Visit City of Florence – and get Floored

Florence ( called Firenze in Italian), the capital of Tuscany, Italy was the birthplace of the renaissance movement in Italy. The city of Florence was one of the most important cities in Europe in the middle ages and was one of the leading cities that facilitated the Age of Discovery. Numerous men of note like Amerigo Vespucci, Galileo Galilee, Machiavelli, Dante Alighieri and many more were Florentines. Not to mention the Florentine Artists, from Boticelli to Michelangelo to Leonardo da Vinci. Now, although most of Florence’s importance has waned, it remains an architectural, cultural, scientific and financial center of Italy. The city has thriving industries and craft centers and is a focal point for art, commerce and science in Italy.

A city with such a rich heritage, Florence has innumerous attractions for any traveler, first time or not. Florence has some of the most beautiful churches in the world, and some of the best works of art can be found in these. There are many museums, and hundreds of art galleries. The city of Florence has some of the best specimens of architecture in the world. Florence is also a shopper’s paradise. Numerous world renowned designers like Gucci, Prada, Armani, Ermenegildo Zegna as well as thousands of lesser known, but no less worthy designers have their shops here. The Florentine cuisine, which is delicious and made of simple ingredients, is incomplete without some fine “local” wine ( actually famous worldwide ).

There are innumerable places of interest in Florence, but the main places no traveler must miss are within walking distance of each other, and are no more than minutes from the cathedral Duomo di Firenze ( Santa Maria del Fiore ). Also taxis and buses are easy to get, and are good options.

The places you must see in Florence with out fail are, The Duomo, San Lorenzo, San Marco, Capella Brancacci, Piazza Santissima Annunziata, Santa Croce, San Miniato al Monte, Ponte Vecchio, the Bargello, Palazzo Piazza della Signoria, Neptune Fountain, Dante’s District, Orsanmichele, Palazzo Strozzi, Palazzo Davanzati, Cascine Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, Palazzo Pitti, Vecchio, Piazza della Republica, Piazza Santa Croce and Forte di Belvedere.

There are more than 80 museums in Florence. The main Museums you must visit are

Museo di Firenze, Galleria degli Uffizi, Museo dell’Opera del Duom, Museo dei Ragazzi, Museo Marino Marini, the Accademia, Museo di San Marco, Museo del Bigallo, Museo di Santa Maria Novella, Museo Archeologico, Museo di Storia della Scienza Museo Horne.

Things to do

Galleria degli Uffizi

This is one of the best art museums in the world, and has superb collections of Renaissance Art, and sculptures. The Boticelli painting “The Birth of Venus” is a highlight. It is recommended that you make a prior reservation to enter the museum, as there are often long queues of people waiting to get into the gallery ages before it opens.

Visit Duomo di Firenze ( Santa Maria del Fiore ) and Climb the Dome

Santa Maria del Fiore,is better known as Duomo di Firenze and is one of the world most beautififul cathedrals. It is an icon for Florence, The dome of the cathedral is an engineering marvel, considering when it was built, and was designed by Brunelleschi.

The Duomo cathedral and its bell tower has staircases right up to the top. Make sure you climb right up to the top. The view that can be had from here is spectacular, to say the least. The beautiful Tuscan country side with lush meadows plus the majestic buildings of Florence can be seen from here.

The Boboli Gardens

The Boboli gardens are located at the back of the Pitti palace. This is an excellent place to get breathtaking views of Florence. There are also some beautiful sculptures. There is a café atop the Hill as well.

Santa Croce

Santa Croce Church houses the tombs of great men from Florence like Dante, Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli and many more notable people. The art the church has magnificent. The Museo dell’ opera di San Croce, has a Crucifix made by Cimabue, which was almost damaged by the Florence floods in 1966, and is a symbol of the flood and the city’s resilience. The Pazzi Chapel a neo-Classic Renaissance masterpiece is another notable structure.