Florence
The beautiful city of Florence is the capital city of the province of Florence and the region of Tuscany. With more or less than 370,000 inhabitants it is the most populated city in the region. The lovely Florence is especially known for its architecture and art. Furthermore Firenze is considered to be the birthplace of the Renaissance and from 1865 to 1870 is was also the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. The historic town of Firenze attracts millions of tourists every year and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1982. Due to its cultural heritage, the city has been ranked as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and in the whole world. It contains numerous art galleries and museums as well as palaces and churches. Florence also is a major economic centre and one of Italy's top fashion cities. Moreover Florence is an important wine-growing region in the world. Especially the Chianti region with its Sangiovese grapes is famous for its Chianti Classico wines. Florentine food is popular for its Antipasti including crostini toscani and sliced meats. But if you are really hungry better try the famous bistecca alla fiorentina, a large T-bone steak. Most of the dishes are served with local olive oil - another Italian product enjoying worldwide reputation. If you are planning your trip to Italy you are probably wondering when is the best time to go. After all, you don't want to enjoy your Italian gelato while it's snowing outside. So if you love ice-cream and hot weather visiting Florence in the summer may be the right decision for you. All in all Firenze offers everything that you expect from an Italian city: fantastic attractions, lovely people, exciting cuisine and of course majestic wines. And now, you are ready to start planning your trip to Florence!
Districts of Florence:
Oltrarno
The district which is located outside the city's walls has always been popular for manual trades such as dyers, fullers or carders. On the other side of the river, you will find a lot of sculptors, engravers or restorers who carry on their trades within Florence. Explore the ancient history of Florence along Via Santo Spirito and Via San Frediano. La Piazza Santo Spirito is considered as the heart of Oltrarno and offers one of the most beautiful churches, the Santo Spirito. On the square, market stalls are set up every day and you can find a lot of restaurants and cafés. If you want to enjoy the finest views of Firenze Oltrarno offers several places to do so. Experience the most beautiful views of the towers, belveders and russet roofs of Florence. Special hint: Visit the Boboli gardens in the morning! Also the Brancacci Chapel, the Pitti Palace and the Ponte Vecchio can be found in the beautiful district Oltrarno.
Duomo / Piazza della Signoria
In this district many of the city's top tourist attractions can be found. Most important the breathtaking cathedral the Duomo and the Piazza della Signoria. Furthermore you will find the Bishop palace and the Baptistery in the religious centre of Florence. Don't forget to have a look between Via de' Servi and Via Ricasoli. You can see the Strozzi Niccolini Palace where Donatello's studio was located. The old house with stone arches dates back to the 15th century and is worth a visit. Visit the little Piazza delle Pallottole and enjoy a delicious meal at the Sasso di Dante restaurant. Of course there are a lot of other bars and restaurants where you can rest while enjoying your espresso or cappuccino.
San Marco
From the Duomo it's just a short walk to San Marco Square which is located to northeast of the city's largest cathedral. The San Marco District is the university district of Florence. All the university facilities are located there and because of that the district is very lively. Furthermore you won't have to struggle for good pubs and cheap restaurants. Don't forget to visit the Galleria dell' Accademia where Michelangelo's wonderful sculpture of David is located. Be careful with the touristy places around the square they might be quite expensive. Better visit Via dei Servi, Via Santa Reparata or Via San Gallo and spend your money there. Make sure that you have some time to visit the San Marco Museum and the San Marco church. Don't miss them !
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Five top attractions of Florence:
Duomo: The Duomo is an important sight of the city for several reasons. The building is stunning, beautiful, and once you have managed to climb the stairs to the top you won't regret it! The views of the city are excellent. Don't forget to check out the beautiful fresco while climbing!
Ponte Vecchio: The charming Ponte Vecchio = The Old Bridge across the river Arno dates from 1345. The shops along the bridge produce amazing jewelry. Because of a long tradition they are quite expensive but even if you can't buy anything the window shopping is worth it.
Piazza della Republica: The beautiful Piazza della Republica is a great place to enjoy an Italian espresso or grab a bite to eat. Furthermore it is located next to the Mercato Nuovo where the statue “Porcellino” is waiting to wish you good luck.
Gallerie dell' Accademia: The Galleria dell' Accademia is the home of Michelangelo's only original sculpture of the famous David. Because everybody wants to see his gorgeous body the Galleria always has a queue to get inside. So don't forget to get tickets in advance!
Palazzo degli Uffizi: houses paintings by artists such as Titian, Botticelli, Michelangelo and many more. You won't find the beautiful David in the Palazzo degli Uffizi but nevertheless you will find a long queue too. So if you are not delighted with the idea of camping in front of the building, buy your tickets ahead of time!
10 travel tips for Florence:
Bargello: The beautiful David is certainly not the only famous Renaissance sculpture that gets his beauty sleep in the stunning Firenze. The Bargello houses work by Michelangelo and Donatello.
Brancacci Chapel: Check out frescoes by Giotto and Masaccio located in the cathedral of Santa Maria del Carmine. It is definitely less exhausting than climbing the Duomo!
Vivoli: You love ice-cream? Then you will adore gli gelati di Vivoli. Visit Via Isole delle Stinche 7r and you will melt away faster than the ice-cream.
Basilica of San Lorenzo: The church is one of several churches that claim to be the largest and oldest in Florence. Be sure to put some time aside to see a collection of important architectural works by Brunelleschi or Michelangelo!
Church of Santa Maria Novella: The church is not at the top of your list of places to visit? Shame on you! The gothic church is one of the most important in Tuscany and holds extraordinary works of art.
Church of Santa Croce: The church looks onto the Piazza Santa Croce and is the burial place for the great in Florence. Come and visit the grave of Michelangelo or Galileo Galilei – don't forget your tissues!
Pitti Palace: No not pity! The enormous Pitti Palace was built for the Pitti family and is definitely not a pity. Today it houses a lot of important museums. Make sure you have some time to see the vast art collection!
Boboli Gardens: I giardini di boboli are situated behind the Pitti Palace. The gardens are open and offer a expansive view of the city. Furthermore i giardini di boboli lack a natural water source. Well worth a visit!
San Miniato al Monte: The church decorated with white and green marble was built between the 11th and 13th century. Going into it you will find beautiful frescoes by Taddeo Gaddi. After climbing the hill you will enjoy an enchanting view of Florence.
Fun Facts and Tips for Florence:
Florence Nightingale was named after the beautiful city.
The people who live in Firenze are called “Florentines”.
Galileo Galilei, Donatello, Guccio Gucci, Leonardo da Vinci all lived in Firenze –
impressive isn't it?
Not all roads lead to Rome! Florence became the first European city to have paved streets.
Regional dishes are: Bistecca alla Fiorentina, Tagliata and Crostini Toscani.
There are "only" 465 steps to the top of the Duomo ;-)
The Ponte Vecchio is the only bridge in the city that has survived World War II. Basically Hitler found it too beautiful to destroy it.
The average italian eats 25 kilograms of pasta every year – yummy!