IN D EX Florence Map of Florence City Centre p.2 W alking Tours of Florence – Itinerary 1 p.3 W alking Tours of Florence – Itinerary 2 p.4 W alking Tours of Florence – Itinerary 3 p.6 W alking Tours of Florence – Itinerary 4 p.8 Museum and G allery opening tim es p.10 Shopping in Florence p.13 Eating in Florence p.14 U seful num bers p.15 A fternoon trips from Florence Fiesole p.18 Siena p.19 San G im ignano p.20 Pisa p.21 Lucca p.22 D esigner Shopping Outlet p.23 Useful Italian w ords & phrases p.24 FLOR EN CE CITY CEN TR E WA LKIN G TOUR S OF FLOR EN CE 1st Itinerary: Santa Maria N ovella A rea CH UR CH A N D MUSEUM OF SA N TA MA R IA N OV ELLA B egun in 1246 for D om inican friars, the church w as com pleted in 1360. The w hite and green m arble G othic- Rom anesque façade w as com pleted by Leon B attista Alberti w ho designed the upper part. Inside the church there are splendid m asterpieces including "The Trinity" by Masaccio, frescoes by Filippino Lippi and G hirlandaio in the Tornabuoni chapel, a Crucifix by G iotto and a w ooden Crucifix by B runelleschi. The Museo di Santa Maria N ovella is adjacent to the church. H ere you can adm ire the splendid G reen Cloister frescoed by Paolo U ccello and his school. In the Chapter Room , know n as the "Cappellone degli Spagnoli" is a fam ous fresco by B onaiuto. J ust a short distance from the church is the Officina Profum o Farm aceutica di Santa Maria N ovella, w here perfum es, soaps and fragrances are m ade and sold in a N eogothic setting. PA LA Z Z O D A V A N Z A TI MUSEUM This building dates from the m id-14th century. In the early years of the 20th century it w as purchased by the antique dealer E lia Volpi, w ho restored and furnished it to recreate a period Florentine hom e. The m any room s, several of w hich are decorated w ith frescoes and fine coffered ceilings, contain carved and inlaid furniture, chests, benches, paintings, tapestry, sculptures, ceram ics, item s used every day and in the kitchens. PA LA Z Z O STROZ Z I Filippo Strozzi the Elder com m issioned B enedetto da Maiano to build this palace. H e began w orking in 1489 and w as replaced by Cronaca w ho built the cornice and courtyard. Palazzo Strozzi is one of the finest expressions of Renaissance architecture. CH UR CH OF SA N TA TR IN ITA ' This church, built in the second half of the 11th century, w as enlarged and m odified according to the G othic style in the early 14th century. The pietra forte façade w as m ade to designs by B uontalenti tow ards the end of the 16th century. The m ajor artw orks inside the church are the Sassetti Chapel w ith the fresco cycle depicting "Scenes from the Life of St. Francis of Assisi" and the panel painting of the "Adoration of the Shepherds" by D om enico G hirlandaio (1483-86). CEN A CLE OF GH IR LA N D A IO The form er refectory of the m onastery adjacent to the Church of Ognissanti is graced by D om enico G hirlandaio's painting of the "Last Supper", of w hich even the synopia is visible. 0nd Itinerary: San Giovanni A rea CA TH ED R A L, B A PTISTER Y , MUSEO D ELL'OPERA D EL D UOMO Santa Maria del Fiore, the G othic cathedral erected over the ancient basilica of Santa Reparata, w as designed by Arnolfo di Cam bio w ho began construction in 1296. B runelleschi com pleted it in 1436 w ith the elegant dom e, the inside of w hich w as entirely frescoed by Vasari and Z uccari. The final phase in the construction of the cathedral, that is the com pletion of the façade, dates from the m id-19th century. To the right of the cathedral rises the B ell Tow er, or Cam panile, designed by G iotto in 1334. The square tow er is covered w ith red, green and w hite m arble inlays, decorated w ith panels and carvings, and m ade graceful by double- and triple-w indow s. Opposite the Cathedral stands the green and w hite m arble B aptistery of San G iovanni (1128), a m asterpiece of Florentine Rom anesque architecture. The interior of the dom e is decorated w ith m osaics. The splendid bronze doors (including the D oor of Paradise) w ere m ade by Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo G hiberti. The Museo dell'Opera del D uom o houses artw orks from Santa Maria del Fiore, the B aptistery and the Cam panile, including sculptures that had been m ade for the cathedral façade. The m ost im portant w orks in the m useum are by Michelangelo ("Pietà"), D onatello ("Mary Magdalen", "Cantoria"), Arnolfo di Cam bio ("B oniface VIII"), Luca della Robbia ("Cantoria"). CH UR CH OF OR SA N MICH ELE Originally this building, a loggia designed by Arnolfo di Cam bio (1209), w as a granary and m arket. Only later did it becom e a house of w orship: the loggia arcades w ere closed off by Sim one Talenti and the exterior em bellished w ith Florentine G othic sculptures and ediculas. B A SILICA OF SA N LOR EN Z O A N D TH E MED ICI CH A PELS The original church that stood on this site w as consecrated by Am brose, B ishop of Milan in 393; Cosim o the Elder had it enlarged and rem odeled by B runelleschi. Inside there are w orks by Rosso Fiorentino, D esiderio da Settignano, D onatello and B ronzino. The church is flanked by the splendid, square-shaped Old Sacristy by B runelleschi and the N ew Sacristy, by Michelangelo (1524), that houses the Medici fam ily tom bs. Along w ith the B aroque Chapel of the Princes, the N ew Sacristy com prises the m useum of the Medici Chapels. To the left of the church is the Laurentian Library, also designed by Michelangelo, by order of the Medici fam ily w ho w anted a place to conserve their fine collections of books, papyri and m anuscripts. N ot far from the San Lorenzo com plex is the Mercato Centrale, or central m arket, a fine exam ple of late 19th century steel and glass architecture. GA LLER Y OF TH E A CCA D EMIA This is one of the best know n m useum s in Florence, because it houses fam ous sculptures by Michelangelo, including the "D avid". There are also m any paintings, collected by the G rand D uke Peter Leopold to help the young artists enrolled in the Accadem ia d'Arte, w hich is still next door to the gallery. Practical Inform ation Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday: 8.15 - 18.50 Closed on: Mondays, 25th D ecem ber, 1st J anuary, 1st May Address: Via Ricasoli 60, Tel. +39 055 294883 - fax +39 055 264406 Ticket price: Euro 6.50; booking (optional): Euro 3.00; 50% reduction for 18-25 year olds from the European U nion and for regular state teachers. CON V EN TO D I SA N MA R CO Michelozzo rebuilt and expanded this convent for Cosim o the Elder, and it still contains the splendid frescoes that B eato Angelico painted to decorate the m onks' cells. Inside there is also a beautiful library that Michelozzo designed in 1448; this, the first public library of the Renaissance, contains m any fine illum inated m anuscripts. The church of San Marco that stands alongside the convent w as redesigned by Michelozzo. Practical Inform ation Opening hours: Tuesday-Friday: 8.15-13.50; Saturday: 8.15-18.50; 2nd, 4th Sunday: 8.15-19.00; 1°, 3°, 5° Monday: 8.15-13.50 Closed on: 1st, 3rd, 5th Sunday; 2nd, 4th Monday Address: Tel. +39 055 294883 - fax +39 055 264406. B ooking is com pulsory for groups (both Italian and foreign, school and non-school). Ticket price: ¤ 4,00, booking (optional): Euro 1.55; 50% reduction for 18-25 year olds from the European U nion and for regular state teachers. B A SILICA OF TH E SS. A N N UN Z IA TA Founded in 1250 and then expanded over the centuries, this is one of the m ost im portant churches in Florence. The Cloister of the Voti and the Cloister of the Morti contain frescoes by Andrea del Sarto, Rosso Fiorentino, Franciabigio and Pontorm o. Inside the tem ple of the Annunziata, designed by Michelozzo, there is an im age of the Virgin Mary that is considered m iraculous. SPED A LE D EGLI IN N OCEN TI This building w as designed by Filippo B runelleschi, w ith a fine loggia decorated w ith glazed terracotta roundels by Andrea della Robbia. Originally a foundling hospital, it hosts activities for children even today, along w ith the G alleria dello Spedale that contains m any fine paintings such as the "Adoration of the Magi" by G hirlandaio.