Visiting Florence

(Florence, Italy)

Dominated by the Duomo / Santa Maria del Fiore, the city's spectacular cathedral (an iconic symbol of the city), Florence is a beautiful Tuscan destination, full of tourist appeal and character. Brimming with art galleries and museums displaying many truly spectacular masterpieces, the city of Florence offers a regional cuisine which is mouthwatering to say the least.

When visiting Florence, it does not take long to appreciate why the city has become such a popular tourist hotspot. Although there are a huge selection of one-star and two-star hotels in the city, accommodation regularly becomes full to capacity between May and September. Most hotels and traditional guest houses (pensioni) tend to be clustered within Old City, between the cathedral and the River Arno, as well as around the Piazza di Santa Maria Novella and the Stazione di Santa Maria Novella. Florence villas, short-term apartments and rooms for rent (affittacamere) all make popular lodging alternatives.

Visiting Florence: Places to Visit

• Florence bus tours, featuring air-conditioned buses which travel past many famous sights and landmarks, with English-speaking guides and insightful commentary along the route
• Walking tours of Florence, lasting up to three hours and starting from the Piazza Santa Maria Novella every day
• Palazzo Vecchio, the historic Old Palace, which dates back to the early 14th century and stands in the Piazza della Signoria
• Piazza del Signoria, Florence's unusual open-air sculpture gallery, surrounded by many impressive buildings and historic architecture
• Palazzo Medici-Riccard, a grand 15th-century town mansion, once the home of the city's wealth Medici family, located along the Via Cavour in Florence, with impressive related chapels nearby
• Palazzo Strozzi, a truly breathtaking palace featuring Renaissance-style architecture and taking almost 40 years to build, being completed in 1536
• Teatro Comunale, Florence City Theatre, an impressive concert hall located on Corso Italia and hosting many large events, with seating for audiences of around 2,000 people
• Palazzo dei Congressi, one of Florence's most impressive and historic centres, surrounded by landscaped gardens
• Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), spanning the River Arno and dating back to the mid-14th century, known in Florence for being lined with shops and jewellers
• Fortezza da Basso, an enormous fortress built around 500 years ago, with a grand exterior and now home to a contemporary international exhibition centre, hosting many superb events and fashion shows
• Palazzo Pitti, home to many of Florence's most outstanding works of art, including pieces by Filippo Lippi, Raphael and Veronese, amongst others
• Bargello Museum, housing a truly exceptional collection of Renaissance sculpture