Florence
Recommended Tours
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Piazza del Duomo is a great place to start a tour that will uncover some of Florence's historical beauty. Not only is the piazza rich in history, but it's an architectural delight too. One of the first sights you will see is the Battistero di San Giovanni, dedicated to St John the Baptist and one of the oldest buildings in the city. It was constructed in its current form in the 11th Century. Besides the beautiful interior which is richly decorated with mosaics, there are glorious medieval and Renaissance bronze doors by Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo Ghiberti. The pair of doors designed by Ghiberti that the public sees on the Baptistery are replicas and the originals are located nearby at the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. The museum is situated on the piazza, behind the apse of the cathedral. Amongst other things, it contains precious sculptures as well as exhibits connected to the buildings that are dotted around the piazza.
In front of the Baptistery is Santa Maria del Fiore, which was built by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1296 to replace the old Santa Reparata cathedral. The archaeological remains of this cathedral are in the basement of the present church. Di Cambio's building was only completed 150 years later with the addition of the enormous cupola (dome) that sits above the church’s transept. Filippo Brunelleschi, a truly gifted Renaissance architect designed the dome. It is possible to reach the top of the cupola (access is on the right hand side of the church), which is 107m from ground level but there is no lift so you will have to climb over 450 steps. It is definitely worth climbing the steps, not just for the beautiful view that awaits you at the top, but also so that you can begin to appreciate the mastery of Brunelleschi, as the cupola is truly an extraordinary feat of architecture.
The interior of the cathedral itself is also well worth visiting, even though at times there can be a queue. Amongst other things, you will be able to see the frescoes beneath the cupola, painted in the second half of the sixteenth century by Vasari and Zucchari. The frescoes cover an area of around 3600m2 and represent the Last Judgment. It is also worth taking a look at the Sacristy where Lorenzo de'Medici sought refuge during the Pazzi conspiracy when his brother Giuliano was killed in the cathedral in 1478. Here you will also see the lined marquetries created by a group of artists including Giuliano and Benedetto da Maiano. There are two frescoes on the right of the nave as you turn towards the exit: Giovanni Acuto (Sir John Hawkwood) by Paolo Uccello and Niccolò da Tolentino by Andrea del Castagno.
As you leave the cathedral, you will see the Campanile di Giotto. Giotto, the renowned Medieval artist himself began work on the tower prior to his death in the 14th Century. In this case too, a climb to the top is recommended—but take care if you suffer from vertigo!
Walk down Via Calzaiuoli—along which you will find hundreds of shops selling all manner of goods—and in a few minutes, you will reach the Piazza della Signoria, the political center of Florence. The focal point of the piazza is the imposing Palazzo Vecchio (also known as the Palazzo della Signoria). This palace once housed the government of the city of Florence and has been enlarged several times over the centuries. Arnolfo di Cambio (the same architect who designed the cathedral), created the palazzo in 1294. The section that is not dedicated to the museum retains its function as the offices of the Town Council. The second internal courtyard houses the only public baths in the city center.
On the Piazza della Signoria, you'll come across the Loggia dei Lanzi, originally a public meeting place which is now an open-air museum where you can view several sculptures by Giambologna (Rape of the Sabines) and Baccio Bandinelli (Hercules and Cacus). Besides this, there is also the Mannerist Fountain of Neptune by Bartolomeo Ammannati and the equestrian monument to Cosimo I, by Giambologna. There is a 19th-century copy of Michelangelo's magnificent David too, which stands in front of the palace gates.
At this point you have a choice. You can either visit the Galleria degli Uffizi (probably one of the most important art collections in the world), which is only a short walk from the piazza, or, weather permitting, relax at an open-air café, e.g. the Rivoire (a popular choice), which is famous for its hot chocolate with cream—absolute bliss!
Medici Residences
You can begin your visit with what was the residence of the Medici family, from Cosimo il Vecchio until the Grand Duke Cosimo I: Palazzo Medici-Riccardi in Via Larga, now known as Via Cavour. The palace was comissioned by Cosimo il Vecchio, designed by famed architect Michelozzo in 1444 and finally enlarged by the Riccardi family when they took over ownership of the palace. Today it is seat of Florence's Prefettura and official offices of the province of Florence. From the interior courtyard, it is possible to visit the Cappella dei Magi (Chapel of the Magi), frescoed by Benozzo Gozzoli and magnificently restored for the 1992 anniversary of the death of Lorenzo de' Medici. Throughout the fresco there are numerous portraits of major Florentine figures of the time as well as members of the Medici family. Some of the famous faces include leaders of the Eastern Orthodox church and John VII Palaiologos, Byzantine Emperor, both figures present in the city during the Council of 1439. In the palace there is also the Biblioteca Riccardiana, with an entrance on via dei Ginori 10, which features one of the greatest library collections in the city with manuscripts purchased from Riccardo Riccardi and it has been open to the public since the early 18th Century. The library is adorned with sculpted interiors of the 1700s.
Around the corner from the Palazzo Medici is the Chiesa di San Lorenzo, one of Florence's ancient churches, rebuilt in the 1500s by Filippo Brunelleschi and his architectural team. One of the true Medici churches, it contains the tombs of many of their famous family members, from Giovanni di Averardo and his wife Piccarda Bueri, in the Sagrestia Vecchia, to Cosimo il Vecchio, whose tomb is found in the crypt, directly beneath the church's high altar. In the Sagrestia Nuova, a work of Michelangel, we find on one side the tombs of Lorenzo il Magnifico, and his younger brother Giuliano who was murdered in the Pazzi Conspiracy in 1478, and on the other the tombs of Lorenzo, Duke of Urbino and Giuliano, Duke of Nemours. In the adjacent Cappella dei Principi (Chapel of the Princes), an opulent 17th-century design, we find several tombs of Medici Dukes and their wives.
Next to the church are the numerous stands of the San Lorenzo Market where you can buy clothing (new and used), shoes and other trinkets that are great gifts for friends and family. If you're looking for local food products, the nearby Mercato Centrale, Florence's largest market, you can find everything from fruit and vegetables to meat and fish, at affordable prices. While you're there, why not try a lampredotto sandwich, a Florentine specialty that not all foreigners are willing to taste.
Returning to the via Cavour and following it upwards, you arrive at piazza San Marco, where the Church of San Marco is found. The historic monastery previously belonged to the Sylvestrines and in 1418 was handed over to the Dominicans. Thanks to the financing of Cosimo il Vecchio, the church and monastery were able to enlarge.
While at the church, you simply can't miss the Museum of San Marco that includes part o the Dominican monastery where Fra' Giovanni da Fiesole (perhaps better known as Fra' Angelico, Antonino Pierozzi (bishop and Florentine saint), Girolamo Savonarola, and in most recent times Giorgio La Pira, the unforgettable mayor of Florence. A suggested starting point on the tour of the church museum if the Cloister of Sant'Antonino, and then from the Sala Capitolare where Fra' Angelico frescoed one of his masterpieces, the Cruxifiction. On the first floor of the monastery, spread out through three corridors that open onto the monks' cells, all decorated with frescoes with religious scenes entirely done by Fra' Angelo and his workshop. This is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting and emotional parts of the complex.
Not fear from the piazza is the Accademia di Belle Arti where the small off-shoot building of the Galleria dell'Accademia, in which, among the many works of art, is the original copy of the David by Michelangelo as well as other works by this well-known Florentine artist, such as the Prisoners. This museum contains four of the statues that were originally designed for the final resting place of Pope Julius II (a Medici); however, it was never realized.
Given the pretense of several offices of the university, particularly in via degli Alfani, there are many bakeries, small grocery stores and bars where you can get schiacciatine (a foccaccia-like bread with salt, olive oil and sometimes peppers, olives and other savory treats on top, sandwiches, or cold primi at affordable prices. This also means that you can find sit-down places that don't overcharge if you don't take your meal or coffee at the bar. This zone is also characterized by the presence of specialized libraries, copy shops and printing offices.
From the piazza San Marco, you can easily arrive in under a couple minutes to the piazza della Santissima Annunziata, with the Basilica Mariana della Santissima Annunziata, and on the right side, the colonade designed by Filippo Brunelleschi for the Ospedale degli Innocenti, a true masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. At this point, you ought to be tired, and if you decide to head down the via dei Servi, towards the Duomo whose magnificent cupola is visible from the middle of the piazza, or turn down the via della Colonna and arrive at the Archaeological Museum, to appreciate and superb Etruscan and Egyptian artifacts.
Oltrarno
Towards the Ponte Vecchio, characterized by the numerous jewelry shops, which originally butcher and leather makers that lined the river, and in crossing this famous bridge you arrive in an area known as the Oltrarno. The area is more formally known as Santo Spirito and today has unique artistic characteristics that distinct it from other parts of the city. During the summer, it is not difficult to find locals sitting on chairs in front of their apartment buildings, chatting and discussing the day's events. This has always been an area where many artists have lived and worked, something that is still quite visible today with the numerous restoration and art studios that line the streets.
Shortly after crossing the bridge, on the left there is the Chiesa di Santa Felicita, Florence's oldest church, restored in the 18th Century. Up a bit further is the large piazza on an incline which leads to the entrance of the Palazzo Pitti, originally a residence of the Pitti family who went broke constructing and decorating it to outdo the Medici...who eventually purchased it in 1565 to save Luca Pitti from impending debt. Today the palazzo houses five museums, but if you don't want to stay cooped up indoors and the weather permits it, it is strongly suggested that you visit the Boboli Gardens, which is easily accessible from the palace's courtyard. The extensive gardens go from the hills to the Forte Belvedere, a fortress of the city; however, if you can't make it to the top, a walk amongst the trees and sit on the benches to enjoy the beauty of the gardens.
Following these suggestions, just outside the piazza Pitti is the splendid via Maggio (previously known as the via Maggiore), lined with gorgeous 16th-century palaces that belonged to Florence's most noted families, not to mention all the lovely antique shops that are on both sides of the road. Shopping here is really élite, reserved for those who can afford to buy an expensive villa or an expensive Renaissance-era piece of furniture. There are also more affordable shops in the area where you can find items to bring home as souvenirs.
Walking down these narrow streets that characterize this area you will inevitably find yourself in front of the
Chiesa di Santo Spirito, Brunelleschi's last architectural triumph. In front of the church, every morning, there are different markets, and once a month there is an antiques market - truly an event to not miss out on. There are plenty of choices for dining in this area: bakeries, grocery shops, but also small, family-run trattorie with homemade meals and outstanding menus at affordable prices.
By this point, if you aren't already exhausted, you can take the main street back towards the Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine, even if it's just to see the chapel of Felice Brancacci that he commissioned from Masaccio in the 1420s. The frescoes are truly a masterpiece of Early Renaissance art, works not to miss. The entrance to the chapel. The entrance to the chapel is from the piazza, on the right side of the church.
