Romantic, enchanting, and utterly irresistible, Florence (Firenze) is a place to feast on world-class art and gourmet Tuscan cuisine. Florence, is the birthplace of the Renaissance, therefore it is one of Europe’s great art cities. With frescoes by Giotto and Ghirlandaio, canvases by Botticelli and Bronzino, and sculptures by Michelangelo and Giambologna, there is so much exquisite art and architecture within its ancient walls that it’s easy to become overwhelmed. If you are traveling to Italy, Florence should be a definitely great place to stop by to admire the beautiful art, sculpture, and historical charming city.
WHAT TO DO & SEE?
1. Ponte Vecchio
The Ponte Vecchio is a medieval stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge over the Arno River, in Florence, Italy. It was the only bridge across the Arno in Florence until 1218. It is noted for the shops built along it; building shops on such bridges was once a common practice.
2. Uffizi Gallery
The Uffizi Gallery is a prominent art museum located adjacent to the Piazza della Signoria. The building of the Uffizi complex was begun by Giorgio Vasari in 1560 for Cosimo I de’ Medici so as to accommodate the offices of the Florentine magistrates, hence the name uffizi, “offices”. Ufizzi gallery is one of the most important Italian museums and the most visited, it is also one of the largest and best-known in the world and holds a collection of priceless works, particularly from the period of the Italian Renaissance.
3. Palazzo Vecchio
The Palazzo Vecchio is the town hall of Florence, Italy. It overlooks the Piazza della Signoria, which holds a copy of Michelangelo’s David statue. You can visit the town hall, upon entrance, you’ll get into the first courtyard. The first courtyard was designed in 1453 by Michelozzo. In the lunettes, high around the courtyard, are crests of the church and city guilds. In the center, the porphyry fountain is by Battista del Tadda.
4. Piazza della Signoria
Piazza della Signoria is the main square in Florence and offers a well-rounded view of the immense political and artistic presence of this Renaissance city. The impressive 14th-century Palazzo Vecchio is still preeminent with its crenelated tower. The square is also shared with the Loggia della Signoria, the Uffizi Gallery, the Palace of the Tribunale della Mercanzia (1359) (now the Bureau of Agriculture), and the Palazzo Uguccioni (1550, with a facade attributed to Raphael, who however died thirty years before its construction). Located in front of the Palazzo Vecchio is the Palace of the Assicurazioni Generali (1871, built in Renaissance style). On Piazza della Signoria you’ll find many spectacular sculptures like in an open air sculpture gallery, including Hercules and Cacus and Loggia dei Lanzi.
5. Boboli Gardens
The Boboli Gardens is a historical park of the city of Florence that was opened to the public in 1766. Originally designed for the Medici, it represents one of the first and most important examples of the Italian garden, which later served as inspiration for many European courts. In fact, it is more than just a garden. The park hosts centuries-old oak trees, sculptures, and fountains and offers peaceful shelter from the warm Florentine sun in summer, the beautiful colors of the changing foliage in the fall, and the smells of blooming flowers in the spring.
6. Piazzale Michelangelo
Piazza Michelangelo is on a hill on the south bank of the Arno River, just east of the center of Florence, and offers a stunning view of the city. The square, dedicated to the Renaissance sculptor Michelangelo, has bronze copies of some of his marble works found elsewhere in Florence: the David and the four allegories of the Medici Chapel of San Lorenzo. The monument was brought up by nine pairs of oxen on 25 June 1873.
7. Basilica of Santa Maria Novella
The Church of Santa Maria Novella might not be at the top of your list of places to visit in Florence but we highly recommend you place it on there. Architecturally, it is one of the most important Gothic churches in Tuscany. The exterior is the work of Fra Jacopo Talenti and Leon Battista Alberti. The interior holds extraordinary works of art including Masaccio’s Trinità, Ghirlandaio’s fresco cycle in the Tornabuoni Chapel and Giotto’s Crucifix, among others.
8. The Baptistery of St. John
The Baptistery of St.John is a religious building in Florence, Italy, and has the status of a minor basilica. The Baptistery, dedicated to Florence’s patron saint, has an octagonal plan and an octagonal lantern with a cupola. Outside it is clad in geometrically patterned colored marble, white Carrara marble and green Prato marble that is typical of Florentine Romanesque architecture. The octagonal baptistery stands in both the Piazza del Duomo and the Piazza San Giovanni, across from Florence Cathedral and the Campanile di Giotto.
9. Giotto’s Bell Tower
Giotto’s Campanile is a free-standing campanile that is part of the complex of buildings that make up Florence Cathedral on the Piazza del Duomo in Florence, Italy.
Standing adjacent to the Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore and the Baptistry of St. John, the tower is one of the showpieces of Florentine Gothic architecture with its design by Giotto in 1334, its rich sculptural decorations and its polychrome marble encrustations. you can climb up the tower for some spectacular views over Florence.
10. Giardino Bardini
The Giardino Bardini is an Italian Renaissance garden of the Villa Bardini in the hilly part of Oltrarno, offering fine views of Florence, Italy. A city like Florence, well known for its amazing art collections, monumental architecture, and rich historic past can sometimes have you forget about the natural beauty that abounds in the form of well-maintained gardens and parks.
11. Palazzo Strozzi
The Florentine families of wealth and power were constantly striving to best their neighbor – and many architectural “novità” (novelties) can credit their existence because one family wanted their house to be bigger, better and more dominating. In fact, Palazzo Strozzi was deliberately designed to be larger than Palazzo Medici.
Nowadays, Palazzo Strozzi is one of the examples of mansions of a rich family in Florence that is now turned into a modern art gallery. Since its creation, the Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi has made its mission to help make Florence a “dynamic contemporary city, and thereby contribute to renewed quality tourism, increased economic growth”. The foundation opened the large spacious halls and transformed them into rooms that would contain works of art of various types, from yesteryear till today and dimensions that varied from small to immense.
12. Museo dell’Opera del Duomo
The Museo dell’Opera del Duomo (Museum of the Works of the Cathedral) in Florence, Italy is a museum containing many of the original works of art created for the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, the cathedral (Duomo) of Florence.
The museum is located just east of the Duomo, near its apse. It opened in 1891, and now houses what has been called “one of the world’s most important collections of sculpture. The museum serves as a refuge from pollution for many of the outside sculptures of the cathedral.
13. Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
Florence Cathedral, formally the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, is the cathedral of Florence, Italy. It was begun in 1296 in the Gothic style to a design of Arnolfo di Cambio and was structurally completed by 1436, with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. The Duomo of Florence is a prominent icon of the city. The cathedral complex, in Piazza del Duomo, includes the Baptistery and Giotto’s Campanile. These three buildings are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site covering the historic centre of Florence and are a major tourist attraction of Tuscany.
14. David of Michelangelo statue
David is a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture, created in marble between 1501 and 1504 by the Italian artist Michelangelo. David is a 5.17-metre marble statue of the Biblical figure David, a favoured subject in the art of Florence. You’ll find many replicas around the city, but the original statue can be found in the Accademia Gallery of Florence (Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze) in Florence, close to the monumental Duomo (Piazza del Duomo).
WHERE TO EAT & DRINK?
Italian cuisine is a popular cuisine worldwide. However, here is your chance to try out the real dishes of Italy as well as explore some more local dishes of Tuscany. Below are some dishes you should note to try out whilst in Florence:
- Bistecca alla Fiorentina – A Florentine steak. It’s a large t-bone cut weighing anywhere from 1kg-4kg (2lb-8lb), fire-grilled, pink on the inside, seasoned with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon, and traditionally cooked over roasted chestnuts for a smoky flavour.
- Lampredotto – It is a sandwich made with thinly sliced tripe that’s been boiled in broth, seasoned, and served either on a plate or in a sandwich.
- Papardelle is a long, wide, flat pasta usually paired with a heavy sauce, such as a ragu.
- Ribollita and pappa al pomodoro – This traditional Tuscan dish is a soup made with stale bread, tomatoes, beans (usually cannellini) and any other in-season vegetables, along with herbs.
And many more dishes to explore. See below some cafe and restaurants suggestions to explore these dishes and others.
1. Caffe Gilli
Coffee with classic desserts like biscotti & tiramisu in a wood-paneled landmark founded in 1733.
Traditional Tuscan restaurant in Florence, specializing in Steak Florentine and other meat dishes.
3. Vini E Vecchi Sapori
Robust pasta dishes, charcuterie plates & a local wine list in a cozy osteria with a wooden ceiling.
4. La Menagere
A beautiful cosy restaurant, filled with blooming flowers and tasty treats. Stop by for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
5. La Giostra
High end place for Tuscan dishes like Florentine T-bone steak, plus a big wine list, under 16th-century brick vaults.
6. Melaleuca bakery + bistrot
A great Aussie inspired place to grab your coffee, breakfast or brunch near the riverside.
Mercato Centrale Firenze gives back to the city an ideal marketplace of taste, redeveloping a vital venue in central Florence. Great place to explore fresh ingredients, food, fruits, vegetables as well as cooked meals to grab.
Inventive, handmade pasta & pizza in a snug space with industrial decor & at tables in the piazza.
Looking out over the River Arno, Ristorante Borgo San Jacopo (1 Michelin star) offers guests the ultimate fine dining experience with unforgettable views of Ponte Vecchio and the city.
