Highlights Of Florence

An introduction to the wonders of Florence, a walk through the historical centre to enjoy all the main sights, for those who are visiting Florence for the first time.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Piazza del Duomo
  • Quartiere medievale
  • Piazza della Repubblica
  • Piazza della Signoria
  • Galleria degli Uffizi (esterno)
  • Ponte Vecchio
  • Santa Croce

DURATION: 2/3 hours

Piazza del Duomo – The city’s religious centre rises in the heart of the historical centre and it’s a priceless artistic complex: S. Maria del Fiore Cathedral overlooks the whole square with Brunelleschi’s famous dome and its magnificence is enriched by Giotto’s belltower and St. John Baptistery with the well-known Gate of Paradise.

Piazza della Signoria – This is one of the most renowned and photographed squares and historical palaces in the world: Piazza della Signoria is an “open-air museum” with sculptural masterpieces by Giambologna, Cellini, Ammannati…and the replica of Michelangelo’s famous David right in front of Palazzo Vecchio! This medieval palace has been the political headquarters and one of the symbols of the city for centuries. It was founded in 1299 on a project by Arnolfo Di Cambio and it was embellished during the Medici domination with frescoes by Ghirlandaio, Bronzino and Vasari and sculptures by Michelangelo and Donatello.

Uffizi Gallery – flanked by Palazzo vecchio, this palace is a 1560 architectural masterpiece by Giorgio Vasari and the seat of the most prestigious Italian painting gallery.

Ponte Vecchio – the most ancient bridge in the city, it was built in 1345 by Neri di Fioravante and today it’s famous for the picturesque little houses on the two sides of the bridge, which are local goldsmiths’s workshops. High over the workshops is the Corridoio Vasariano, a secret passage built by Vasari for the Medici family, which is housing today the most precious collection of selfportraits in the world.

The Medieval District of Florence – We will walk through the Medieval heart of Florence discovering another amazing place to visit: the area where Dante Alighieri was born. We won’t miss typical tiny Florentine streets as well as ancient “tower-houses”.

Santa Croce Square – It is one of the largest squares in Florence, enhanced by the imposing presence of Santa Croce church, a fascinating Franciscan church that houses the sepulchers of many illustrious men, like Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei, Niccolò Machiavelli, Ugo Foscolo, Gioacchino Rossini etc…During the Middle Ages it was the favourite seat for people’s meetings and during the Renaissance time it was used by the Florentines as a field to play “Calcio Storico”(historical football), a tradition that is still followed nowadays.