This market is home to Florence’s best loved wild boar, and more souvenirs than you can shake a sticker at. Don’t miss it. And don’t forget to rub the Porcellino to see if his good luck rubs off on you. In Piazza del Mercato Nuovo, between Piazza della Repubblica and Ponte Vecchio, you’ll find an open-air souvenirs market… Read more »
Read MoreAccademia Gallery | Meet the Statue of David
The Accademia Gallery in Florence is a must for art enthusiasts. The iconic Michelangelo’s David is at the centre of a fascinating collection of sculptures and 14th-16th paintings that are well worth the long queue. You’ll see the greats like Filippo Lippi, Botticelli and a splendid collection of Florentine Gothic work. The Accademia is one… Read more »
Read MoreSan Lorenzo Market
Depending on your point of view, a walk through San Lorenzo market is either a buyer’s paradise, or a crowded hell. Either way, it’s something no tourist can avoid when in Florence. San Lorenzo is loud, fun, kitsch and colourful. Whatever their feelings about it, most visitors find it hard to resist the pull of the cheap mementos and rows… Read more »
Read MoreSan Lorenzo Food Market
San Lorenzo Food Market, or ‘Mercato Centrale’, is a double-story indoor market, that’s as much about food experience as it is about food shopping. Once the main general food market for the Florentines, the original friendly chaos has given way to tidier and more tourist-friendly stalls. The recently refurbished upper level has informal eateries and shops… Read more »
Read MoreSan Lorenzo Church
Harmonious Renaissance architecture and the Medici’s tombs are highlights of a visit to San Lorenzo. The bulky form of San Lorenzo church stands in a busy neighbourhood, near the market. This is the place to come to soak up some Medici family history. This is the church where the family would come to pray, keep their… Read more »
Read MoreOrsanmichele Church
A few steps from Piazza Signoria in Florence, the Gothic oratory church of Orsanmichele is an unusual and atmospheric place, that at one time used to be a granary. A walk along the Via Calzaioli takes you past the elaborate facades of Orsanmichele. It’s an expression of late Gothic exuberance, with fourteen statues of saints enclosed… Read more »
Read MoreSanta Croce Church | See Michelangelo’s burial place
The much loved complex of Santa Croce is a Gothic masterpiece, with splendid frescoes by Giotto and his pupil Taddeo Gaddi. There are two cloisters, and the famous Pazzi Chapel designed by Brunelleschi for the Pazzi family that plotted against the Medici and paid dearly for it. This church is much loved by the Florentines… Read more »
Read MoreBargello Museum | Renaissance statues in Florence
The Bargello Museum is to sculpture what the Uffizi is to painting. An impressive museum that contains some important work by Michelangelo. An impressive collection in an equally impressive setting, the Bargello is the home of Donatello’s famous nude “David”, the first freestanding statue of its kind made since antiquity. And the statue of the… Read more »
Read MoreSanta Maria Novella Church
Santa Maria Novella Church is a hidden gem in Florence with splendid facades, frescoes and peaceful cloisters. Situated just outside Santa Maria Novella train station and overlooking a busy square, this exquisite complex has one of the best looking facades of all Florentine churches. Filled with splendid frescoes, including the ones in the 14th century cloister,… Read more »
Read MorePiazzale Michelangelo | Best view of Florence
Piazzale Michelangelo is terrace above Florence that offers a superb panorama of the city. Come for the breathtaking views of Florence, and stay for a visit to San Miniato al Monte church. A half hour walk from the city centre or a short bus trip along the Viale dei Colli, this panoramic point is a… Read more »
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