Welcome to Florence
Welcome to Florence - The City of Art, Fashion and Bistecca Fiorentina
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany. Florence is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, and has been called the Athens of the Middle Ages. Its history includes periods of religious and republican revolution and period of rule by the powerful Medici family. From 1865 to 1871 the city was also the capital of the Kingdom of Italy. In 1982 it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Florence is one of the richest cities of artistic and architectural heritage in Italy and in Europe and contains numerous museums and art galleries, as the Uffizi Gallery and the Pitti Palace. Also is an important city in Italian Fashion. For all these riches still exerts an influence in the fields of art, culture and politics.
Information and facts
Night-life
Florence is a city with an intense night-life. Your evening can begin at happy hour, where you can drink and eat, you can find clubs both in the centre like Zoe, Negroni, Moyo and Rifrullo and in the nearby areas such as Cafè de Paris, Baraka and Strizbar. During the summer it is possible spend the evening and have the happy hour in the terraces of some Hotels while admiring the view like Hotel Laurus, Hotel baglioni, Grand Hotel Minerva. After the Happy Hour it is possible to go to one of the many discos among which the most famous are: Otel, Auditorium Flog, Yab and Gallery.
Shopping
Florence is the historical home of fashion in Italy. Florence's main upmarket shopping street, where luxury fashion houses and jewellery stores abound and high-quality leather goods, shoes and clothing can be found is Via de’ Tornabuoni. There is also the Mall and a huge designer outlet where labels such as Alexander McQueen, Gucci, Fendi and Burberry can be found. If you want to find jewellery you can visit Ponte vecchio.
Sightseeing
It is very difficult deciding where to start your sightseeing, because the city is full of numerous stunning excursions. You can start to by visiting one of Florence's oldest buildings, the Baptistery of John the Baptist and Dome; its most distinctive feature is the enormous dome, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi and built between 1420 and 1436. Then you can take a walk along the Arno River, where there are many bars, pubs and restaurants. Furthermore you can stroll across the Ponte Vecchio, where above the shops there is a secret passageway, the Vasari Corridor, providing an elevated link to the Palazzo Pitti via the Uffizi; it was the private walkway of the Medicis who could move between the various residence. You can also visit the Giardino di Boboli one of the oldest gardens in Italy and well-known for its fountains and grottoes, and Palazzo Pitti the Medici family and was the one-time residence of the Italian king.
Time
Standard time zone: UTC/GMT +1 hour
Climate
The hottest months are July and August and the temperatures range between 88°F (31°C) and 63°F (17°C). In the coldest month, January, the temperatures range between 50°F (10°C) and 34°F (1°C).
The best seasons for tourist in Florence are spring and summer, between May and August.
Public Transportation
The best way to explore Florence is by foot: the city centre is compact, and traffic is restricted. There is a dense bus network (ATAF) operating from 5.30am until midnight. Tickets are valid for either 70 minutes for a single-use ticket, or multiple-ride tickets of four 70 minute-uses can also be purchased. Tickets cost €1.20 beforehand, or €2 if bought on the bus. Using taxis in Florence is difficult, as they cannot be hailed on the street.
