Florence
Even among Italy's cities Florence is something special, rising from the beautiful landscape of Tuscany as a living piece of history. Even the most ordinary street or building is a work of art in itself and demonstrates the simple classical beauty that defined the Renaissance. Everywhere you turn you'll see works by Michelangelo, Donatello, Brunelleschi and any number of Masters of Italy's Golden Age.
It is in the museums and galleries of the city that most of Florence's treasures are concentrated. The city's major institutions might not rival museums such as the Louvre in terms of size but in terms of quality they are paralleled by few places in the world. However, rich as Florence's art collections are, one single piece shines above all others - Michelangelo's David.
It's no exaggeration to say that the sculpture is the focus of the entire city, its simple majesty never failing to move even the casual observer. Carved by the artist when he was just 29 years old the statue is among the world's most incredible artworks.
But even amidst this wealth of culture it is impossible to forget that Florence is a living city as well - the piazzas are full of fashionable boutiques and ever more fashionable people, and the café is still central to Florence social life. In the evening the city lights up and its squares and streets are thronged with visitors and locals taking their "passeggiata" as the denizens of the city have done for thousands of years.
SIGHT SEEING
Florence offers an unparalled combination of Renaissance splendour, high fashion and an easy going lifestyle. These are just some of the highlights among the city's myriad cultural and historical attractions.
THE DUOMO
Florence's magnificent cathedral was begun in 1294 and consecrated in 1436. The massive dome is a masterpiece of 15th-century engineering, famously designed by sculptor-turned-architect Filippo Brunelleschi, his example revolutionising architecture for the next few centuries. Giotto designed the detached campanile.
Among the artworks contained within the main building are Vasari's stunning fresco of The Last Judgment and delicate enamelled terracotta reliefs by della Robbia at the entrances to the two sacristies. Under the nave, in the crypt, are remnants of the present Duomo's predecessor, dating back to Roman times.
West of the cathedral, the separate baptistry (Open: Mon-Sat 12h00-18h30; Sun 08h30-13h30) is believed to be the oldest surviving building in the city and is well worth a visit. Admission: EUR3.
Piazza Duomo. Cathedral open: Mon-Sat 10h00-17h00; Sun 13h30-16h45. Admission to the cathedral is free. Dome open: Mon-Fri 08h30-19h00; Sat 08h30-17h40. Admission: EUR6. Tel: +39 055-230-2885.
DUOMO ART MUSEUM
Located just behind the east end of the Duomo, the cathedral's Art Museum (Museo dell'Opera del Duomo) contains a wealth of priceless works of art, including Michelangelo's unfinished masterpiece Pietà as well as a Madonna by Annolfo di Cambio.
Also on display are works by Donatello (notably his sculpture of the prophet Habbakuk), Luca della Robbia and Pisano.
Piazza Duomo, 9. Open: Mon-Sat 09h00-19h30; Sun 09h00-13h40. Admission: EUR6. Tel: +39 055-230-2885.
PITTI PALACE
Dominating Piazza Pitti, Florence's largest palace, Palazzo Pitti, was designed by Brunelleschi for the Pitti family, rivals of the more famous Medici clan. Not ones to be outdone in anything, the Medicis later usurped the palace for themselves.
Today the building's Palatine Gallery (Galleria Palatina) houses much of the Medicis' huge collection of art, with works by Raphael, Rubens, Tintoretto, Titian and Veronese on display in sumptuous rooms. Open: Tue-Sun 08h15-18h50. Admission: EUR6.50 (fees increase during special exhibitions).
The palace also contains a gallery of Modern Art, an intriguing costume collection and an exhibition of luxury artefacts misleadingly known as the Museo degli Argenti ("Museum of Silverware"). Modern Art Gallery open: Tue-Sun 08h15-13h50. Admission: EUR5. Tel: +39 055-238-8616. Museo degli Argenti open: Tue-Sat 08h15-16h30. Admission: EUR4. Tel: +39 055-238-8709/761.
PALAZZO VECCHIO
Located in the busy Piazza della Signoria, the Palazzo Vecchio, Florence's town hall, was started in the 14th century. The building was remodelled and redecorated two centuries later when the Medicis added open-air sculpture galleries and several beautiful fountains.
Among the more interesting rooms are the Salone dei Cinquento, a huge assembly hall, the Sala d'Udienza, once the audience chamber of the republic, with a gilded ceiling by da Maiano, and the Sala dei Gigli, containing Donatello's restored Judith and Holofernes.
Piazza della Signoria. Open: daily 09h00-19h00 (until 14h00 Thu). Admission: EUR6. Last entry one hour before closing. Tel: +39 055-276-8224.
PONTE VECCHIO
The Ponte Vecchio, one of the world's most famous bridges, was built in 1345 to replace an earlier wooden structure, and only narrowly missed being destroyed by retreating Nazi forces in 1945 - the only bridge in the city to be spared.
The roofed structure is inhabited with crazy extensions leaning, seemingly haphazardly, out over the water. A 16th-century gallery runs on the upper level of the bridge connecting the Uffizi and Palazzo Vecchio on one side of the river with the Palazzo Pitti on the other. Lined with shops, predominantly jewellers', the Ponte Vecchio is one of the city's most recognisable attractions.
THE UFFIZI
Across the road from the Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi ("Offices") were originally just that: government offices built in 1560. Vasari, the architect responsible for the upper gallery on the Ponte Vecchio, designed the buildings.
The upper storey was used to house Francesco I's art collection, which subsequent generations of the Medici family added to over the centuries. The last surviving member of the family, Anna Maria Lodovica, left it to the people of Florence for perpetuity.
Although many of the sculptures have been moved to the Bargello, what's left - the Galleria degli Uffizi - is arguably the best collection of art in Italy, chronologically arranged to illustrate the story of Florentine art. Masterpieces on display include Botticelli's Birth of Venus, Michelangelo's Holy Family and Titian's Venus of Urbino.
Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6. Open: Tue-Sun 08h15-18h50. Admission: EUR10. A reservation fee of EUR3 is payable to book your visit in advance, which is advisable in peak months. Additional charges may apply for special exhibitions. Tel: +39 055-238-8651
GALLERIA DELL'ACCADEMIA
Originally an academy of drawing, the gallery was transformed into a general arts academy in the 1760s. 20 years later Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo founded the nearby Galleria dell'Accademia with a collection of paintings from suppressed religious foundations, along with altarpieces from Florentine churches.
The Accademia's pièce de resistance is Michelangelo's David, the world's most famous sculpture, carved in 1504 when the artist was just 29 years old.
Via Ricasoli, 60. Open: Tue-Sun 08h15-18h50. Admission: EUR6.50. A reservation fee of EUR3 is payable to book your visit in advance. Tel: +39 055-238-8609.
THE BARGELLO MUSEUM
Bargello Museum (Museo Nazionale del Bargello). Housed in the stupendous Bargello Palace (Palazzo del Bargello), built in 1255, the museum contains the most wide-ranging collection of medieval and Renaissance sculpture in Italy.
On show are pieces by Michelangelo (including his first major sculpture, a drunken Bacchus, completed when he was just 22), another David (this one by Donatello) and pieces by della Robbia, Verrocchio and Ghiberti.
Via del Proconsolo, 4. Open: Tue-Sun 08h15-13h50. Admission: EUR7. Tel: +39 055-238-8606.
SANTA CROCE
Begun in 1294, the Franciscan church of Santa Croce is a beautiful building in its own right, but is equally famous as the burial site of many of Florence's most notable citizens.
The walls are adorned with monuments, and more than 276 tombstones line the aisles. Among the residents are Michelangelo, Galileo, Macchiavelli, and Rossini. Famous Florentine Dante also has a tomb here but his bones are yet to return from the exile imposed on the writer in life. The church also contains works by Giotto and della Robbia and is a sumptuous monument to the arts as well as religion.
Piazza Santa Croce. Open: Mon-Fri 09h30-17h30; Sun 13h00-17h30. Admission: EUR5. Tel: +39 055-246-6105.
SAN LORENZO
Not far from the Duomo is the Medici family's parish church of San Lorenzo, founded way back in the 4th century, although most of the current building, designed by Brunelleschi, dates from 1425.
Among the highlights are a chapel constructed by Michelangelo, some magnificent sculptures by the same artist made for the tombs of Giuliano and Lorenzo, and two striking bronze pulpits by Donatello.
There's also a stunning staircase by Michelangelo in the adjacent Laurenziana Library.
Piazza San Lorenzo. Open: Mon-Sat 10h00-17h00. Admission: EUR2.50.
ARCHEALOGICAL MUSEUM
Located on the via della Colonna, the Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico) contains the best collection of archaeological artefacts in Northern Italy.
There's a large collection of Etruscan discoveries, along with Greek and Roman exhibits. The 4th-century BC Etruscan bronze Chimera is the most famous treasure of the museum, but the excellent Egyptian collection, containing a rare Hittite chariot dating from the 14th-century BC, shouldn't be overlooked.
Via della Colonna, 38. Open: Mon 14h00-19h00; Tue, Thu 08h30-19h00; Wed, Fri-Sun 08h30-14h00. Admission: EUR4. Tel: +39 055-235-750.
SANTA MARIA NOVELLA CHURCH
One of the first great Florentine churches, Santa Maria Novella was built between the 13th and 14th centuries, and ranks among the city's most attractive buildings. The ornate black and white marble facade, completed in the 1400s and resembling intricate mosaicwork, is the church's most immediately appealing feature, but the interior, like many of the city's institutions, serves as a repository for numerous works of art. Arguably most significant among these - at least for those interested in the history of art - is Masaccio's Trinity, one of the first paintings to employ the use of perspective, and therefore one of the great cornerstones of the Renaissance.
Piazza Santa Maria Novella. Open: daily 09h00-17h00 (13h00-17h00 Fri & Sun). Admission: EUR2.50. Tel: +39 055-215-918.
SHOPPING
You don't need to look too hard in Florence to find any number of shops devoted to high fashion, Italian style, vying for attention with the city's art galleries. Thankfully the price tags in the shops don't match those in the galleries, but while shopping is not quite in the realms of Milan or Venice, Florence's boutiques can certainly break a budget. For designer clothing, including Max Mara, Yves Saint Laurent, and Gucci, head to via de Tournabuoni, via Porta Rossa, and via Roma. The Piazza Repubblica and its surrounding streets is where you will find the more affordable high street shops such as Zara and Benetton, as well as many other interesting boutiques.
Historical Shops
One of the joys of shopping in Florence is in exploring its numerous beautifully preserved cafés, shops and markets, many dating back to the mid-19th century. Throughout Tuscany, prizes have been awarded to historical shops and markets considered to be "outstanding landmarks of Tuscan tradition", and many of the best of these are to be found in Florence. For a pocket guide listing all the historical shops and cafes in the city, including maps to help you locate them, drop in at one of the tourist information offices at Borgo Santa Croce, 29, or Via Cavour, 1.
Markets
For a different kind of shopping experience, spend some time exploring some of Florence's markets. To start with, check out the 19th-century covered market, the Mercato Centrale on via dell'Ariento, just north of San Lorenzo. Here you'll find everything from tripe stalls, pasta bars and fishmongers to stands hawking clothes, bags and souvenirs. The market is open for clothes Mon-Sat 08h30-19h00, and for food from 07h00-14h00.
If it's tat and general bric-à-brac you're after, there's no better place than the Mercato Nuovo, Loggia Mercato Nuova (open: Mon-Sat 09h00-19h00). In this 16th-century building you can buy everything from overpriced plastercast reproductions of Michelangelo's David, to inexpensive leather goods and jewellery.
The Mercato delle Pulci, Piazza dei Ciompi (open: Mon-Sat 09h00-19h00), is good for odd antiques and second hand bits and pieces. For food shopping, you can't beat the Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio, Piazza Ghiberti, a great place to stock up on cheeses, salamis, hams and all manner of Italian goodies. It's open Mon-Sat 07h00-14h00.
Among the city's best buys are shoes, ceramics and other handmade goods. Even in the cheaper stores you can find items of surprisingly high quality. Leather goods are particularly low-priced; shoes, belts, handbags and jackets make excellent purchases.
One of the most versatile outlets in the city, you'll find all manner of top quality items at Misuri Leather and the Gold Market, two shops under the one roof. The selection of coats and accessories here is second to none in the city.
Look out for handmade Italian paper. Although Florence isn't as well known (among tourists at least) as Venice for its marbled paper, there are several outlets where you can see craftsmen creating beautiful and unique designs. A piece makes an unusual souvenir far superior to a plastercast David or a model of the Ponte Vecchio. Other good buys include antiques and old art-prints and maps. The markets of the city are the best place to unearth bargains although several specialist shops can be found in the city.
Food is always a good buy on a trip to Italy. The usual vast range of Italian cheeses, cured meats and other specialities are available in delicatessens throughout the city.
Jewellery from one of the vendors on the Ponte Vecchio will always evoke memories of your trip although you'll have to pay slightly more for the location you're buying it in. There are bargains to be had among the designer boutiques, but they might be hard to unearth. Although you're never going to run off with Italian designer gear for peanuts it is possible to make substantial savings when compared to prices in London or New York.
If shopping is all you have in mind, then head to the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet, considered as paradise for any shopaholics. Located on the outskirts of Florence in Barberino, 25km north of the city centre, it will please anyone looking for a good bargain.
GETTING AROUND
Galileo Galilei (Pisa)
Most international visitors arrive at Galileo Galilei Airport in Pisa, some 60km west of Florence.
Trains
There's a direct train service into Florence's Santa Maria Novella Station which leaves six times a day starting from 06h41. In the other direction there is an airport check-in for some destinations available at the station. Make sure that you can check in here before departure though: some international flights can only be checked at Galileo Galilei.
Trains depart approximately once an hour from the airport to the city from 08h50-00h50 each day. The return journey runs more frequently through the day (every 50mins) but only from 06h50-17h00. A later train can be caught via Monte Catini. The journey takes around 1hr30mins and costs EUR5.10 one-way.
Buses
A bus service runs from the airport to Florence's main train station. It departs from the airport every hour beginning at 08h20 with the last bus at 22h10. In the opposite direction buses are more frequent, leaving every 50mins from around 05h30-19h15. A one-way ticket costs EUR8.
The shuttle bus company Terravision offers an efficient and low cost service, transporting passengers from Pisa airport to Santa Maria Novella Station in Florence. Journey time is approximately 1hr10mins, and costs EUR7.50 for a single ticket, and EUR13.50 for a return.
Amerigo Vespucci Airport (Peretola)
Florence's own airport at Peretola, 5km north-west of the city, handles some short European flights and internal flights from elsewhere in Italy.
Buses
Two companies run buses from the airport, with the number 62 public bus departing the most frequently. This bus takes around 20 minutes to reach the city centre and costs EUR1.20. If you are carrying a lot of luggage it is best to catch the Volainbus, a shuttle bus service to the main train station, which costs EUR4.50 and takes just 20 minutes.
Taxis
A taxi will cost around EUR20 to the city centre and take 20 minutes.
Trains
Florence's main train station, Santa Maria Novella, has connections to main cities throughout Italy as well as Pisa's airport.
Buses
The only public transport within the city is the efficient network of orange ATAF buses that covers the centre and immediate environs. Tickets work on a time basis; those valid for 70 minutes cost EUR1.20.
To save money, consider buying a "biglietto 24 ore" which costs EUR5, and is valid for 24 hours, or a three day ticket which costs EUR12. These can be purchased at tabacchi (tobacconists) and automatic machines, which are generously dotted across the city.
Tickets have to be stamped on board the bus as soon as you enter. Bus drivers don't sell tickets so make sure you have one before getting on.
Ultimately, the best way to get around the city is on foot; it's just a ten-minute walk from both the bus and train stations to the Piazza del Duomo and most of the major attractions are located within a few minutes' walk from here.
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