Travel Guide to Florence, Italy

Florence is the capital of picturesque and very popular Italian province Tuscany, which is located at the bank of the Arno River. This city gave the birth to the Renaissance, as the cultural event and to such epoch-making people as Michelangelo and Machiavelli. Florence is full of monuments of art, culture and history. Most of the Florence palaces, churches, museums and historical buildings were built in the Renaissance style. This wonderful Italian city for centuries, actually, was under the rule of the Medici. Thanks to them many of the Florence art objects were created. This family was very much interested in fine arts, architecture, sculpture and literature. At those times Florence had the status of the most powerful city-country.

Nowadays Florence has the population of 356 000 people. Florence is a unique city, in some way it can be called an open-air museum. But if you carve for nightlife, it's not the very place you need. Florence is the city for admiring the atmosphere of the past and the absolutely special culture.

The Ponte Vecchio. The old bridge over the Arno River, named the Ponte Vecchio – one of the basic Florentine symbols, the image of which can be found almost at every photo with the sights of Florence. This bridge is one of the main tourist attractions. The Ponte Vecchio is the most ancient bridge, surrounded by the medieval constructions. The only place, from where you can't see it, is this very bridge. At those times there was so little space, that they had to build houses on bridges, and the Ponte Vecchio serves as a good example. Nowadays there you can buy golden, silver, nephritic wares and also look at the panoramic view on the Arno River. In the center of the Ponte Vecchio you'll see the monument of Cellini, the famous sculptor and jeweler.

Uffizi. One of the most famous museums in Florence is the National Museum of Art, Sculpture and Graphics Uffizi, located on the top floor of the Palazzo degli Uffizi of the 16th century. Primordially the building served as offices for The Medici Family, but then they decided to keep art works there, so that everybody could have a look at them. The collection contains works from the late period of the Middle Age and early Renaissance to the Baroque.

In the central hall Greece and Roman sculptures are exhibited, the pearl of the museum are surely such world-known paintings as 'The Battle of San Romano' by Paolo Uccello, 'Virgin with two angels' by Philip Lippi, by 'The Birth of Venus' by Botticelli, 'Virgin with a goldfinch' by Raffaello, 'Bacchus' by Caravaggio and 'The self-portrait in old age' by Rembrandt. And it's only a small part of the collection: it also contains paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Titian and Rubens. The exposition is so large that it's almost impossible go through at once, so it's quite reasonable to make some pauses and have a cup of tea in the cafes, located nearby. The Uffizi Museum is very popular with tourists, so quite often you can see very long queues of those, who want to watch at these masterpieces. In summer one can queue for even 5 hours, so it'll be a good idea to reserve the tickets.

The Florence Cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore). It goes without saying that one of the greatest places of interest not only in Florence, but in Italy o the whole is the Florence Cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore). The building works started in 1296; in 1995 it was completely restored. The word 'fiore' means 'a lily' (by the way, this flower is depicted on the emblem of Florence. The belfry Campanile is situated nearby. The green-and-white marble front of the 13th century looks really fascinating and creates the historically nostalgic atmosphere. If to stay just in front of the cathedral, it seems that the front is going to fall on you. Century after century this grandiose front served as inspiration for many art workers, so it's not surprising that it attracts so many tourists. But the greatest impression leave the ceilings, which were decorated by the greatest painters of those times. The Florence Cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore), the Campanile and the Baptistery buildings can surely be regarded the true heart of Florence.

In the Gallery of Academy the unique collection of works by Michelangelo (including the statue of David) is kept. But prepare to queue for a long time, before you will get the opportunity to look with your eyes at this collection. Nevertheless it's worth waiting: all the works are the originals.

The Vecchio Palace. The Vecchio Palace is a famous ancient palace of 14th century, located in the very center of Florence. At first it was called Palazzo della Signoria, but in 1559 it was renamed and this name is used until now. Nowadays the sessions of the government of Florence take place there.

The Pitti Palace used to be the residence of famous Pitti family. But when the Pittis became bankrupts, the palace was bought by the member of the Medicis, it was rebuilt and soon turned into the residence of this family. Nowadays in the Pitti Palace take place museums, galleries and various collections.

Read more about Florence:
Restaurants and cuisine in Florence
Local traditions and lifestyle
'Must visit' places in Florence
Nightlife and attractions in Florence
Preparing for Florence: Advices
Florence photogallery