Florence, the birthplace of the great poet Dante

Where to stay in Florence

Hotels

Hotel Perseo

• Near the city center
• Near Brunelleschi’s magnificent Dome
• Breakfast
• Standard, Deluxe, Triple, Quadruple Rooms

Hotel De La Ville

• Near the city center
• Breakfast
• Standard, Deluxe, Junior Suite, Suite, Family Rooms

Hotel NH Collection Firenze Palazzo Gaddi

• Near the city center
• Breakfast
• Standard, Superior, Premium Family, Junior Suite, Junior Suite with Balcony, Suite, Presidential Suite

Apartments

Residenza d’Epoca Visacci

• My favorite
• Apartments with 2 separate rooms
• Close to the city center
• Balcony
• Great host
• Views of Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral
• Italian-style breakfast

La Casa Del Garbo – Luxury Rooms & Suite

• Century building
• No elevator
• Close by Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi Gallery, Ponte Vecchio and Piazza del Duomo

From the airport

• The distance from Florence Airport to the city center is 6 kilometers
• Taxi: 15 minutes, 25 Euro
• Tram: 15-20 minutes, 1.5 Euro
• Shuttle Bus Volainbus – 25 minutes, 6 Euro
• Uber – 15 – 30 minutes, 25-40 Euro

What to visit in Florence

• Santa Maria del Fiore (The Duomo in Florence)
  • The cathedral, called the Duomo, is the symbol of the city of Florence, the main tourist attraction and the place that all tourists want to admire. The Santa Maria del Fiore is dominating the panoramic view of Florence.

• Piazza della Signoria
  • Piazza della Signoria is a beautiful square located in the center of some of the top attractions in Florence.
  • Here that tourists can visit attractions like the Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi Gallery, Loggia de Lanzi and the nearby Ponte Vecchio bridge. In this town square are also located sculptures such as a replica of Michelangelo’s Statue of David, the Fountain of Neptune, Hercules and Cacus as well as Perseus with the Head of Medusa.

• Palazzo Vecchio
  • One of Florence’s most significant buildings is the Palazzo Vecchio, a grand palace overlooking the Piazza della Signoria.

• Uffizi Gallery
  • Regarded today as one of the world’s greatest art museums, the Uffizi Gallery is located off the Piazza della Signoria.
• Ponte Vecchio
  • The Ponte Vecchio is the oldest, as well as the most famous, of the six bridges that cross Florence’s Arno River. 
  • In the present, the bridge hosts shops and houses. You will find jewelry stores here.

• San Miniato al Monte
  •  the oldest church in Florence offers panoramic views of one of Italy’s most scenic cities
• Galleria dell’Accademia
  • The Galleria dell’Accademia or “Gallery of the Academy” is certainly the most famous for its sculptures by the great Renaissance artist, Michelangelo.
• Basilica di San Lorenzo
  • Situated at the center of the city’s main market district, the Basilica di San Lorenzo is one of the oldest churches in Florence
• Boboli Gardens
  • Located behind the Palazzo Pitti, the Boboli Gardens were created by the Medici family in the 16th century. 
• Piazzale Michelangelo
  • The Piazzale Michelangelo is a large square located on the right bank of the Arno River.
• Palazzo Pitti
  • The Palazzo Pitti is a large 15th-century palace situated on the right bank of the Arno River.
• Santa Croce Church
  • Santa Croce is his burial place for Michelangelo, Rossini, Galileo and Dante.
• Loggia dei Lanzi
  • A pavilion near Palazzo Vecchio
  • Benvenuto Cellini’s bronze statue of Perseus holding the head of Medusa (Perseus with the Head of Medusa) is a star attraction.
• Piazza della Repubblica
  • One of the oldest places in Florence

Where to eat in Florence

• La Buchetta Food & Wine Restaurant
  • An old-fashioned bistro offering traditional cuisine and a wide range of fine wines.
• Ciro and Sons – Restaurant Pizzeria Firenze
  • A restaurant with a terrace offering appetizers, pasta, pizza and vegan dishes.
• Ristorante Brandolino
  • Old restaurant, serving elegant Italian cuisine.
• I’ Girone De’ Ghiotti
  • A restaurant that offers sandwiches along with meat & cheese boards, beer & wine.
• Gustarium
  • A great place sampler plates of focaccia-style pizza with creative toppings, sold by weight.

About Florence

Florence is the capital of the Italian region of Tuscany and the province of Florence.

Florence is the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. In Italian Florence is called Firenze.

Tourists visit Florence to see the city that hosts pieces by famous artists Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Raphael and many others.

Florence’s historic center has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Secrets and Mysteries of Florence

• Perseus with the Head of Medusa

Cellini’s Perseus is hiding another work. To discover it, you just have to sit behind the statue and look behind it: at the base of the neck and on the back of the headset the artist has created an impressive optical effect, thanks to which you will seem to see the face of a man. In fact, it seems that Benvenuto Cellini wanted to carve a self-portrait right behind Perso.

• Petrified Head on the northern wall of Church Santa Maria Maggiore

Legend has it that this mysterious stone head belongs to a woman who was petrified by an alchemist. 

Most probably it belongs to the same funeral complex in which were extracted the sarcophaguses preserved inside the Baptistery.

So look up when passing through Via dei Cerretani.

• A mysterious human profile engraved on the wall of Palazzo Vecchio

Look for the mysterious human profile sculpted by Michelangelo, right at the entrance of Palazzo Vecchio.

• Flea market on Piazza dei Ciompi

A market where you can get your souvenirs and antiques.

• Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy

This pharmacy is considered to be the oldest pharmacy in the world, it is a real gem, the place looks great and here you will find perfumes and other fragrant objects. One of the perfumes you can buy here is the perfume that Caterina de ‘Medici ordered to be created for her wedding (Acqua della Regina).

• The Colossus of the Apennines by Giambologna (Villa Demidoff)

Villa Demidoff is an elegant villa with a beautiful garden located a 20-minute bus ride from Florence. The Apennines is a giant statue made of stone and brick and within the rock are a number of grottos carved out inside. The grotes are decorated with frescoes and beautiful geometric decorations.