Florence It is the capital of beautiful Italian Tuscany, an ancient, beautiful, picturesque city full of culture and history. Everything here is interesting and that is why every year millions of tourists visit it. Not for nothing has UNESCO declared its historic center Heritage.
Even so, there are many visitors who spend two or three days here and leave. It is not what I advise, I believe that a minimum of four days are necessary to visit what must be visited and also relax, ride a bike or simply walk. What to see in Florence? Aim.
Florence, the medieval city
In medieval times Florence was the heart of commerce and finance in ItaliThere is also one of the most important cities on the continent. Is the cradle of the Renaissance, hosted the powerful Medici family and all the major political movements around here.
Its historic center was declared a World Heritage Site in the early 80s, but it has its roots not in the Middle Ages but in the times of ancient Rome and earlier, in the time of the Etruscans.
Geographically speaking it is in a basin formed by several hills and its main river artery is the famous Arno river on whose channel there are several bridges. Its summers are hot, its autumns with a lot of rain and its winters always with some picturesque snowfall.
Florence Tourism
Well, in terms of tourism there is a lot to see and do, especially for lovers of history and the arts. There are museums, galleries, churches, squares. Starting with the museums, the first on the list is the Galería Uffizi, one of the best art museums in the world.
The Uffizi Gallery is a kind of labyrinth full of beautiful rooms hidden inside a building shaped like the letter U. The architectural style is Renaissance and it was ordered to be built by Cosimo de 'Medici to Giorgio Vasari, right next to the Palazzo Vecchio, seat of political power. That is, it was not born as a museum but later became one that thousands and thousands of people visit every day.
In his times only the ducal family could enter because here their valuable art collection was exhibited for them and their friends or guests: ancient coins, manuscripts, Roman statues, jewelry, paintings by Giotto and Cimabue, Masaccio, Paolo Uccello or Pietro della Francesa and his collection of ducal portraits. The birth of Venus is here too, the same as the huge Allegory of Spring ...
Michelangelo, Raphael, da Vinci, They are other of the great artists that you will see here. Finally, a detail: the Vasari corridor linking the Uffizi and the Palazzo Vecchio with the Pitti Palace on the other side of the river. It is a kilometer long and dates from the second half of the XNUMXth century.
Entrance to the Uffizi Gallery costs 12 euros between November and February and 20 euros between March and October. Admission is free every first Sunday of the month. It opens from 8:15 am to 6:50 pm. Closed on Mondays.
Another recommended museum is the Academy Gallery, where is the famous statue of the David by Miguel Ángel. In addition, the first thing you see is the so-called Hall of the Colossi, today with a huge statue of the Abduction of the Sabine Women by Giambologna. There are also rooms with many paintings and a nice display of musical instruments and Gothic religious art. But of course, the star is David. It is convenient to go shortly before closing because it empties itself of people and you are left alone.
The entrance costs 8 euros and the box office closes at 6:20 pm. The museum is open from 8:15 am to 6:50 pm, Tuesday through Sunday. Closed on Mondays. A third museum is a church, the Church of Santa Maria Novella with its characteristic colored marble facade. It is in the Gothic style and if it does not attract your attention from the outside by Inside it is very beautiful because it has works by Giotto, Masaccio or Ghirlandaio.
Admission is 5 euros and it is open every day. Yes it is allowed to record or take photos, naturally without flash. Before we name the Palazzo Pitti. It is huge and if your idea is to visit it in one day you should do the interior in the morning and its gardens in the afternoon. Both are worth it! inside is the Palatine Gallery, four centuries of ducal elegance and wealth with works of art by Raphael and Rubens. A beauty of frescoes, galleries and private bedrooms (ducal apartments and royal apartments, for example), used by the family.
Outside are the Boboli Gardens, huge and beautiful. As soon as you enter them, they are shaped like an amphitheater, with statues and paths, and when you go away you can go to a terrace with rose bushes that hides another small museum or continue walking and reach other terraced gardens from where you can see the Arno and the city. A magnificent ride.
I personally recommend the Davanzati Palace. It is cheap and small, simple, but charming because it gives you a glimpse into the common life of a wealthy family in Flroencia. It is not a royal palace, there are no works of art, but you do see what rich life was like in the city in the Middle Ages: bedrooms, stairs, kitchens, living rooms and even bathrooms. Another pearl is the Dante Museum dedicated to the life of the writer and his works (Vía Margherita, 1) or the beautiful Museo galileo.
Other museums to visit are the Bargello Museum, almost everything dedicated to sculpture, Medici Chapels which are part of the Church of San Lorenzo, have some Medici tombs and bear the signature of Michelangelo. Admission costs 8 euros and opens from 8:15 am to 5 pm. There is also the Museum of the Opera del Duomo with the display of tools used by Brunelleschi in the construction of the dome, for example.
And obviously, you can not stop knowing the Baptistery and the Cathedral. Climbing up to its dome is priceless, do it! The road itself, narrow and elaborate, and the great views are the best reward. And if you rent a bike or take a bus you can get to the upper part of the city and get to know the small and friendly Church of San Minniato al Monte. The views are great and it has an interesting cemetery.
Finally, the city of Florence has a tourist card, the Florence Card It is costing 85 euros. As always, with this type of card, you have to do the math to see if it is appropriate or not. I stayed five days in Florence and did not see absolutely everything. That is, whether to buy it or not depends fundamentally on your interests and the time you stay in the city. The card It is valid for 72 hours and allows one visit per museum.
Today there is also the Firenze Card +, 5 euros more, which includes the unlimited use of the tram and buses, bring a museum guide and a bag. The truth is, if you go to the city in low season, you stay in the center and you are only interested in the most important museums, you should not buy it. Now, if you stay for more than three days, if you want to make many visits or if you go in the summer when there are a lot of people, it is convenient.