Visiting the most famous Art city of the world can be overwhelming when you do not have much time and you want to experience all the best things the city has to offer. To help you out, here are the 5 best places to visit in Florence when you need to choose and do not have many days at your disposal.
FLORENCE’S CATHEDRAL
The Duomo di Firenze, Florence’s Dome, or in the full name, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, is the fourth largest church in Europe, with its three naves, external facades in white and green marble and its interiors bare of furnishings but dominated by a cycle of monumental frescoes made by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari, between 1572 and 1579.
Interesting fact about the Cathedral: when you enter it, the first thing you notice is that the decoration of the upper part of the drum is still unfinished. Wondering why? This is because when the competition to win the work was launched, among others, Michelangelo and Baccio d’Agnolo participated. The latter won the tender, and when the work had begun, Michelangelo defined the work as “a cage for crickets”. The poor approval of the people and Michelangelo’s statements caused the works to stop! Incredible, right?
In the same complex you can also visit Brunelleschi’s Dome and Giotto’s Bell Tower, with the Baptistery of San Giovanni on the front side of the Church. If you do not want to stay in line for a long time, be sure to book your tickets in advance!
THE UFFIZI GALLERY
The Uffizi Gallery is one of the most famous museums in the world thanks to its extraordinary collections of ancient paintings and statues from the fourteenth century and the Renaissance containing some absolute masterpieces of art of all times.
Just a few names of the artists you can find here: Giotto, Simone Martini, Piero della Francesca, Beato Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Mantegna, Correggio, Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo, Caravaggio.
The Gallery is located on the top floor of the large building by Giorgio Vasari, built between 1560 and 1580. It was built by the will of the Grand Duke Francesco I and enriched thanks to the contribution of numerous members of the Medici family, passionate collectors of paintings, sculptures and art objects. It was rearranged and enlarged under the Lorraine dynasty, who succeeded the Medici, and later by the Italian state.
PALAZZO VECCHIO
In Piazza della Signoria a must see is Palazzo Vecchio. Among all the buildings of Florence, Palazzo Vecchio certainly stands out, clear example of fourteenth-century civil architecture. Today, inside the palace there are some municipal buildings and it is the residence of the First Citizen of Florence. But here there is also a museum you can visit, with works by Michelangelo and Donatello and the Tower of Arnolfo, 94-m high, from whose top you can enjoy a wonderful view over the entire Tuscan capital.
As usual, book your ticket in advance.
THE DAVID OF MICHELANGELO
You can’t visit Florence without seeing the David of Michelangelo in the Accademia Gallery. The Gallery is also known as the Michelangelo Museum, as many of his works are exhibited, but the main work is definitely Michelangelo’s David. 502 cm high including the base, it is considered a masterpiece of world sculpture, as well as one of the emblems of the Renaissance and a symbol of Florence.
The statue represents David, the biblical hero who fought against the giant Goliath. The allegory is meant to show the victory of intelligence over brute force, but it is also a monument to courage. The impressive expressiveness of the face in fact shows David resolute and not at all hesitant just before throwing the stone with his sling.
PONTE VECCHIO
One of the symbols of Florence, Ponte Vecchio is considered one of the most beautiful bridges in the world. This suggestive bridge crosses the Arno river and connects the historic centre of Florence with the eastern part of the city.
In the past, Ponte Vecchio was the seat of butchers and fruit and vegetable shops, but today here you can find refined goldsmith shops that sell wonderful jewels! When butchers and vegetable shops were there, waste was dumped into the river, causing a rank stench in that area, making the bridge a place to avoid.
That all changed when the Medici family came to the city. They transformed the bridge into a place for respectable jewellers and gold in an effort to improve the area so that they could use the bridge when getting around Florence and walk through it.
