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Florence

Culture of Florence. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Florence Of course, Duomo remains the most vivid architectural landmark of Florence. No monument of the past can match with the beauty of this great place. In addition to the magnificent cathedral, visitors of the city must see Baptistery, which facade is lined with delicate marble tiles. The baptistery’s facing was made yet in the 12th century and two centuries later the dome of the building was decorated with beautiful Byzantine mosaics. The gate in front of the building is also decorated with panels with bas-reliefs, which depict John the Baptist.
It’s more exciting to make a stay in Florence more diversified by visiting unusual places and landmarks. Do not limit yourself to a standard excursion program. When mentioning the most … Open
The center of the city is the location of another prominent religious attraction - the Basilica of Santa Croce. This church was built in Gothic style, and its rooms are decorated with beautiful frescoes by Giotto. The basilica is the location of several tombs of great figures of the country. The beautiful church of Santa Maria Novella is located next to Grand Central Station. This place also attracts travelers with its unusual architecture and luxurious interior decoration. Dominican monks began to build the church in the 13th century, but the building ended with the erection of the shrine only 200 years later. Perhaps, Uffizi Gallery is the most famous and attractive cultural institution of the city. This place is certainly worth visiting regardless of the fact whether you are a connoisseur of art or just a tourist.
House of Dante is surely a vibrant cultural attraction of the city. A beautiful old mansion - the birthplace of the world-renowned poet – has been turned into a museum. Modern Art Gallery, which exhibits a collection of works by Italian artists of the Renaissance, can simply not be ignored. The gallery often hosts exhibitions by young artists. In the famous Palatine Gallery you can see priceless works of Botticelli, Van Dyck, Caravaggio and Rubens. The gallery is opened in the beautiful Pitti Palace, which is also a prominent landmark of the city. The project of the palace was developed by architect Filippo Brunelleschi - one of the best masters of the 19th century. Bargello Castle, built in 1255, is a no less impressive architectural landmark of the city. In 1859 it was decided to open the National Museum in the palace. Therefore, now its spacious halls exhibit the collections of ancient sculptures and paintings. Copyright www.orangesmile.com
Guests of Florence who like nature will have a unique opportunity – to stay in the territory of a magnificently beautiful pine forest. Such an opportunity is offered by Villa Belvedere, a … Open
Acquaintance with the cradle of Renaissance will be incomplete without admiring the statue of David by Michelangelo. This is one of the landmarks of the city, along with Battistero di San Giovanni, Palazzo Vecchio and Duomo. Among other monuments are interesting memorials to the great people who were either born or simply at some point lived in the city – the rulers of Florence, “Medici”, among which stands the monument to Cosimo I, as well as the monument to Dante Alighieri. Many sculptures are associated with antiquity, like the compositions “Patroclo e Menelao”, “Ercole e Caco”, “Perseus”. Sure to capture everyone’s interest is a statue depicting boars (this is one of the symbols of the hometown of Donatello) called Fontana del Porcellino. It is believed to bring good luck.
Florence Campanile di Giotto, the majestic creation of the great architect, deserves an up close look. All 414 steps are worth every climb, where upon reaching the top you get to receive your reward, which is a magnificent panorama of the hometown of Sandro Botticelli. Another interesting construction is Cupola del Brunelleschi; there are more steps here (a total of 463). The building is the highest observation platform of the city. Torre di San Niccolo, isolatedly towering over the city and the river, draws the attention of tourists, and for a good reason. The place is definitely worth a visit, if not for any reason but the fact that it is one of the oldest structures of the city (built in the beginning of the XIV century).
Hotels with unique design are not rare in Florence. Room Mate Luca is very popular with travelers. This hotel is located in the very center of the historic part of the city, where it … Open
Florence is a common place for shooting historical films. Among them – “Inferno” (Giardino di Boboli, Corridoio Vasariano, Santa Maria Novella), “Piazza della Signoria”, and, of course, the series “Medici: Masters of Florence”, here the hometown of Machiavelli became a site for almost all the episodes of the movie. The same goes for the game “Assassin’s Creed”, in which you can easily discover the streets of Florence. It is worth noting that the location of the shooting of the movie is interesting not only because of this fact, but also on their own – after all, Florence is some kind of an independent landmark.
Campanile, Florence A wonderful fortification can be found on Via del Forte di san Giorgio. This is about the Forte di Belvedere o di San Giorgio Firenze, built in the late 16th century by the order of Ferdinand I de’ Medici, for the protection of the city and Palazzo Pitti, the residence of the rulers of Tuscany. This is a truly historic place – it was from here that Galileo Galilei watched the stars. Also, while in the hometown of Roberto Cavalli, you should take a stroll through Piazza Santo Spirito, Piazza San Marco, discover the country residence of the great dynasty Villa Medicea di Castello, and learn about the Roman past of Florence when you see Porta Romana.
In the section below, you can get one of our excursion, activities or city discovery tours over Florence and surroundings. Our website offers 10-30% lower ticket prices, when compared to the offline purchase on the spot.

City tours, excursions and tickets in Florence and surroundings

Plan your own excursion through Florence: churches, museums and castles

Florence Cathedral, Florence

» Santa Maria del Fiore means ‘the flower of St. Mary.’ The Cathedral is the most important in Florence and one of the largest churches in Italy.
» The Florence Cathedral is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
» At least six architects were employed in the development of the project and construction.
» A number of famous painters and sculptors, including Michelangelo, worked hard to decorate the Florence Cathedral.
» One of the most interesting features of the temple is the tower decorated with 16 statues of the patriarchs and prophets, as well as bas-reliefs depicting the creation of man and woman, the planet, human labor and inventions.
» The top-level tower offers the most stunning panoramic views of Florence.

Basilica of San Lorenzo, Florence

» Basilica of San Lorenzo is one of the largest and oldest churches in Florence.
» The last of the world-famous Medici family, Anna Maria Ludovico, rests in peace in the Basilica.
» Interior of the church is recognized as a true work of art.
» Works of the great master Donatello: two bronze chairs dating back to 1460 and the sarcophagus of Martelli family are notable.
» Basilica of San Lorenzo serves visitors every day except Monday. There is an entrance fee in the church. Access is free only on Sunday, when liturgy is held in the Basilica.

Basilica of Santa Croce, Florence

» The Basilica of Santa Croce is located in the heart of Florence; that’s one of the most popular attractions of the city.
» About 300 famous figures of culture, science and politics are buried in the church. Among them Galileo, Dante, Machiavelli, Michelangelo and many others have to be mentioned. The tomb has a form of the marble box with the figure of the deceased on top of the sarcophagus.
» The Basilica of Santa Croce is famous for its frescoes by Giotto.
» Initially, all the walls of the church were decorated with frescoes, but during the plague in the 16th century, when the church was used as a hospital, the walls were whitewashed. Once, during restoration, the frescoes were found, and the works of the great Giotto were among them.
» The Basilica is famous for its 16 chapels.
» In 1452 Leonardo da Vinci was baptized in this church.

Santa Maria Novella, Florence

» Santa Maria Novella is the first basilica in Florence, built in the 14-15th centuries.
» In the temple you can see many works of art by Florentine masters of 14-16th centuries.
» The workshop of perfumery and pharmacy is situated at the Basilica. That’s one of the oldest pharmacies in Europe.
» The famous early Renaissance fresco Trinity (Masaccio) was created in this church.
» The Big Chapel is of particular interest in the church. There, behind the altar, you can see the unique crucifix and a large number of frescoes created by Michelangelo.

Palazzo Pitti, Florence

» The Palazzo Pitti is the largest Florentine palace. Today, the Palazzo Pitti is one of the biggest and most interesting museums in Florence.
» The Silver Museum and the Carriage Museum, the Palatine Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art can be visited within the walls of the Palazzo Pitti.
» The Silver Museum has a magnificent collection of vases. There are Roman amphorae, vases of the Sassanid Empire, samples from Byzantium and Venice of the 14th century.
» The Gallery of Modern Art has a unique collection of works by Italian painters of the 19th century.
» The Palatine Gallery is decorated in Barocco style; that’s an incomparable backdrop of artistic works. Here are the paintings of Raphael, Titian, as well as works of Tintoretto and Giorgione, Venetian masterpieces by Rubens and Van Dyck, Caravaggio and Murillo and many others.
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What to visit during two-day excursion in Florence

Cathedral S. Maria del Fiore
Where: Piazza Duomo, 17, Florence;
S. Maria Novella
Where: P.S.M.Novella, 18, Florence;
Basilica of Santa Croce
Where: P. Santa Croce, Florence; Telephone: +39 055 244 619;
Basilica of S. Lorenzo
Where: P. Madonna degli Aldobrandini, Florence; Telephone: +39 055 214 042;
Chapel Brancacci (S. Maria del Carmine)
Where: P. del Carmine, Florence;
Uffizi Gallery
Where: P. degli Uffizi, 6, Florence; Telephone: +39 055 238 8651;
Gallery of the Accademia
Where: Via Ricasoli, 60, Florence; Telephone: +39 055 238 8609;
Galleria dello Spedale Degli Innocenti
Where: P. SS. Annunziata, 12, Florence; Telephone: +39 055 203 7308;
Palazzo Vecchio
Where: P. Signoria, Florence; Telephone: +39 055 276 8325;
Reference information
Map of all palaces
Public palaces near Florence
♥   Palace 'Palazzo Pitti' , 0.2 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Palace 'Palazzo Uffizi' , 0.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Palace 'Palazzo Corsini' , 0.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Palace 'Palazzo Rucellai' , 0.5 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Palace 'Palazzo Strozzi' , 0.5 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Palace 'Palazzo Vecchio' , 0.6 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Palace 'Palazzo Borghese' , 0.9 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Map of all art museums
Art galleries in Florence and around
♥   Art museum 'Palazzo Pitti' Florence, 0.2 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Art museum 'Uffizi Gallery' Florence, 0.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Art museum 'Bargello' Florence, 0.8 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Art museum 'Fine Arts Academy' Florence, 1.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Art museum 'Archaeological Museum of Florence' Florence, 1.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Map of all churches
Cathedrals and basilicas near Florence
♥   Basilica di S. Maria del Carmine, Firenze, 0.5 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilica Cattedrale di S. Maria del Fiore, Firenze, 0.9 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilica di S. Maria Novella, Firenze, 0.9 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilica di S. Lorenzo, Firenze, 1 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilica di S. Giovanni, Firenze, 0 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilica di Santa Croce e S. Francesco, Firenze, 1 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilica di SS. Annunziata, Firenze, 1.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Car rental on OrangeSmile.com Rentals in Florence

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In September 2022, the Sommerro hotel in Oslo will start operating in a carefully restored 1930s Art Deco building. This building is a true landmark of Frogner, a historic neighborhood of the Norwegian capital. A multi-million-dollar renovation carefully turned the largest preservation project in Norway into a modern hotel with 231 rooms, including 56 residences. Preferred will open five more hotels in 2022, namely, The Wall Street Hotel in New York, Amrit Ocean Resort & Residences on Singer Island (Florida, the US), TOA Hotel & Spa in Zanzibar, Pendry hotel in Washington, and Pendry Park City hotel in Utah. Read this

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Photogallery of cultural heritage of Florence

Landmarks of culture on Florence map: art-galleries, monuments, palaces, etc

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Excursions over cultural sights of neighbours of Florence

Culture guide to Florence. Which fascinating sights to visit once you are in Florence: temples, churches, museums, theaters and castles. Recommendations (with addresses, phone numbers and links) on the places 'must visit' in Florence. Plan your own city excursion by using this page info!
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