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European Vacations -
Italy Vacation Packages &
Travel Information |
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Overview |
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Florence (Firenze in Italian) is the
capital of the region of Tuscany, on
Italy's northwest coast. Florence is
a small city, located in the Arno
River valley, and surrounded by
olive-planted hills on the north and
south. It extends west and slightly
east along the Arno valley with
suburbs and light industry. The
centro storico (historic center),
where visitors spend most of their
time, is a tight tangle of medieval
streets and piazze (squares). Most
of Florence, and the majority of the
tourist sites, lie north of the
river, within a vintage artisan's
working-class neighborhood wedged
between the Arno and the hills on
the south side.
The center is encircled by a traffic
ring of wide boulevards, known as
the Viali, that were created in the
late 1800s by tearing down the
city's medieval walls. Since the
14th century the cultural heart of
the city has been the Piazza della
Signoria with the Palazzo Vecchio
(Town Hall), the Uffizi Gallery and
a large number of publicly displayed
world famous sculptures.
In the Renaissance period, Florence
was one of the most powerful and
influential of the city states. The
wealthy and powerful de' Medici
family ruled the city almost
continuously from 1434 to 1743 and
had a great influence on the
architecture and arts. They built
many palaces and commissioned such
artists as Michelangelo to design
and decorate them.
In fact, Florence is called the
capital of the arts. From the 13th
to the 16th century it was a
seemingly endless source of creative
masterpieces and Italian genius.
Both Dante and Michelangelo were
born there. Boccaccio wrote his 'Decameron'
in Florence. The Italian Renaissance
(Europe's richest cultural period )
began in Florence when the artist
Brunelleschi finished the Duomo, the
cathedral, with the huge dome.
Florence is also a city of
incomparable indoor pleasures. Its
chapels, galleries and museums are
an inexhaustible treasure, capturing
the complex, often elusive spirit of
the Renaissance more fully than any
other place in the country.
Florence is a walking city. Visitors
can take a leisurely stroll between
the two most often visited sights,
the Duomo and the Uffizi, in less
than five minutes. The walk from the
most northerly point, San Marco with
its Fra' Angelico frescoes and the
Accademia with Michelangelo's David,
to the most southerly, the Pitti
Palace across the Arno, should take
no more than 30 minutes. From Santa
Maria Novella rail station across
town to Santa Croce is an easy 20 to
30 minute walk.
Most of the streets were designed to
handle the moderate pedestrian
traffic and occasional horse-drawn
cart of a medieval city. Sidewalks,
where they exist, are narrow; often
less than two feet wide. Though much
of the centro storico is supposedly
closed to traffic, taxis, residents
with parking permits, people without
permits who drive there anyway, and
the endless stream of noisy motorini
(mopeds) still enter, drive and
park.
Planning is extremely important when
visiting Florence. Most visitors
come to the city with a common
purpose: to spend hours viewing and
absorbing the beauty and wonder of
Florentine works of art and
architecture. However, trying to
pack too much into a single, brief
visit can result in cultural
overload. Florence is not the choice
of those seeking a seaside resort or
a holiday with small children. Older
children, well disciplined, and well
prepared, can benefit from
accompanying their parents on a tour
of the museums, palaces, and
churches, but interest for most
youngsters will rapidly wane in the
crush of crowds and intense heat of
the small city. Adult tempers will
fray as well. Boboli Gardens can
provide a respite from the heat and
activity, but the landscaped grounds
of the Pitti Palace are designed to
rest the eyes and delight the
imagination. It is not primarily a
playground.
Festivals, shopping, feasts for the
senses along every street, in every
square, and in every museum: these
are the gifts Florence offers to the
visitor.
Tuscany is known for its fine
culinary traditions - in particular,
its olive oil, meat dishes and
classic Chianti. Restaurants of
every type, offering bills of fare
ranging from fast food to
world-class cuisine abound, and
there are clusters of little cafés
in every neighborhood. Tuscan food
is simple and excellent with a
variety of bean dishes, soups, pork
dishes, grilled meats and
vegetables. Fine Tuscan wines
accompany the meal.
The Tuscan economy is rooted in
craft traditions. The top designers
of Milan use the textile factories
of Florence for the execution of
their designs. Gold working has been
perfected over the centuries in
workshops near the Ponte Vecchio,
where jewelry is produced that is
sold throughout Europe. Visitors
will find a beautiful assortment of
leather goods, including shoes, as
well. Marbled paper, handmade
perfumes and toiletries, decorative
ceramic pieces, and sculpture are
also locally produced.
When planning a visit to Tuscany,
put its small geographical size and
its many opportunities for
exploration in perspective, and
allow time to savor its infinite
possibilities.
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Facts |
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Population:
Approximately 380,000. Visitors:
over 3 million annually.
Time Zone:
Greenwich Mean Time plus one hour:
(plus two hours in summer) Time in
Florence is 6 hours ahead of Eastern
Standard Time in New York.7 hours
ahead of central time in Chicago,
etc.
Newspapers & Magazines:
International Herald Tribune and USA
Today can be purchased from almost
any newsstand . The Wall Street
Journal Europe and the London Times,
along with Time and Newsweek
magazines are available at most
larger kiosks. There's a 24-hour
newsstand in the train station.
Passports & Visas:
All U.S., British, and Canadian
citizens, even infants, need only a
valid passport to enter Italy for
stays of up to 90 days. A Visa is
not required.
Telephones:
The country code for Italy is 39.
The area code for Florence is 055.
When calling from abroad, the 0
should be left out. Example: a call
from New York City to Florence would
be dialed as follows: 011 + 39 + 55
+ phone number.
Long Distance:
Hotels tend to charge very high
rates for long-distance and
international calls. It is best to
make such calls from Telefoni
offices, where operators will assign
you a booth, help you place your
call, and collect payment when you
have finished, at no extra charge.
Telefoni offices are designated
"Telecom." You can make collect
calls from any phone by dialing
172-1011, which connects to an
English-speaking operator. Rates to
the United States are lowest round
the clock on Sunday and 11 PM-8 AM,
Italian time, on weekdays. When
calling from pay telephones, insert
a 200-lire coin (which will be
returned upon completion of your
call).
Operators & Information:
For general information in English,
dial 176. To place calls from one
European country to another via
operator-assisted service, dial 15.
To place intercontinental telephone
calls via operator-assisted service
(or for intercontinental
information), dial 170 or
long-distance access numbers. When
calling from the United States, dial
the international access code, 011,
then the country code, the "city
code," and the rest of the number.
Telephone Country & City Codes: The
country code for Italy is 39. What
used to be Florence's city code of
055- is now an integral part of
every phone number. You must always
dial it--including the initial
zero--even when calling to another
number from within Florence itself.
Additional numbers are expected to
be issued in Florence that start
with numerals other than 055-.
Currency:
Currency is the Euro (EUR). The
notes are in denominations of 500,
200, 100, 50, 20, 10, and 5 euro.
The denominations of coins are 2
euro, 1 euro, 50 euro cent, 20 euro
cent, 10 euro cent, 5 euro cent, 2
euro cent, and 1 euro cent. The
easiest method of securing cash at
the best exchange rate is to make
withdrawals using a US credit card
from the ATM machines found at the
major banks and stores.
Customs Regulations:
Telephone 055: 06 49711 for
information.
Average Temperatures (In
Fahrenheit):
High Low
January - March 55F 32F
April - June 79F 48F
July - September 82F 61F
October - December 63F 36F
When to Go:
The main tourist season runs from
April to mid-October. The best
months for persons wishing to avoid
crowds are from fall to early
spring. April, May, June, September,
and October, are generally pleasant
and not too hot. The hottest months
are July and August, when brief
afternoon thunderstorms are common.
Winters are relatively mild but
always include some periods of rain.
Tourists crowd Florence at Easter,
when Italians flock to resorts and
to the country. From March through
May, busloads of eager
schoolchildren on excursion travel
to Florence. If you can avoid it,
don't chose to travel in Italy in
August, when many store and
restaurant owners close for a
vacation., especially around
Ferragosto, the August 15 national
holiday. (Of course, with residents
away on vacation, there are fewer
crowds.)
Packing:
The weather is considerably milder
in Florence than in the north and
central United States or Great
Britain. In summer, take clothing
that is as light as possible,
although a sweater may be necessary
in evening. Brief summer afternoon
thunderstorms are common, so carry
an umbrella. During the winter bring
heavy clothes, gloves, hats, and
boots. Central heating may not
provide consistent warmth, and
interiors can be cold and damp. Take
wools or flannel rather than sheer
fabrics. Bring sturdy shoes for
winter, and comfortable walking
shoes in any season.
Italians dress neatly and dress
well. They do not usually wear
shorts in the city. Men aren't
required to wear ties or jackets
anywhere, except in some of the more
exclusive hotel dining rooms and
top-level restaurants, but are
expected to look reasonably attired.
Formal wear is the exception rather
than the rule at the opera, though
people in expensive seats usually do
get dressed up. Dress codes are
strict for visits to churches. Women
must cover bare shoulders, but no
longer need to cover their heads.
Shorts are not acceptable church
attire for men or women. Take your
own soap if you stay in budget
hotels, as many do not provide it or
else give guests only one tiny bar
per room.
Taxes
IVA Value-added tax (IVA), is 12% on
clothing, 19% on luxuries. On most
consumer goods, it is already
included in the amount shown on the
price tag, whereas on services, it
may not be.
To get an IVA refund, when you are
leaving Italy take the goods and the
invoice to the customs office at the
airport or other point of departure
and have the invoice stamped. (If
you return to the United States or
Canada directly from Italy, go
through the procedure at Italian
customs; if your return is, say, via
Britain, take the Italian goods and
invoice to British customs.) Under
Italy's IVA-refund system, a non-EU
resident can obtain a refund of tax
paid after spending a total of
300,000 lire in one store (before
tax-and note that price tags and
prices quoted, unless otherwise
stated, include IVA). Shop with your
passport and ask the store for an
invoice itemizing the article(s),
price(s), and the amount of tax.
Once back home-and within 90 days of
the date of purchase-mail the
stamped invoice to the store, which
will forward the IVA rebate to you.
A growing number of stores in Italy
(and Europe) are members of the
Tax-Free Shopping System, which
expedites things by providing an
invoice that is actually a Tax-Free
Check in the amount of the refund.
Once stamped, it can be cashed at
the Tax-Free Cash refund window at
major airports and border crossings.
National and Local Holidays:
Jan. 1 - New Year's Day
Jan. 6 - Epiphany
Good Friday and Easter Monday dates
vary each year - Mar. or April
April 25 - (Liberation Day);
1st Mon. of May - Labor Day
Many businesses and shops in
Florence may be closed on June 24,
the feast day of St. John the
Baptist, the city's patron saint.
June 29 - SS. Peter and Paul's Day
August 15 - Feast of the Assumption;
also known as Ferragosto
November 1 - All Saints' Day
December 8 - Feast of the Immaculate
Conception
Dec. 25 - Christmas Day
Dec. 26 - St. Stephen's Day, Boxing
Day
Electricity: To use U.S.-purchased
electric-powered equipment, bring a
converter and an adapter. The
electrical current in Italy is 220
volts, 50 cycles alternating current
(AC); wall outlets take plugs with
two round prongs.
Police:
For emergencies, dial 112 for the
Carabinieri (police). To report lost
property or passport problems, call
the questura urban police
headquarters at 055--49-771.
Emergencies: Dial 113 for an
emergency of any kind, dial an
ambulance at 118, and report a fire
at 115. All these calls are free
from any 055. For car breakdowns,
call ACI at 116.
Hospitals:
Tourist Medical Service, Via Lorenzo
il Magnifico 59, north of the city
center between the Fortezza del
Basso and Piazza della Libert`
055--475-411, is open 24 hours; take
bus no. 8 or 80 to Viale Lavagnini
or bus no. 12 or night bus no. 91 to
Via Poliziano. Socialized medicine
enables a person with an illness
that is not an emergency to receive
care at most Italian hospitals,
speedily with no insurance questions
asked, no forms to fill out, and no
fee charged. A prescription is
dispensed by medical personnel. The
most central are the Arcispedale di
Santa Maria Nuova 055--27-581, a
block northeast of the Duomo on
Piazza Santa Maria Nuova, and the
Misericordia Ambulance Service
055--212-222 for ambulance on Piazza
del Duomo across from Giotto's bell
tower.
For a free translator to help you
describe your symptoms, explain the
doctor's instructions, and aid in
medical issues in general, call the
Associazione Volontari Ospedalieri
(AVO) at 055--425-0126 or
055--234-4567 Monday, Wednesday, and
Friday 4 to 6pm and Tuesday and
Thursday 10am to noon.
Pharmacies:
For pharmacy information, dial 110.
There are 24-hour pharmacies also
open Sundays and state holidays in
Santa Maria Novella train station
055--216-761; ring the bell between
1 and 4am; at Piazza San Giovanni
20r, just behind the Baptistry at
the corner of Borgo San Lorenzo
055--211-343; and at Via Cazzaiuoli
7r, just off Piazza della Signoria
055--289-490.
Luggage Storage/Lockers:
Travelers can leave bags at Santa
Maria Novella train station for a
fee per bag for each 12-hour period;
deposit payable up front. It's open
daily 4:30am to 1:30am.
Getting Around:
By air
The city is served by two airports:
Amerigo Vespucci is a few miles
northwest of the city center, and
Galileo Galilei (for international
flights) in Pisa is about 46mi west
of the city. Galilei has regular
connections to London, Paris, Munich
and major Italian cities.
Aeroporto Amerigo Vespucci
Via del Termine, 11 - 055. 373.498
www.safnet.it
Aeroporto Galileo Galilei
Pisa 050-500707
www.pisa-airport.com
A city bus runs every 20 minutes
from the main train station to
Amerigo Vespucci airport. There is
frequent train service between the
main station and Galileo Galilei
airport.
By Train
Trains from all over Italy arrive
and depart from Florence's Santa
Maria Novella Station. The pendolino
(rapid intercity trains) uses
Florence's Rifredi Statiion. There
are many passes that can be
purchased to effect great savings on
rail travel. Always buy a ticket
before you board the train, as there
is a surcharge for purchasing on the
train. Telephone reservations are
not accepted, but many trains
require advance booking. There are
often long lines at the ticket
window. The solution is to have the
reservation booked by a travel
agent. There are Eurail and
InterRail cards that can be
purchased before you depart the
United States. These may still
require a supplemental fee. Tickets
for local rail travel can be
purchased at news stands. Italy's
State Railway (FS) has a train for
every type of journey. Florence is
connected by train to Rome, Milan,
Venice, Trieste, Verona, Bologna and
Pisa.
By Bus
There are also two bus stations. For
international services, which go all
over Europe, you need the Lazzi
station - buses to Rome also go from
this station. For domestic services
to Siena, Arezzo, Castellina and all
over Tuscany, go to the SITA
station. Buses (autobus) are useful
only to reach outlying destinations
or to get to your hotel with
luggage. Florence is a walkable
city, and many first-timers coming
from Rome or Milan misjudge distance
and hop on a bus only to find
themselves in the suburbs or hills
within minutes.
The train station is the city's bus
hub, and many buses pass through
Piazza San Marco as well, but the
pedestrian zone historic center
isn't well serviced, though the new
electric minibuses A, B, C, and D do
go into it. A single ticket is good
for 60 minutes. There are also a
3-hour ticket, a 24-hour ticket, and
a 3-day pass. You can ride unlimited
buses within the time limits: just
stamp one end in the orange box on
the first bus you board. Tickets are
available at newsstands and tabacchi
tobacconists shops, marked by a
white "T" against brown.
Ask the tourist office for a bus
map. Regular buses run daily between
5:30 and 8am to between 7 and 9pm.
Night buses include nos. 67, 68, and
71 running 9pm to 1am and no. 70
running 12:30 to 6am from the main
train station through the center to
the suburban Campo Marte station
where some express and night trains
stop. For more information, contact
the ATAF at Piazza della Stazione
and Piazza del Duomo 57
055--565-0222;
www.comune.firenze.it/ataf
By Bicycle
Though traffic can be heavy on the
narrow streets, the city is mainly
flat and not bad for biking.
By Car
Trying to drive in the centro
storico is a frustrating, useless
exercise. Florence is a maze of
one-way streets and pedestrian
zones, and it takes experience to
know which laws to break in order to
get where you need to go. You need a
permit to do anything beyond
dropping off and picking up bags at
your hotel. Again, Florence is a
walking town, so park your vehicle
in one of the huge underground lots
on the center's periphery and pound
the pavement. If you're traveling by
car, you can take the A1 to Bologna
and Milan in the north or Rome and
Naples in the south.
By Motorcycle & Moped:
Motorini mopeds are the Italian way
to get around and can be especially
useful for exploring the hills
By Taxi:
Taxis aren't cheap, and with the
city so small and the one-way system
forcing drivers to take convoluted
routes, they aren't an economical
way to get about town. Taxis are
most useful to get you and your bags
between the train station and your
hotel in the centro storico. There's
a taxi stand outside the train
station; otherwise you have to call
for one a Radio Taxi at 4242, 4798,
or 4390. |
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Attractions |
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Enjoy Florence
Via del Canneto 7
167-274-819 or 800-274-819
Runs 3-hour walking tours of the
centro storico Monday to Saturday
leaving at 10am from the Thomas Cook
office off the Ponte Vecchio.
I Bike Italy
055--234-2371
Offers leisurely 1-day bike tours of
the Tuscan countryside one up to
Fiesole pausing for a picnic, the
other into the Chianti wine region
and a 2-day bike trip from Florence
to Siena.
The Accidental Tourist
Tel 055--699-376 or 0348-659-0040;
Fax 055--699-048
Offers either a bike ride through
the hills around Florence with a
countryside meal or a cooking course
and lunch in the Chianti by bus.
Some Areas Outside Florence that are
of Interest:
Fiesole
In the hilly valleys between the
Arno and Mugnone rivers, Fiesole
offers spectacular views of nearby
Florence and a welcome retreat from
the city's crowded streets. This is
a place to study the area's
Etruscan, Roman and Renaissance past
in comfort and quiet. Fiesole has an
impressive art museum and an
archaeological site featuring an
Etruscan temple and the remains of a
Roman theatre and baths. Fiesole is
especially popular as a picnic spot,
and its fascinating winding streets
invite exploration and walking.
Medici Villas
The Medicis built several opulent
villas throughout the countryside
around Florence during the 15th and
16th centuries. The Villa della
Petraia, about 3.5km north of the
city, is one of the finest. It was
commissioned by Cardinal Ferdinand
de' Medici in 1576, and features
magnificent gardens.
Mugello Region
Northeast of Florence, the Mugello
features some of the most original
villages in Tuscany. The Sieve River
which winds through the grape-filled
valley is popular with canoeists.
Prato
Prato was founded by the Ligurians
but was taken over by the Etruscans
and the Romans. In the 11th century
it was an important wool production
center, and today it is still one of
Italy's major textile producers. The
old, walled city contains palaces, a
municipal art gallery and a
magnificent cathedral, with a façade
by della Robbia and frescoes by
Filippo Lippi, Uccello and Gaddi..
The center also features an imperial
castle, built during the 13th
century.
Areas of Florence:
The Duomo
The area surrounding Florence's
cathedral is central to the rest of
the city. The Duomo is halfway
between the two great churches of
Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce
and as at the midpoint between the
Uffizi Galleries and the Ponte
Vecchio to the south and San Marco
and the Accademia Gallery with
Michelangelo's David to the north.
The streets north of the Duomo are
long and often clogged with traffic,
and those to the south are a tangle
of alleys and tiny squares leading
toward Piazza della Signoria.
This is one of the most historic
parts of town, and the streets still
vaguely follow the grid laid down
when the city began as a Roman
colony. Via degli Strozzi/Via dei
Speziali/Via del Corso was the
decumanus maximus, the main
east-west axis; Via Roma/Via
Calimala was the key north-south
cardo maximus. The site of the Roman
city forum is today's Piazza della
Repubblica.
Currently thesquare is lined with
cafés. It was laid out by
demolishing the Jewish Ghetto during
Italian unification in the late 19th
century. With the discovery of the
lighting properties of neon gas, it
bloomed with unattractive signs.
Fortunately, these have all been
removed. The area surrounding it is
one of Florence's main shopping
zones. The Duomo neighborhood offers
a range of hotels from five-star
luxury inns to student hostels.
Piazza Della Signoria
This is the city's civic heart and
very popular with museum goers. It
is the location of the Uffizi
Galleries, Bargello sculpture
collection, and the Ponte Vecchio
which leads toward the Pitti Palace.
Its clean, but narrow medieval
streets are those where Dante grew
up.. The few blocks just north of
the Ponte Vecchio are known for the
good shopping that is to be found
there. Much of the area was
destroyed during World War II and
rubble was replaced with
nondescript, modern buildings.
Crowds press in during the warm
weather months, yet it remains the
romantic heart of pre-Renaissance
Florence.
San Lorenzo & the Mercato Centrale
This small wedge of streets between
the train station and the Duomo,
centered around the Medici's old
church of San Lorenzo with its
Michelangelo-designed tombs, is
filled with markets. The vast indoor
food market is here, and most of the
streets are filled daily with
hundreds of stalls where vendors
loudly proclaim the attributes of
leather jackets and other wares.
It's a colorful neighborhood, and
definitely not the quietest.
Piazza Santa Trinita
This piazza is just off the river at
the end of Florence's shopping
district, Via de' Tornabuoni, home
to Gucci, Armani, Ferragamo,
Versace, to name a few. The ancient
narrow streets running out either
side of the square are lined with
the top names in high fashion. It's
very pleasant, well-to-do, but still
medieval. If you are in Florence to
shop, there is no better place to
be.
Santa Maria Novella
This neighborhood, bounding the
western edge of the centro storico,
has a rundown zone around Santa
Maria Novella train station and a
more attractive tourist area south
of it between the church of Santa
Maria Novella and the river. In
general, the train station area is
the least attractive part of town.
Piazza Santa Maria Novella and its
tributary streets contain a somewhat
bohemian nightlife scene. Two of
Florence's premier inns, the
Excelsior and the Grand, are on the
Arno at Piazza Ognissanti, just
south of the train station
San Marco & Santissima Annunziata
These two churches are fronted by
Piazza San Marco, now a busy traffic
center, and Piazza Santissima
Annunziata. Together they define the
northern limits of the centro
storico. The neighborhood is home to
the University, Michelangelo's David
at the Accademia, the San Marco
monastery, and long quiet streets.
Santa Croce
This eastern edge of the centro
storico runs along the Arno. The
Santa Croce church contains many
fine examples of Florentine art. The
area's western edge abuts the
medieval district around Piazza
della Signoria. Via Bentacordi/Via
Torta actually trace the outline of
the old Roman amphitheater. Much of
the district was rebuilt after World
War II in long blocks of yellow
plaster buildings with residential
shops and homes. This neighborhood
also contains some of the best
restaurants in the city.
The Oltrarno
"Across the Arno" is the artisans'
neighborhood, packed with workshops
with craftspeople hand-carving
furniture and hand-stitching leather
gloves. It began as a working-class
neighborhood to catch the overflow
from the expanding medieval city on
the Arno's opposite bank, but it
also became center for the building
of palaces at the edge of the
countryside. The largest of these,
the Pitti Palace, later became the
home of the grand dukes and today
houses a group of museums second
only to the Uffizi. Behind it
visitors can enjoy the baroque
fantasies of the Boboli Gardens,
Florence's best known park.
Masaccio's frescoes in Santa Maria
della Carmine were some of the most
influential of the early
Renaissance.
The Brownings lived at Oltrarno from
just after their secret marriage in
1847 until Elizabeth died in 1861.
The Oltrarno's lively tree-shaded
center, Piazza Santo Spirito, is a
lined with bars and restaurants, and
good nightlife. Its
Brunelleschi-designed church, Santo
Spirito, is stunning in its
sinmplicity.
In the Hills
From just about anywhere in the
center of Florence, it is apparent
that the city ends abruptly to the
north and south, replaced by green
hills spotted with villas, small
farms, and the expensive modern
homes of the upper-middle class. To
the north rises Monte Ceceri, mined
for the soft gray pietra serena that
accented so much of Renaissance
architecture and home to the village
of Settignango, where Michelangelo
began his life. The Etruscan village
of Fiesole, was here long before the
Romans built Florence in the valley
below. Across the Arno, the hills
surrounding the Oltrarno are dotted
with little patches of fields and
farms. The hills offer some of the
best walks around the city.
There is little or no public
transportation available in the hill
country. This can be an advantage in
terms of serenity and privacy, but
it does curtail visits to the city
for those who have come to sightsee.
Notable Florentine Sculpture in the
Plazza della Signoria:
The plaza is an outdoor sculpture
gallery, which, with the Palazzo
Vecchio, has been at the center of
Florentine politics since the 14th
century. Citizens gathered there
when called to a public meeting
(parlamento) by the Palazzo's great
bell. Some of the statues are
originals, others are copies. All
commemorate the city's historical
events. Many are linked to the rise
and fall of the Florentine Republic.
during which the religious leader,
Savonarola, was burned at the stake.
Fontana dei Neptuno Neptune
Fountain:
1560-75, created by Bartolomeo
Ammannati as a tribute to Cosimo I's
naval ambitions but nicknamed by the
Florentines Il Biancone, "Big
Whitey." The highly Mannerist
bronzes surrounding the basin are
much finer pieces of sculpture,
probably because a young Giambologna
participated in their creation.
At the piazza's south end, beyond
the long U that opens down the
Uffizi, is one of the square's
earliest embellishments: the 1376-82
Loggia dei Lanzi, named after the
Swiss guard of lancers lanzi Cosimo
de' Medici stationed here. The airy
loggia was probably built on a
design by Andrea Orcagna another is
the Loggia della Signoria. The three
huge arches of its simple harmonious
form were way ahead of the times, an
architectural style that really
belongs to the Renaissance.
Perseus for many years stood in the
arcade holding out the severed
Medusa's head before him. The open
arcade of the Uffizi is filled with
statuary. The front left corner was
the former prize position of
Benvenuto Cellini's masterpiece in
bronze. In 1996, Perseus was removed
from the place it had occupied since
Cellini finished it in 1545 and
taken to the Uffizi labs for
cleaning.. A copy will take its
place in the outdoor area.
Rape of the Sabines:
On the far right of the loggia is
Giambologna's the last great piece
of original statuary left on the
piazza. This marble group is one of
the most successful Mannerist
sculptures in existence. A walk
around the piece provides a chance
to appreciate its action and
artistry from different angles.
Caffe Rivoire:
And, finally, a resting place at
which to enjoy a cup of coffee or an
ice cream and observe and absorb the
wonders of the Piazza della
Signoria.
Archeological Museum:
Villa della Colonna 36
055-23575
Tues-Sat 9-2 Sun. 9-8
The Museum garden:
The Museum is situated in Palazzo
della Crocetta (with its unusual
design in the shape of the cross),
which was built by Giulio Parigi for
the Archduchess Maria Maddalena
d'Austria (1620). Entrance is from
Via della Colonna near piazza
SS.Anunziata, where there is also a
railed-off garden containing several
Etruscan tombs that have been
reconstructed using as much of the
original material as possible. It is
one of the most important museums in
the world in terms of displaying the
art and civilization of the
Etruscan. It contains many fine
examples of Greek art as well.
The Egyptian Museum is on the first
floor; the collection was formed by
merging the Nizzoli and
Schiapparelli collections.
Additionally, a series of
excavations carried out between
1828-29 by Ippolito Rossellini with
François Champollion, the scholar
who decoded hieroglyphics provided
material for the collection. A
victim of the 1966 flood, the museum
has since been carefully restored
and is now able to exhibit all of
its treasures to the public.
Badia Fiorentina:
Via Dante Alighieri and Via del
Proconsolo
055-287-389
Admission Free. Open for Mass only.
The slender pointed bell tower of
this Benedictine abbey founded in
A.D. 978 is one of the landmarks of
the Florentine skyline. Arnolfo di
Cambio was responsible for a late
Romanesque overhaul of the church in
1284-1310, but Matteo Segaloni
completely reconstructed the
interior in the Baroque style in the
17th century.
It was here, some say, that Dante
first saw his beloved Beatrice, and
where Boccaccio used to lecture on
Dante's Divine Comedy. The church's
best known work is a 1485 Filippino
Lippi painting of the Madonna
Appearing to St. Bernard. An
unmarked door on the right side of
the sanctuary leads to the stairs to
the upper loggia of the Chiostro
degli Aranci. Bernardo Rossellino
designed these cloisters 1432-38,
and they contain an anonymous
15th-century fresco cycle on the
Life of St. Benedict.
Baptistry San Giovanni:
Piazza del Duomo
055-230-2885
Mon-Sat 12:30-6:30; Sun: 8:30-1:30,
on Sunday 9-12.30.
The city's oldest monument, built in
the 4th or 5th century. Once it was
even believed to date from the Roman
times. The round arched Romanesque
decoration on the exterior dates
from between 1059 and 1150. It was
encased with marble in the 11th or
12th century. The dome has an inside
diameter of 25 meters (82ft) and is
decorated with 13th century mosaics.
The Bardini Museum:
Piazza de' Mozzi
055-234-2427
9-2; Sun. 8-1
A short walk from Piazza Poggi along
Lungarno Serristori or Via San
Niccolò in the direction of the city
center. Built in the 19th century,
the palace itself is unusual because
all the doors, windows, architraves
and wooden ceilings used for its
construction came from destroyed
churches or villas. The Museum,
which was opened in 1925, contains
many interesting works of art, among
them the marble Charity by Tino da
Camaino (1329 c.), the Archangel St.
Michael by Antonio del Pollaiolo and
a recently restored Crucifixion,
dating from the 13th century:
painted several decades before
Cimabue and a Madonna attributed to
Donatello. The museum was originally
the house and warehouse of
antiquarian and art collector
Stefano Bardini (1836-1922) who left
it and all its contents to the
people of Florence.
Brancacci Chapel:
Piazza del Carmine
(Not accessible for disabled)
055- 2382195
10-5; Holidays 1-5
Closed Tuesdays
The Church of St. Mary of Carmine is
famous for The Life of St. peter
frescoes in the Brancacci Chapel,
which were commissioned around 1424.
The scenes placed the artist,
Masaccio at the forefront of
Renaissance painting. Many great
artists, including Leonardo and
Michelangelo later visited the
chapel to study his work.
Cappelle Medicee (Medici Chapels):
Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini
055- 2388602
8.30-5
Holidays 8.30-1:30
Admission charged.
San Lorenzo:
The church of St Lawrence is
probably Florence's oldest church,
consecrated by St Ambrosia in 393.
Rebuilt in the 11th century and
built in its present shape 1442-1446
to a harmonious design by
Brunelleschi, as a mausoleum for the
Medici family.
Cardinal Giulio de'Medici, who later
became Pope Clement VII,
commissioned Michelangelo to build a
new burial chapel for the Pope's
father, Giuliano; his father's
brother, and two deceased cousins.
The result is the new Sacristy: a
cascade of cut marble and
semiprecious stones--jasper,
alabaster, mother-of-pearl, agate.
The work on the chapel, sacristy,
and mausoleum kept marble workers
employed for several hundred years.
Biblioteca Medicea-Laurenziana:
Through the San Lorenzo cloistered
garden (by Brunelleschi) you can
enter the library that was founded
by Cosimo il Vecchio. It has a rich
collection of medieval manuscripts
and Renaissance editions of classic
works . One of Michelangelo's most
important designs, (1524-1578).
Casa Buonarroti:
Via Ghibellina 70
055--241-698
www.casabuonarroti.it
Though Michelangelo Buonarroti never
actually lived in this palazzo, he
did own the property and left it to
his nephew Lionardo. Lionardo named
his own son after his famous uncle,
and this younger Michelangelo became
very devoted to the memory of his
namesake, converting the house into
a museum and hiring artists to fill
it with frescoes honoring his uncle.
Chiesa di Santa Maria Novella:
Plaza di Santa Maria Novella
055-210113
Church hours: 7-11:30am and 3:30-6pm
Mon-Sat. Check for weekend hours
Museum hours: 9-2 Mon-Thurs. Check
for weekend hours.
The Church of St. Mary Novella was
founded by the Dominicans in the
13th century. Alberti built the
white and green marble facade in the
15th century. The frescoes depict
the Dominicans as the slender, fast
running breed of hunting dogs known
as "whippets." The idea was to
illustrate their virtues as "hounds
of God rounding up the 'stray
sheep.'"
The Spanish chapel has dramatic
frescoes following the theme of
salvation and damnation. Dante's
epic poem, The Divine Comedy
inspired the 14th century frescoes
in the Strozzi Chapel. The
Tornabuoni Chapel contains frescoes
depicting The Life of John the
Baptist. As was commonly done, the
artists inserted Florentine notables
and contemporary costume into their
work. This is where the young
noblemen and women in the beginning
part of Boccaccio's masterpiece
'Decameron' locked themselves in, to
avoid contact with the 14th century
plague, and told each other stories.
Church of Saint Mark:
Piazza di San Marco
055-287628
Church: 7-12:30 and 4-8pm
Museum: 9-2 Tues-Sun.
The original structure dates from
1100. It became the Church and
Monastery of St. Mark in 1299, later
passing under the protection of the
Medici family in the early 15th
century when Cosimo the Elder
started using it regularly for his
spiritual retreats. The church had
been taken over by the Dominican
friars a few years earlier and
Cosimo gave Michelozzo the
commission of restoring it
(1436-43).
Fra Angelico, a friar and artist
who, like Giotto, came from the
Mugello, lived at the monastery
during this period (
The Church of San Minias al Monte:
Via del Monte alle Croci
8-noon and 2-7: summer
8-noon and 2:30-6: winter
Built in 1018 and continued until
1207, over the shrine of the early
Christian martyr, St. Minias, the
church is one of the finest examples
of pure Florentine Romanesque
architecture. The facade was
fashioned out of white Carrara and
green Prato marble (12th-13th
centuries) and divided into two
sections linked together by inlaid
geometric patterning, in the same
system used during the Roman Empire
for building walls. Palazzo dei
Vescovi or the Bishops' Palace
stands on the right. It can be
visited by ringing at the door
inside the church and is staffed by
Olivetan monks, who also take care
of the basilica.
Church of SS.Annunziata:
Piazza della SS. Annunziata
055-239-8034
7-12:30 and 4-6:30 Mon-Sat
4-5:30 Sun.
The church stands on the site of the
oratory of the Servi di Maria (1235)
which was built around the image of
Our Lady of the Annunciation by
seven young noblemen who decided to
take monastic vows and give up
worldly pleasures. As a further
sacrifice, they later founded the
Monastery of Monte Senario, above
Fiesole. Michelozzo built the First
Cloister in the mid 15th century.
The main body of the Church, started
in 1440 by Michelozzo and Pagno
Portigiani, was later altered by
Alberti.
Collezione della Ragione (Modern Art
Collection):
Piazza Signoria, 5 (above the Casa
di Risparmio bank)
(Not accessible for disabled)
055- 283078
9-2 and on Holidays 8-1l; Closed
Tuesdays
Still lifes by DePisis, landscapes
by Carlo Carra, Tuscan landscapes by
Mario Mafai, Antonio Donghi an d
Ottone Rosai, paintings by Renato
Guttuso, and Emilio Vedova.
Convento di San Marco:
Dominican convent and church, built
for Cosimo il Vecchio and his son
Lorenzo il Magnifico, by Michelozzo,
in early Renaissance style,
1437-1452. The convent walls are
decorated by one of its friars, Fra
Angelico, in late Gothic style,
1400-1455 (Museo di San Marco). The
Baroque church facade dates from
1780, the church interior was
constructed in the 16th and 17th
century.
Frescoes:
Frescoes were made by painting onto
a thin layer of damp, freshly laid
plaster. (Fresco means "fresh").
Pigments were drawn into the plaster
by surface tension, and the color
became fixed as the plaster dried.
The pigments reacted with the lime
in the plaster to produce strong,
vivid colors. Because the colors do
not lie close to the surface,
restorers are able to clean the
plaster and remove soot and grime to
reveal the original, embedded
colors. Artists used rare, costly
minerals to create the bright
pigments. The base coat of plaster
was made of clay, hair , sand and
lime and called "arriccio." The top
or finish coat of plaster was lime
based and of a fine quality. It was
called "intonaco."
Galleria dell'Accademia:
Via Ricasoli, 60
9-2 closed on Monday.
The Accademia di Belle Arti was
founded in 1563 and was Europe's
first school of drawing. The Academy
Gallery houses works of Italian
sculptors like Michelangelo (main
gallery), including the original
David. After an attempted hammer
attack by a disturbed visitor in
1991, the masterpiece was relegated
to a protective position behind a
fence of Plexiglas. It is a little
harder to view the statue under the
present circumstances, but it is
still possible to study its perfect
form and fluid movement.
History of Photography Museum:
Via della Vigna Nuova, 16
055- 218975
10-19.30 daily; Fri./Sat. 10-23.30
Closed Wednesdays
This museum is devoted to the
history of photography. Exhibits
come from the archives of the
Alinari brothers who founded the
world's first photography society in
1852.
Loggia del Bigallo:
In the 15th century homeless or lost
children were publicly displayed
under this portico. When no parents
claimed them for three days, they
were taken to a foster family. built
between 1352 and 1358 by Alberto
Arnoldi. The paintings that used to
be on the facade are now exhibited
in a museum inside. They show the
life of St Peter Martyr, who founded
the Compagnia Maggiore di St-Maria
del Bigallo to fight heresy.
Marino Marini Museum:
Piazza S. Pancrazio
(Disabled access)
055- 219432
10-1 and 3-6 (summer)
Closed on Tues. and for 2 weeks in
August
The former church of San Pancrazio
has been turned into a museum
devoted to the work of Italy's best
known abstract artist, Marino Marini
(1901-1980). Marini studied art in
Florence before moving on to teach
in Monza and at the prestigious
Berea Academy in Milan. He is noted
for his bronzes, many on the theme
of horse and rider.
Mercato Nuovo:
Built 1547-1551 by Giovanni Battista
del Tasso. The market is locally
known as the 'Porcellino' (swine)
because of the fountain by Pietro
Tacca, 1612. It is said that
everyone who rubs the well polished
snout of Il Porcellino, is certain
to return to the city. Coins dropped
in the trough below are distributed
to city charities.
The Monumental Cemetery:
The Monumental Cemetery (known as
"of the Holy Gates") outside the
Basilica was established inside the
fortified enclosure created by
Michelangelo in 1529. Designed by
architect Nicolò Matas during the
period in which he was working on
the facade of Santa Croce, it
contains the remains of many
celebrities like Papini, Montale,
Stibbert, Villari and Lorenzini
(known as "il Collodi", the creator
of Pinocchio). The various family
chapels belonging to the Florentine
bourgeoisie can be said to represent
a repertoire of city architecture of
the time.
Museum of Florence As It Was and
Oblate Garden:
Via Oriuolo, 4
(Disabled access)
055- 2616545
9-2 - Holidays 8-1
Closed Thursdays
The museum is small, and contains a
series of watercolors and also
paintings by Ottone Rosai, a local
artist who died in 1957. The main
feature is a room sized painting of
Florence at the height of the
Renaissance.
Santa Croce:
Piazza Santa Croce
055--244-619
Building of this Franciscan church
started probably by Arnolfo di
Cambio, the architect of the Duomo,
in 1294. The marble facade and the
bell tower were built between 1853
and 1863. The church contains
frescos by Giotto, many tombstones
and commemorative monuments,
including those of Galileo, Rossini,
Macchiavelli's tomb, and Vasari's
monument to Michelangelo, who died
in Rome but was brought to Florence
to be buried here, by Cosimo I. The
collection of art in this church
complex is by far the most important
of any church in Florence.
Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce:
Piazza Santa Croce 16
055--244-619
Mon-Sat 9:30-12:15 and 3:30-5:30
Sun.: 3-5:30.
Part of Santa Croce's convent has
been set up as a museum for artistic
treasures that were damaged in the
1966 Arno flood, which buried the
church under tons of mud and water.
The entrance through a door to the
right of the church facade, spills
into an open-air courtyard planted
with cypress. On the grass are a
seated Baccio Bandinelli God in
marble and a Henry Moore bronze.
At the end of the path is the
Cappella de' Pazzi, one of Filippo
Brunelleschi's architectural
masterpieces. Giuliano di Maiano
probably designed the porch that
leads to the chapel, which is set
with glazed terra cottas by Luca
della Robbia. The rectangular chapel
is one of Brunelleschi's signature
pieces and a defining example of
early Renaissance architecture.
Light gray pietra serena is used to
accent the architectural lines
against smooth white plaster walls.
The the only decorations are della
Robbia roundels of the Apostles
(1442-52). The Evangelists
surrounding the dome may have been
designed by Donatello or
Brunelleschi himself before being
produced by the della Robbia
workshop.
On the right as you enter the chapel
is the painting that became the
representative of all the artworks
damaged during the 1966 flood:
Cimabue's Crucifix, one of the
masterpieces of the artist who began
bridging the gap between Byzantine
tradition and Renaissance
innovation.
Horne Museum:
Via de' Benci, 6
055- 244661
9-13 Sum. Tuesdays also 20.30-23
Closed Holidays and Sun.
Of the city's several small
once-private collections, the one
formed by Englishman Herbert Percy
Horne and left to Florence in his
will has several excellent pieces. |
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