Art, history, fashion, and Tuscan traditions
Florence is a world-renowned city of art, a true open-air museum thanks to its priceless artistic and cultural heritage.
The historic city center
It is impossible to remain unmoved by the city’s historic center with the majestic Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore that faces the Baptistery of San Giovanni dedicated to the patron saint of Florence.
You can climb the 400 steps of Giotto’s bell tower for an amazing bird’s eye view of the city. Yet another symbol of Florence is the Palazzo Vecchio, the city hall, located in Piazza della Signoria.
Continuing to walk towards the Arno River, we will reach Ponte Vecchio home to jewelers and their shops.
The Basilica of Santa Maria Novella – on the square of the same name – with its colored marble façade, inspiring shape, and many works of art inside is one of the city’s most important churches.
Museums and Works of Art
The Galleria degli Uffizi has an extraordinary collections with some of the world’s most famous and best-loved masterpieces such as the Birth of Venus and Primavera (Allegory of Spring) by Botticelli, the Doni Tondo (Holy Family) by Michelangelo and Caravaggio’s Medusa.
The Galleria Palatina, in Palazzo Pitti, showcases paintings from the “golden centuries”, and is worth a visit even just to see the magnificent frames and furnishings. When it comes to Italian Renaissance sculpture, the Museo Nazionale del Bargello with statues by Donatello, Luca della Robbia, Andrea del Verrocchio, Michelangelo, and Benvenuto Cellini is a must.
The Museo di San Marco hosts works by Fra Giovanni Angelico, while the Galleria dell’Accademia which is just a block away, is home to Michelangelo’s David.
Finally, we recommend the Medici Chapels , located behind the Basilica of San Lorenzo. A short walk from Santa Maria del Fiore with the dome built by Brunelleschi will take you to the Museo di Leonardo da Vinci where you can see fascinating reconstructions of the master’s brilliant inventions and machines.
Shopping
Walking around the city means more than seeing art – there is a whole world of fashion. The historic center of Florence features an extraordinary array of the greatest names in fashion. Indeed the city is an international reference point for high fashion.
