflection of lights from the multitude of homes and hotels built right along the waterline. The cloud formations over the Italian peninsula look like you’d imagine a fairytale city would appear. The entire mise en scene is unanimous in its goal- to provide your eyes with splendor.
Sunset off the docks on Murano Island in Venice
In Venice, there is water everywhere, so it would seem difficult to choose one spot from which to appreciate the sun setting on the grotto. Alas, I was fortunate enough to have the spot choose me instead of seeking it out myself. The visage appeared while I was returning to Venice aboard a water taxi from Murano (the smaller island famous for its Venetian glass factories). As we were waiting for the water taxi at the “Museo” taxi stand, we were flanked by two shores of gondolas, shops, and… wait for it… a lighthouse. A picture can’t capture the beauty- so go see it for yourself.
In fact, use my Murano Sunset example as inspiration. Feel free to borrow these suggestions, but remember there are islands, seas, rivers, and oceans all around. Go find a spot that others haven’t listed in a travel book already! In fact, if you’ve already got one that you know about… share it by leaving a comment below with details. I’d love to compile a list of alternative sunset spots around the world.
In the mean time, I’m off to watch the sunset in Prague!
Related posts:
Janelle K. Eagle is infamous for always having her hands tied up in multiple projects simultaneously. She's directed a lot of theater, worked on some films, and raised lots of money for non-profits. She travels all the time and loves to share her videos, photography and writing via this blog. 
When I studied abroad in Italy, one of my absolute favorite spots was Cinque Terre. I didn't realize I was homesick until we could here the ocean and watch the beautiful sunset of the Italian Riviera from the window of our hotel right on the beach.