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What to see, what to do in Florence: the essential activities

2023-03-04T13:17:31.998Z


Capital of Tuscany, Florence is a city of timeless charm that contains a spectacular artistic and cultural richness. Here are ten of the most emblematic activities for you to discover “the city of the Lys”.


Considered the cradle of the Renaissance, Florence is a veritable open-air museum that can be discovered along the Arno River which cradles it.

We admire the creations of the great Italian masters in the old palaces, we stroll on the Ponte Vecchio and we finish by admiring the sunset over the Tuscan capital from the Piazzale Michelangelo which offers a view of the whole city.

To discover

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Cross the Ponte Vecchio

The Ponte Vecchio is one of the symbols of Florence.

Tito Slack

An emblematic symbol of the city, the Ponte Vecchio, whose current structure was built in 1345, spans the Arno and is a must-see on a trip to Florence.

If the bridge was once surrounded by shops of tanners, butchers and fishmongers, now there are many luxury jewelery shops along its arcades.

We immortalize its colorful stalls, we enjoy the view and we cross the Vasari corridor, a passage formerly used by the Medici family to move around in complete safety.

BOOK A GUIDED WALKING TOUR

Discover the Palazzo Vecchio

The Palazzo Vecchio serves as the Town Hall and museum.

Anibal Trejo

Not far from there, we explore the Palazzo Vecchio, which once housed the seat of the Florentine government and symbolized the civil and political power of the city.

From now on, it serves both as Town Hall and as a museum.

We begin our visit with the Salle des Cinq-Cents, a gigantic room where prestigious events were organized, then the chapel of Éléonore, with colorful frescoes.

Each room houses a story, secrets and works by Italian masters such as Michelangelo and Donatello to name but two.

BOOK YOUR ENTRANCE TICKET

Visit the Duomo and Giotto's Bell Tower

The Duomo is the fourth largest cathedral in Europe.

Ivan Kurmyshov

Also called Santa Maria del Fiore, the Duomo is a splendid Gothic-style cathedral that marks the beginnings of the Renaissance and reigns supreme in the square of the same name.

Once inside, admire the mural frescoes and look up to discover those representing the

Last Judgment

by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari.

Then, we climb the 400 and a few steps of Giotto's Campanile, the slender bell tower of the cathedral which offers a breathtaking view of the city.

DUOMO GUIDED TOUR

Admire “The Birth of Venus” at the Uffizi Gallery

Go to the Uffizi Gallery to contemplate The Birth of Venus by Botticelli.

Giorgio Morara

A few steps away, near the Arno River, the Uffizi Gallery is a sublime palace that belonged to the Medici family.

Now a museum, it houses an impressive collection of paintings and sculptures, including masters of the Italian Renaissance.

Among these works, we contemplate

The Annunciation

by Leonardo da Vinci, the

Tondo Doni

by Michelangelo, without forgetting

Spring

and

The Birth of Venus

by Botticelli.

It is better to favor the morning for your visit, in order to avoid the crowds of visitors and to be able to fully enjoy the magic of the place.

GUIDED TOUR OF THE UFFIZI GALLERY

Contemplate Michelangelo's

David

at the Accademia Gallery

Michelangelo's David is in the Gallery of Prisoners.

lucazzitto

We continue with the visit of another essential Florentine museum, the Galleria dell'Academia.

In addition to admiring the architecture of the building, there is a plethora of paintings, sculptures and works of art from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and the beginning of the 17th century.

After the Museum of Musical Instruments, we go to the Gallery of Prisoners to admire

Michelangelo's

David , the imposing statue which represents David before his fight against Goliath.

DISCOVER MICHELANGELO'S DAVID

Discover the collection of Fra Angelico at the Museum di San Marco

the famous frescoes of the painter and monk Fra Angelico can be discovered at the di San Marco museum.

AlexMastro

Placed on a square of the same name, the Museum di San Marco is an architectural marvel that we owe to Michelozzo, formerly a monastery then a Dominican convent.

We walk through the room of the Hospice des Pèlerins, the Small and Large Refectory, the Library, and we admire the pictorial treasures that adorn the walls.

At the bend of a staircase, we contemplate the famous frescoes of the painter and monk Fra Angelico, shimmering paintings with infinitely precise lines that invite contemplation.

VISIT FLORENCE BY TOURIST BUS

Taste Tuscan flavors at the San Lorenzo market

The panino al lampredotto or the crostino are specialties to taste during your visit to the Mercato Centrale.

Iuliia

A trip to Florence would not be complete without a gourmet culinary interlude and a dive into Florentine authenticity at the San Lorenzo market or

Mercato

Centrale (closed on Sundays).

We pass the door of this stone building and we enter a festival of colors and intoxicating smells.

We stroll among the stalls and let ourselves be tempted by a local specialty such as a

panino al lampredotto

or a

crostino

, a slice of toasted bread covered with chicken liver pâté.

TAKE A COOKING CLASS WITH A CHEF

See Michelangelo's tomb at the Basilica di Santa Croce

The Basilica of Santa Croce is the largest Franciscan church in the world.

Vivida Photo PC

We pass on the other side of Piazza della Repubblica to discover the Basilica of Santa Croce, the largest Franciscan church in the world.

We are speechless for a few moments in front of its impressive dimensions, its three naves and its Bardi chapel, decorated by Giotto.

But in reality, perhaps the most fascinating part of the basilica lies underground where it houses almost 300 tombs of great names including Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli and Rossini.

TAKE A FREE TOUR IN FLORENCE

Explore Palazzo Pitti

The Palazzo Pitti includes several museums and galleries as well as fountains outside.

Rob

By taking the Santa Trinita Bridge, we discover the Palazzo Pitti, a palace erected in the 15th century for the Florentine banker Luca Pitti.

This imposing complex includes several museums and galleries, which house remarkable works of art as well as royal furniture, tapestries, jewels with precious stones and period porcelain.

Fashion buffs and the curious will be dazzled by the Costume Museum, which exhibits pieces from the 16th century to the beginning of the 20th century.

Take a walk in the Boboli Gardens

The sublime Boboli Gardens, heritage of the Medici family.

Lars Johansson

Located behind the Pitti Palace, the Boboli Gardens is a small architectural and artistic gem, a legacy of the Medici family.

Considered the green lung of the city with its 45 hectares, you can stroll through its green and flowery alleys, dotted with hundreds of fountains and sculptures.

Then, we discover the old amphitheater, we admire the Great Grotto and the Kaffeehaus, an amazing little Rococo style pavilion with its green dome.

TOUR TO DISCOVER THE MEDICIS

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2023-03-04

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