San Giovanni
Spiritual center of the city, formed in its heart by the piazza del Duomo on which is built the famous cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore, and by the piazza San Giovanni with the baptistery, perhaps the first Christian building in Florence. The tourist district par excellence of the Tuscan capital condenses most of the treasures of the city. Just open your eyes to admire all the statues that glorify space, the impressive facade of the Palazzo Vecchio that suggests the surreal idea of reaching for the sky. The Bargello museum and its slew of sculptures, the Uffizi Gallery, as well as the Ponte Vecchio, the only bridge in the city to have survived the Second World War, are only a few minutes away on foot. What a wealth! A few steps away, heading towards the Arno River, are many wonders and shopping alleys, where luxury stores rub shoulders with small artisans. Towards via Tornabuoni, the majestic Renaissance palaces house the stores of the great Italian luxury brands. The fabulous Piazza della Signoria, which since the Renaissance has signaled the power of Florence to the world, is located to the south of the district. Opposite it, along the Arno, is one of the most important museums in the world, the Uffizi. To the northeast of the Duomo lies Santissima Annunziata, which for many is the most pleasant district in the city. University, museum and inhabited by Florentines from generation to generation, it has a different atmosphere. The university founded by the Medici and the churches of the Dominicans and the Servites of Mary are worth a visit. But really, the atmosphere alone makes it worth spending a few hours here during your stay. You must also visit the convent of San Marco, where the Dominican Fra Angelico painted one of the most prodigious cycles of frescoes of all time. Also worth a look is the Ospedale degli Innocenti, built by Brunelleschi, which, thanks to the perfect geometric harmony of its arches, is the first completed example of Renaissance architecture.
Santa Maria Novella
Piazza Santa Maria Novella, a magical place, foreshadows the rest of the visit when you arrive in Florence by train, or from the airport by public transport. Just a stone's throw from the station, busy both day and night, it is a quiet place to sit and meet up with friends before travelling for miles and miles to explore the city. Two obelisks, worked by Giovanni da Bologna, have been erected there since 1608. During the races organised in honour of the Medici, the horses used to turn around here. Facing the church, the ten arcades of the Loggia di San Paolo, topped with medallions by Andrea della Robbia, form a harmonious whole. The Vespucci family lived in this popular district, and it was also where Botticelli was born (at borgo Ognissanti, 28). He worked there (in via della Vigna Nuova, then via Porcellana) and died there. In short, this district, where the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella and the Ognissanti church are enthroned, is a mosaic of palaces, peaceful cloisters, cheap addresses and travellers in transit. Near the important Santa Maria Novella station, the area of San Lorenzo emerges. Here you are in the heart of what used to be the Medici district, which is still a very lively area today, with its colourful market in the shadow of the Basilica of San Lorenzo, the oldest church in the city. A real place of social experimentation, it is one of the most traditional places along with the Medici chapels and the San Lorenzo library.
Santa Croce
To the south-east of the historic centre of Florence, still on the right bank of the Arno, this district is one of all mixes. Deeply inhabited by the anarchist spirit of the 1990s (it is notably the gathering place for major trade union demonstrations), one can meet the vast majority of the city's art students here, but also stars regularly. Despite the profound transformations that the city has undergone in recent decades, this area has remained very popular and the home of Florentine families established for generations. It was also in this area that Renzo Piano redesigned the old prison (Murate) to make it into low-cost housing under pressure from large popular demonstrations. The markets, the thematic ones on the last three Sundays of each month (antiques or organic) and the one on Tuesdays, are an opportunity to discover the small local producers. You should also visit the beautiful Piazza Santo Spirito at different times of the day to observe the surrounding human activity. Residential, popular, endearing, "local colour", Santa Croce is also a district where craftsmanship occupies an important place. For centuries, leather producers have been giving a second life to dried and tanned pieces of skin. A visit to the leather school, the Scuola del Cuoio, behind the Basilica, is worthwhile. Here you can see the craftsmen displaying all their skills.
Oltrarno
There is life on the other side of the Ponte Vecchio, in the Oltrarno district, literally "the other side of the Arno". And what activity! The district includes two historical areas, well known and much appreciated by Florentines: Santo Spirito and San Frediano. Here, south of the city centre, on the left bank of the Arno, the mix of genres has been going on for centuries. A working-class neighbourhood, it very early on received the craftsmen and workers that the Medici family no longer wanted to see next to their palace. The smelly activities of the tanners, dyers, but also fishmongers or pork butchers, allowed to quickly populate the other side of the Arno, and especially to give it its own identity, easily palpable even today. This area will appeal to travellers who avoid the overly touristy places and are looking for authenticity. The area is home to the most important palace in Italy, Palazzo Pitti, and to belvederes from which to view Florence. Piazzale Michelangelo offers without doubt the most beautiful view of the city. To the east, the hills take precedence over the Renaissance city and invite you to go for a walk, such as the one that leads to the superb basilica of San Miniato al Monte.
