Travel guide Florence - Firenze
Several million tourists come every year to discover its wonders. Florence is the cradle of the Italian Renaissance which radiated throughout the world. The capital of Tuscany is an exceptional tourist destination and particularly appreciated by art and architecture lovers. One of its most emblematic sites is the Duomo, a magnificent cathedral whose terracotta dome was designed by Brunelleschi and whose campanile was designed by Giotto. Another emblem is the Ponte Vecchio. There is also the trio of masters: Michelangelo's David at the Galleria dell'Accademia, Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Leonardo da Vinci's Annunciation at the Uffizi Gallery. In addition to these incomparable works, there are the palaces, churches and historic squares sponsored in their time by the prestigious Medici. You must visit Palazzo Vecchio, which houses the town hall and above all a huge museum, the Medici chapels and so many other wonders. You can also walk through the market of San Lorenzo specialized in leather and then reach the Mercato Centrale, a marvelous covered market behind the scenes of the divine Tuscan cuisine. But you should know that it was in the Basilica of Santa Croce that Stendhal suffered from the illness linked to the sight of an overload of works of art, since then known as Stendhal's syndrome. You have been warned! Your tour guide will give you many more details and tips to make the most of the pearl of Tuscany and one of the most spectacular sites in the world.
What to see, what to do Florence - Firenze?
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When to go Florence - Firenze ?
It seems wise to avoid the hordes of tourists that invade this destination in September, the high tourist season. Florence loses its charm, hotel reservations are then mandatory and prices rise. July and August, the hottest months of the year, are less popular and even the locals leave the city to reach the coast. A number of shops and restaurants were then closed. In addition, the Italians also take their holidays in August. Cities are emptying and shops are closing. In winter it is cool, even cold, but there are far fewer tourists than the rest of the year and prices are falling significantly. The most pleasant months are April (although some rains) and May. October is also favourable. You can also choose the Easter holidays, which see the burning of the chariot (Scoppio del Carro), at the end of June to attend the Florentine calcio (a kind of spectacular football) in Piazza Santa Croce or on September 7 to enjoy the Rificolona with its lamps hanging in the windows and in the parades.
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How to go Florence - Firenze
How to go alone
This is the kind of destination that can easily be discovered alone. With direct flights from several European cities at low cost, all year round except winter, you can plan a trip on a tight budget. Find an off-center hotel connected by bus, eat sandwiches, drink a coffee at the counter, refresh yourself with an ice cream in the street... What happiness!
How to go on a tour
Florence is one of the most popular tourist destinations offered by all tour operators. The most common is the three-day stay (flight + accommodation + visits + guide). This formula has the advantage of allowing a break for visiting monuments and museums.
How to get around
You will visit the historic center of Florence on foot. The city has bus lines that provide access to the main sites further out. Tickets can be purchased in cafés or any place displaying the ATAF sticker, including the central station. No direct sales on the bus during the day, but it is possible to buy a slightly overpriced ticket at night. The most efficient way to get a cab is to ask for it at the hotel or restaurant you want to leave.
Featured articles Florence - Firenze
Discover Florence - Firenze
At the heart of a cirque of hills interspersed with cypress trees, Florence, the Tuscan capital and city of art par excellence, continues to exert an unrivalled fascination on the collective imagination. Its marvels have stood the test of time, earning it the nickname Florence the Magnificent. Aesthetically, the Florentine city is an absolute and undisputed benchmark, inscribed on Unesco's World Heritage List. So, after being deprived of travel for so long, what better choice than Florence?
But Tuscany, between tradition and modernism, also boasts a strong identity, a dynamic diversified economy, refined craftsmanship, age-old festivities that are still very much alive today and, of course, world-renowned oeno-gastronomy. Here, we'd like to introduce you to all these different facets, not forgetting the modern Florence of the 21st century.
The 12 keywords Florence - Firenze
1. #Agriturismo
Italy has put a great deal of effort into helping farmers with a new activity: farmhouse accommodation. This activity allows to enhance and preserve the heritage, while diversifying the activities and promoting warm encounters. Rustic or luxurious, Tuscany is full of very pleasant farmhouses.
2. #Aperitivo
To share a typically Italian moment, it's time for anaperitivo! At around 7pm, many bars and trattorie offer, for the price of a drink, a whole range ofantipasti. This way, the broke can eat at a very reasonable cost and the smart ones will find themselves in the middle of the entertainment at the passeggiata time.
3. #Arno
The Arno rises in the province of Arezzo and flows through Florence and Pisa, among other cities. Its banks romantically divide these two cities, with the reflection of their palaces on the river. In summer, bars and ephemeral restaurants set up shop for an aperitif by the water's edge. Numerous bridges span the Arno, the most famous being the Ponte Vecchio.
4. #Calcio Storico
In Florence, since the 16th century, the four historical districts (Santo Spirito, Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella and San Giovanni) have been fighting each other in the Calcio Storico. A brutal sport, between football, rugby and wrestling, codified in the Middle Ages. A spectacular 100% Florentine tradition that takes place every year in June in Piazza Santa Croce.
5. #Cantuccini
These dry, crunchy cakes are typical and originate from Tuscany. Originally, like most regional specialities, they were a poor sweet made with stale bread, sweetened, spiced and filled with almonds. To enjoy them, it is best to dip them in sweet wine(vino santo) or savour them with a coffee, it is a delight.
6. #Chianti
Born in the 19th century, Chianti, after many agricultural ups and downs, regained its nobility around 1980. There are three types of Chianti: Chianti with 80% Sangiovese (the region's main grape variety); Chianti Riserva, bottled after three years in oak barrels; and Chianti Classico, which is more elaborate and recognizable by its black rooster.
7. #Hills and Cypresses
When you think of Tuscany, one of the first images that comes to mind is a landscape of hills and cypress trees. Far from being a cliché, rising to the sky from the gentle curves of the Tuscan hills, cypress trees grow on the side of the road, drawing one of the oldest landscapes in the world tamed by man.
8. #Dolce Vita
When you think of a stay in Tuscany, you think of the dolce vita, that pleasant and unique Italian music. A desire for the good life that can be found even in the cities, in Florence and Pisa. Be prepared to chat on a street corner, to wait in a restaurant. Let yourself be carried away by this gentle hedonism.
9. #Etruscan
The history of Tuscany begins with that of the Etruscans around the ninth century B.C., whose culture has left fascinating evidence. Named "Tyrrhenoi" by the Greeks (from which the sea takes its name), the Latins gave them the name "Trusci". They seem to have passed on their love of life and elegance to their descendants today.
10. #Gastronomy
Olive oil, raw or smoked ham, pici, cheese, truffles... The irresistibly tempting shop windows of the local grocers, real Ali Baba's caves, make you succumb to the temptation. In addition to contemplating the museums and the architectural wealth, a trip to Tuscany would not be fully authentic without tasting the local flavours.
11. #Michel-Ange
Any visit to Florence is, more or less, a pilgrimage in the footsteps of the master of the sublime, Michelangelo. From his first works as an apprentice to the mythical David, via the sublime Tondo Doni and the Pietà sculpted for his own tomb, it is an opportunity to understand the evolution of his art. The great shadow of genius is everywhere!
12. #Renaissance
The Renaissance is to Florence what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris! Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Brunelleschi...: their imprint remains immense. The Florentine Renaissance is the period that saw the birth of the most geniuses, that theorized perspective, exalted fresco, invented humanism and survived the apocalypse predicted by Savonarola.
You are from here, if...
You love Calcio Storico Fiorentino more than anything.
The lampredotto sandwich is your favorite snack. Whether for lunch, a snack or an aperitif, lampredotto (tripe cooked in broth and thinly sliced) is part of Florence's popular culinary tradition, and still part of everyday life today.
You'll love the film Amici Miei (My Dear Friends), directed by Mario Monicelli and shot in Florence in 1975. A reference for everyone in the Tuscan capital.
You don't use a knife to eat your pasta dish and, above all, you don't cut your spaghetti. Pasta, like everything else in Italy, is an art!
You always arrive 15 minutes late. In addition to this reputation that sticks to Italians, the assessment of travel time cannot be based on kilometers alone, especially in the Tuscan hills, where distances are considerably longer.
If you're a fan of the game, you'll love to provoke and make fun of Juventus!