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Florence Photo: Gareth Williams Florence Is the Beautiful Regional Capital of Tuscany, and One of the Most Popular Tourist Destinations in Italy

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Florence Photo: Gareth Williams Florence Is the Beautiful Regional Capital of Tuscany, and One of the Most Popular Tourist Destinations in Italy Florence Photo: Gareth Williams Florence is the beautiful regional capital of Tuscany, and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Italy. It is acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, and stepping onto its historic cobbles it is easy to see why. Cradled between the surrounding hills, the city hosts some of the most famous works of art on the planet and the whole of the city centre is packed with stunning palaces, churches and monuments. The surrounding countryside is well-known for its rolling hills and its wine—particularly the Chianti area between Siena and Florence. Top 5 Leonardo Da Vinci´s Museum The museum is situated in the historic heart of Florence and shows in full-s... Florence Market Walking Tour Sample food the way locals do – at the market. Meander through Florence’s mo... Dante's House Museum In the heart of medieval Florence, you find one of the most picturesque bui... Cathedral S. Maria del Fiore This is a gothic cathedral with Brunelleschi’s stupendous dome. Florence’s cathedral stands tall over the city. To the right i... Santa Maria Novella The church of Santa Maria Novella was built between 1279 and 1357 by Dominican friars, and is located just across from the mai... Updated 12 February 2014 Destination: Florence Publishing date: 2014-02-12 THE CITY Photo: Chi King Florentia—orid city—was the name given by the Romans to this settlement founded in the I century AD along the Arno river at the foot of Fiesole, an Etruscan city whose ruins are visible on the hill which dominates the city. The owering of Florence in art, culture and international trade began in the 13th century and reached its peak in the 15th century under the reign of the Medici family, who ruled over the city until the end of the 18th century. Everywhere you turn in Florence, you nd extraordinary works of art and architecture, which attract some 8 million tourists a year—from the Palazzo Vecchio to the world-famous Uzi gallery and the Cathedral with its magnicent dome and the tower designed by Giotto. Along the river Arno the Ponte Vecchio, with its jewellery shops, is a must for all those who pass through the city, as are DO & SEE the splendid Boboli gardens across the river. Florence is a international centre for food and for wine—with Chianti being its most famous local product and the celebrated Fiorentina steak on the bone. Photo: Museo Casa di Dante Codice Trivulziano 1080 To meet the spring in Florence is an obvious option, there are not many cities that beat it. In Florence there is so much to see and experience, and to alternate this with a Destination: Florence Publishing date: 2014-02-12 good Italian ice cream make your holiday unbeatable. The Dante's House Museum historic centre of Florence attracts millions of tourists In the heart of medieval each year, and it has been ranked as one of the world’s Florence, you nd one of the most visited by Euromonitor International. most picturesque building in the town that is hosting the Leonardo Da Vinci´s Museum museum Casa di Dante The museum is situated in the (Dante’s House). The original historic heart of Florence and building, consumed by the time, has been reconstructed shows in full-scale the until the beginning of 900 the period where the Alighieri perfectly working machines familys’ houses appeared, and where Dante was born designed by the Great Master 1265. Leonardo Da Vinci. The The museum is composed by three levels, dividing the visitors can see the large models of the Leonardian most important moments of the poet’s life and the machines. He can experiment their mechanism and can Florence by his time. From 2005 until today, the museum realize that the Master had already designed in his time has been further enriched. During 2010 it has obtained, machines and principle that the modern civilization would thanks to a private donation, very precious original aord only several centuries later. artefacts from the medieval period. Address: Via dei Servi 66/R-68/R, Florence Address: Via Santa Margherita 1, Florence Public Transport: Close to the Cathedral S. Maria del Fiore Phone: +39 055 219 416 (also fax) Opening hours: From 1st of April to 31th October - From 10 am to 7 pm Internet: www.museocasadidante.it From 1st of November to 31th March - From 10 am to 6 pm More Info: [email protected] Phone: +39 055 282 966 Internet: www.mostredileonardo.com Cathedral S. Maria del Fiore Email: [email protected] This is a gothic cathedral with Brunelleschi’s stupendous Florence Market Walking Tour dome. Florence’s cathedral stands tall over the city. To the right is Giotto’s Bell Tower, and the Baptistery of S. Sample food the way locals do Giovanni stands opposite the cathedral entrance. – at the market. Meander through Florence’s most Address: Piazza Duomo, 17, Florence vibrant market, sampling Phone: +39 055 215380 delicious local fare including Internet: www.duomorenze.it Amal olives, cured Tuscan Santa Maria Novella prosciutto, fresh bread, and a glass of wine. The church of Santa Maria Novella was built between 1279 and 1357 by Dominican friars, and is located just Tours run Monday to Saturday. More walking tours are across from the main railway station which shares its available from Urban Adventures. name. Chronologically, it is the rst great basilica in Phone: +39 345 088 2826 Florence. Architecturally, it is one of the most important Internet: www.urbanadventures.com Gothic churches in Tuscany. Inside the basilica, you will More Info: Holders of this guide receive 10% o. Book online and use nd masterpieces by Masaccio, Giotto and Brunelleschi. promo code AGEU at checkout. Address: Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, 1, Florence Destination: Florence Publishing date: 2014-02-12 Phone: +39 055 2718 4161 open to visitors and in 1765 it was ocially opened to the Internet: www.smn.it public. Basilica of Santa Croce Address: Piazzale degli Uzi, 6, Florence The church is located on the Piazza di Santa Croce and Phone: +39 055 238 8651 was rebuilt for the Franciscan order in 1294 by Arnolfo di Internet: www.uzi.com Cambio. Michelangelo is buried in Santa Croce among Galleria dell’Accademia other great and good in Florence. Basilica di Santa Croce The Galleria museum is one of the most popular museums is the principal Franciscan church in Florence, and a minor in Florence. It hosts famous sculptures by Michelangelo, basilica of the Roman Catholic Church. including the iconic “David", that is 5,17 m high. Address: Piazza Santa Croce, 16, Florence Phone: +39 055 2466105 Address: Via Bettino Ricasoli, 58/60, Florence Internet: www.santacroceopera.it Phone: +39 055 238 8612 Internet: www.polomuseale.renze.it Basilica di San Lorenzo Galleria dello Spedale Degli Innocenti If your favourite painter is Michelangelo you shouldn't miss Galleria dello Spedale Degli Innocenti (Hospital of the this basilica. This is probably the most exciting place Innocents) is not only a gallery and museum exhibiting associated with the famous artist in Florence. The Basilica famous paintings such as "Madonna with Child" by di San Lorenzo is framed by the splendid, square-shaped Botticelli and “Adoration of the Magi” by Ghirlandaio. It is Old Sacristy by Brunelleschi and the New Sacristy, by also an institution that has provided care of children and Michelangelo. Here you can nd his sculptures for the infants for more than 500 years. The building it self, tombs of Lorenzo and Giuliano Medici and ne examples designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, is also a historic sight in of Mannerist architecture in the Biblioteca Laurenziana. the city centre. Address: Piazza San Lorenzo, Florence Phone: +39 055 216 634 Address: P. SS. Annunziata, 12, Florence Phone: +39 055 203 7308 Chapel Brancacci (Santa Maria del Carmine) Internet: www.istitutodeglinnocenti.it The chapel is famous worldwide for its frescoes of Palazzo Vecchio Masaccio. They were a great inspiration for da Vinci and This was the home of the Priori delle Arti, of the Signoria Michelangelo. The visit now includes an excellent and a ducal residence. Palazzo Vecchio, meaning "the old interactive audio-visual tour. palace" and is located in Piazza della Signoria. The building Address: Piazza del Carmine, Florence is now the town hall of Florence. It has large collections of Phone: +39 055 2768224 paintings and sculptures. On the square just in front of Palazzo Vecchio you see a copy of the famous statue Uffizi Gallery "David" by Michelangelo. This was where the original This is one of the greatest museums of the world with statue was situated before it was moved to Accademia masterpieces from the 13th to 19th century. The Uzi is Gallery in 1873. the most important and visited museum in Florence and its most famous works include Botticelli’s "Birth of Venus". Address: Piazza della Signoria 1, Florence The name of the Uzi means oces and the museum was Phone: +39 055 2768224 Internet: www.palazzovecchio-familymuseum.it completed in 1581. Since the 17th century, it has been Destination: Florence Publishing date: 2014-02-12 Palazzo Pitti everyone interested in coee can get their questions Palazzo Pitti contains several dierent types of museums. answered. The basis of the current palace dates from 1458 and was the residence of the bank man Luca Pitti. It was then Address: Via delle torri 55, Florence Phone: +39 055 7320 049 bought by the Medici family in 1539 as an ocial Internet: www.aprireunbar.com/corsi/courses/ residence of the ruling families of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
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