On the contrary, traveling, whether hopefully or not, whether by land or by sea, seems to me an inexpressibly tedious, monotonous, disgusting occupation; while arriving is one of the purest of human pleasures. 2. Far away, I caught a glimpse of the tender-colored hills by which this city is surrounded. And, all the while, the bells kept on chiming, as they had chimed in the days of Michelangelo, if not of Dante. 3. That, also was a well-timed arrival; but I must warn you that to arrive at Florence on Christmas Eve has its drawbacks. The proper time to visit this city is certainly not the depth of winter, but early spring. Arrive about midnight, if you can. 4. And so, in the first five minutes you arrive by daylight, you have learned the secret of Rome's extraordinary fascination. In Florence you go back to the Middle Ages; in Rome you go back to antiquity.