Florence
Travel Guide > Europe > Italy > Florence
Introduction
Florence is the capital of the region Tuscany in Italy and considered one of the most beautiful cities in the country. Famous for its art and architecture, this city of 400,000 is viewed as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, home to such famous Florentines as Leonardo Da Vinci, Michaelangelo and Machiavelli. Steeped in ancient history, it's little surprise that the historic Center of Florence was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1982.
The famous Duomo (Cathedral) is an icon of the Florence skyline and a great place to get a magnificent view over the city. Other well-known sites include the Santo Spirito church, Giotto's Bell Tower and Ponte Vecchio.
Districts
There are five districts in Florence and the old area of town is divided into four sections. The city center is the area that contains the vast majority of tourist sights. The newer areas of towns have the university and sports stadiums.
Old Town
- San Giovanni
- Santa Croce
- Santa Maria Novella
- Santo Spirito Oltrarno
Outside of the Old Town
Sights and Activities
The city of Florence itself is an amazing sight. Just looking at the stone buildings and narrow streets makes one wonder. But the problem is Florence has so many sights that unless you intend to spend a month there it will be difficult to see everything. Therefore this section has been broken into "Must See" and "Other Sights." And even then this is only a fraction of the sights you can see in Florence.
Must See
- Accademia, the only thing to see here is the David so go at the end of the day right before closing or early in the morning in order to miss the long lines.
- Duomo Cathedral is the main cathedral in the city with a nice a view from the top.
- Medici Chapels - do not miss the tombs designed by Michelangelo.
- Ponte Vecchio is the bridge that crosses Arno River which is covered with little high end jewelry shops and a famous meeting place for lovers. For more information on famous bridges around the world read the article: Famous Bridges.
- San Lorenzo is a stunning Church with some nice private chapels.
- Santa Croce is a Church that has the tombs of some of the most famous people from history buried in it.
- Uffizi Gallery hosts some of the most famous renaissance art work in the world.
- Vecchio was the original government building during the Florence Republic.
Other Sights
- Pitti Palace is a nice palace but houses lots of left over portraits from the 19th century.
- San Michelangiolo is a church on top of the hill over looking Florence. Every evening at 4pm the monks come out and sing.
- Strozzi Palace is a nice traditional Italian palace.
- Rucellai Palace is another traditional Italian palace.
Events and Festivals
Weather
Getting There
By Plane
Florence Airport (FLR) is an international airport that serves most major cities in Italy and Europe, with regular public buses to the bus station.
By Train
The train station is large and located in the northern part of the city. You can get trains to anywhere in Italy and most major European destinations. There are several daily trains to Venice, Milan, Rome and Pisa.
By Car
By Bus
The bus station in Florence is excellent for getting to towns in nearby Tuscany.
Getting Around
Although the twisting, narrow streets of Florence make for stunning beauty and great pictures, they also make it next to impossible to find almost anything. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you buy a map or a tourist map in order to help find sights. Luckily the Duomo and the Vecchio can be seen from most of the city, making them a nice reference point.
By Car
By Public Transport
By Foot
By Bike
Eat
Drink
Work
Learn
This is version 22. Last edited at 20:12 on May 29, 08 by Lavafalls (+1). 3 articles link to this page.
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