Florence

Florence is a city that amazes, seduces and stays in your heart. The Tuscan capital is an open-air museum full of architectural masterpieces and unique works of art. At every turn a marvel, so much so that its historic centre enclosed within the ancient medieval walls has been UNESCO World Heritage since 1982.

Must-see museums, squares, and attractions for an unforgettable weekend. The cradle of the Renaissance, with a wealth of museums, art and culture, but also an excellent destination for a 48-hour mini-getaway. Florence is one of the best cities to for a weekend away. Whatever your reason for visiting, there are a few must-see things you absolutely cannot miss. Tuscany is a wonderful area and Florence is its flagship.

Purchase the perfume used by Caterina dei Medici in Europe's oldest pharmacy, take a boat trip, stroll in a romantic English garden, visit an exhibition in a former tobacco factory or go shopping in the craft shops. These are just some of the things we suggest you should not miss on your next trip to Florence.

To discover Florence through its buildings, its monuments, and its museums is certainly an effective way to experience the charm of the Medici city that has remained intact over the centuries. To visit its historic cafés, however, is tantamount to catching a glimpse of its soul and its history. Indeed, the fortune of some of the most famous streets and squares of Florence is linked precisely to these important meeting places. This is the case with Piazza della Repubblica, one of the most beautiful squares of Florence. Contrary to what you may think, the square's fame is not due to its architecture and famous arch, but to its literary cafes: Gilli and Caffè Paszkowski. All two were involved to varying degrees in one of the biggest cultural phenomena of the twentieth century - Futurism - the literary and artistic movement dedicated to the myths of modernity, strength, speed, and power, as incarnations of technology and progress.

Reasons to visit Florence are truly endless: this unique destination has fascinated travellers from all over the world for centuries with its many beauties and infinite charm. Classical art, a thousand and more historic references, Ponte Vecchio. Yet if you also love modern art and craftsmanship, you will be surprised not only by the opportunities that the cradle of the Renaissance reserves for visitors but also a blend of classic and contemporary that would be difficult to find anywhere else.

Not just art and culture but also parks and gardens! If you’re looking for green areas, tree-lined avenues and flower beds, then you should know you can see them in the heart of Florence. From the Boboli Gardens to the Giardino delle Rose, from the Botanical Gardens to the Bardini Gardens, Florence's urban nature offers many experiences to discover and enjoy.

An open-air art gallery where you can admire Renaissance masterpieces Piazza della Signoria is one of the most beautiful squares in Italy, photographed every day by millions of tourists, and venue of the city’s many historical, political and civil events. Here was where the Medici returned to the city after their exile, and where Girolamo Savonarola had sinful objects burned during the Bonfire of the Vanity. In 1498, the same Savonarola, accused of heresy, was condemned to the stake here, as recalled by the circular marble plaque in front of the fountain of Neptune, the latter sculpted by Bartolomeo Ammannati. Palazzo Vecchio, seat of the Florentine government and one of the most important medieval buildings in Italy, overlooks the square. In front of its entrance, there is a copy of Michelangelo Buonarroti's David (the original is kept in the Accademia Gallery). Opposite, visitors will find the Loggia dei Lanzi, an open-air sculptural museum, where you can admire Benvenuto Cellini's Perseus with the Head of Medusa and Giambologna's Abduction of a Sabine Woman sculpted from a single block of marble.

The museum on the history of Florence Palazzo della Signoria, or Palazzo Vecchio, with its 94-meter-high medieval tower, is the symbol of the political, cultural and artistic life of Florence. Resting over an ancient Roman theater still visible underground, it has always been the city’s center of power, first hosting Cosimo I De' Medici who expanded the Palace with the help of artists such as Vasari and Buontalenti. When Florence was the Capital of Italy, the Palace became the seat of the Government, and still holds this function as the location of the city hall. On the first floor, you can find the “Salone del Cinquecento”, the largest hall of the Palace. At the beginning of the sixteenth century, Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti were commissioned to paint two glorious episodes of the military history of Florence, respectively, the Battle of Anghiari (1440) and the Battle of Cascina (1364), but neither of the two artists completed the work. The current appearance of the room is by Giorgio Vasari. The coffered ceiling, decorated with 42 cassettes, depicts important episodes in the history of Florence, including the foundation of the city in Roman times and the expansion of the walls in medieval times. At the center, Cosimo I stands as the lord of the city and lands annexed to the duchy, surrounded by the insignia of the twenty-one Arts, or guilds, and by cherubs bearing the emblems of his house. In the Salone, there are extraordinary masterpieces such as Michelangelo's Genius of Victory. In the Mezzanine, you can admire typical furnishings of ancient stately homes and works of art from the Middle Ages and Renaissance. On the second floor, there are additional monumental rooms such as Sala delle Carte Geografiche [Geographical maps] and globe, Sala dei Gigli where the original of Donatello's Judith is located and paintings by Bronzino, in the Chapel of Duchess Eleonora. In the basement of the palace, it is possible to follow an archaeological route through the excavations of the Roman Theater.

The Florentine Gothic-style bell tower Construction began on the bell tower in the 14th century, in 1334 to be precise, based on a design by Giotto. It is the ultimate expression of Florentine Gothic style and is part of the monumental complex that includes the Cathedral and Baptistery. It stands in Piazza Duomo, 85 metres high and 15 metres wide, with a square plan. It was designed in an unusual position apart from the complex, so as not to hide the dome, the design of which was entrusted to Brunelleschi 60 years later. After Giotto’s death, the work was continued by Andrea Pisano and completed by Francesco Talenti. The exterior cladding, with its unmistakable white, green and red marble, creates harmony among the monumental complex. Unique features of the bell tower include the sculptural reliefs and decorations, created by some of the best sculptors in Florence, including Andrea Pisano, Luca della Robbia and Donatello. Francesco Talenti, who completed the bell tower in 1359, designed the structure that allows light to penetrate through the large windows at the top and the terrace with 360-degree panoramic views of Florence, which you can access by climbing 400 steps.

History, landscapes and life in Florence, from “a different perspective”. The Vasari Corridor is part of the Uffizi museum complex, together with the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens. The one-kilometre-long route was designed by Giorgio Vasari to connect the Medici administrative offices in Palazzo Vecchio with the private residence of Palazzo Pitti on the opposite bank of the river. As well as serving a practical purpose as a solution to the need for Medici family members to move around safely, the Vasari Corridor is also a symbol of prestige. It is a bridge rather than a corridor, offering views over the city from “a different perspective”, in a route that still houses a large collection of paintings and self-portraits that tell the history of Florence.

The highest point of the Cathedral of Florence Part of the monumental complex of the Duomo of Florence, Brunelleschi's Dome is considered an architectural masterpiece, at the time the largest dome in the world and still the largest masonry dome ever built. Built without the use of scaffolding, it towers over Florence, and with its 45.5-meter diameter and 116-meter height. It was built with a self-supporting double shell technique, that is, with two separate domes, one inside the other, connected by twenty-four pillars (linked by horizontal stiffening arches). The dome was built in stone in the lower part, until the curve of the walls allowed it; then bricks were used, arranged not in a parallel concentric pattern, as was usual, but with an interlocking system known as the "herringbone". It has a characteristic "egg" shape that allows it to rise in a gradual curve in order to guarantee stability and it was the result of many mathematical and geometric calculations that made it a cutting-edge project. A narrow stairway with 463 steps leads to the base of the tholobate, where you can better admire the frescoes representing the theme of the Last Judgment, painted by Giorgio Vasari and completed by Federico Zuccari.

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. In typical marble of “national” colours: white, green and red, Piazza Duomo sets the stage for the impressive Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, now Florence Cathedral, the symbol of the city. Designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, upon its completion in the 15th century it was the 5th largest in the world and the largest in Europe. 153 metres long, 90 metres wide at the cross vault and 90 metres high from the ground to the lantern opening, from the outside it is opulent but homogenous, with geometric cladding alternating between the white, green and red marble slabs that are the hallmark of Florence’s monumental architecture. The interior is shrouded in an aura of simplicity all the way to the great dome, designed by Brunelleschi, frescoed by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari. From the top of the dome, you can enjoy spectacular views of the city. Beneath the floor is the Crypt of Santa Reparata, where you can view the remains of the ancient basilica, probably among the largest early Christian complexes in Tuscia. The different styles displayed by the Cathedral, from Gothic to Romanesque, bear witness to how long it took to complete.

The good shopping district, the epicentre of Florentine luxury, the absolute reference point for every fashion design trend, a stroll through Florence's exclusive boutiques and artisan workshops is the pampering you must indulge in if you are visiting the Medici capital for tourism or business. The undeniable worldly appeal of this street in the historic heart of Florence, which connects Piazza Antinori to the Santa Trinita bridge, is linked to its extraordinary ability to reinvent itself by always being contemporary, thanks to the activities that it has hosted over the years and that have perpetuated its lustre and prestige.

It is the other Florence still full of beautiful squares and Renaissance palaces, but among its alleyways there is a more authentic Florentine atmosphere.

With its high-end fashion boutiques, jewelry stores, antique finds and workshops for artisan and leather items, the city is among Italy’s top destinations for luxury shopping, where you can buy unique pieces and discover all the latest trends in fashion design. Whether you're a collector or a fashion addict, there are some streets and neighborhoods in Florence that you really can't miss:

Creations in gold and silver: rings, bracelets, necklaces and pendants, earrings and watches crafted by fine artisans, embellished with refined workmanship, diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires or semi-precious stones; but also works by emerging designers, prestigious brands or very old and rare collector's jewellery. For centuries, the workshops that flank Florence's historic Ponte Vecchio have reverberated with the splendour and glitter of noble and precious metals, attracting hordes of tourists and enthusiasts every day, and even attracting commissions from royal houses and foreign governments. Jewellers and Ponte Vecchio, a combination of centuries-old tradition that follow one another seamlessly over the arches of the bridge, concentrates the best expression of the celebrated Florentine gold and silver tradition here: a stroll along its shop windows is a stop that cannot be missed among the destinations of your visit to the Medicean city, here you can relax, feast your eyes and perhaps find inspiration for shopping or for a souvenir to take home.

Craftsmanship is undoubtedly a strongpoint in our country, thanks to the thousands of masters who have been handing down their know-how from generation to generation for centuries. This talent spans a wide variety of fields, from catering to art and, of course, clothing. Italian tailoring is known the world over, at least as well as its style. And while the fashion houses tap into trends, it is in the historic tailors' shops scattered from north to south where the magic of tailor-made clothing takes place. Who has never dreamed of having a tailor-made suit of fine workmanship and elegant, distinguished style? So it may be that, while travelling for work or leisure to the most beautiful Italian cities, you come across these refined places where businessmen enter and gentlemen in suit and tie leave. These are tailors with a very long history, where it is still possible to have this exclusive experience and be accompanied step by step by the world's most expert tailors in your choice of fabrics, styles and all the details that make a suit unique. But which are the best Italian tailor's shops where you can have a made-to-measure suit made?

Providing preparation and training for all of them, from fashion designer to tailor, from laboratory technician to fashion editor, fashion photographer to stylist or buyer, are the fashion schools in Italy, which are among the most highly qualified in the world. The choice is rich and varied; the training provision of the best fashion schools and universities in Italy is almost endless, with top quality courses throughout the peninsula.

Tuscany, the pearl of central Italy on the beautiful Tyrrhenian coast, is a trove of unique historical treasures: from cities of art to picturesque villages, breathtaking panoramas, pastoral countryside and magnificent islands. Rich and surprising, Tuscany can enchant like few other places can.

The Medici Villas, on UNESCO’s World Heritage list since 2013, which offer a unique opportunity to discover the legendary Tuscany.

For centuries, Tuscany has charmed any "outsiders" with its timeless beauty, which in full display in the images, films, photo galleries and social profiles across the world, is known to travelers everywhere. Landscapes that are a parade of hills, valleys, and highlands all the way to the sea, ever changing with the changing of the seasons, passing from the triumph of summer and the immense expanses of sunflower fields everywhere, to the warm shades of autumn, when the leaves bring in their romantic, melancholic tones. Our tour in the discovery of the wonders of Tuscany can only start from Florence: a couple of days in the city of Dante are a must, there are so many things to do and see. After having filled the spirit with the beauty of Florence, you are ready to discover the Tuscany of villages, vineyards, countryside, and the many DOC and IGP products that you will meet along the way.

Chianti, the area of rolling hills stretching between Florence and Siena, Arezzo and the hills of Pisa, has long been considered the “heart of Tuscany”. Its splendid landscape is dotted with dense vineyards, chestnut forests, oaks and maples, attractive medieval villages, romantic castles and charming colonial farmhouses. It is also the birthplace of one of the world’s most famous red wines: Chianti.

From smell to sight, taste to hearing, and even touch: Tuscany will stimulate all of your senses, making for a unique holiday experience. Your hunger for travel is sure to grow in proportion to your hunger for Tuscan cuisine when you discover its delightful dishes, age-old traditions and typical products of excellence. From Chianti to Maremma, from Lunigiana to Mugello, along the Etruscan Coast and Val di Merse: wherever you go, you’re sure to find something special. Ready to set off and discover this region’s fantastic food and wine?

Lush forests, peaks with breathtaking views, coastlines with crystal-clear sea. Tuscany presents a variety of landscapes to be discovered. There are many paths for trekking: here are some of them, winding their way along mountain roads, mule tracks and ancient road networks. Routes for all tastes and levels of difficulty, surrounded by unspoilt nature.