It’s sometimes easy to take all the beautiful sites in Florence for granted. They’re just there. That’s why it’s so important for me to stop, reflect and above all just enjoy all the beauty around me. I have never regretted moving to Florence. From the first moment I stepped off the train, I felt at home.
Of course, the Florentines can be difficult to deal with and can sometimes be perceived as rude or even unfriendly at first sight. Instead, get to know a Florentine and you’ll get a completely different impression. Florentines have a sense of humour and love to make fun of people. They are also incredibly proud of their city, and rightly so, because they know its history and they just KNOW that Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It’s hard not to agree.
My first time in town
I remember the first time I came to Florence. I had purchased an interrail pass and decided to just travel around Italy on my own. Maybe I was lucky enough to meet the right people, but it wasn’t hard to fall in love with Florence.
Though it was hot and humid, as always in the month of July, I was immediately charmed by what I saw. Arriving in front of the Cathedral I just gaped. I had never seen anything similar. Such a big and beautiful church! I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the elegant Carrara marble dominating the facade, not to mention Brunelleschi’s brick-red dome.
Florence is often called the cradle of the Renaissance, and it’s true. At the same time, all the most important buildings date from the Middle Ages. That says a lot about the city. The birth of the Renaissance in Florence would never have happened without a solid background. The city was already one of the largest and richest cities in Europe in the Middle Ages, thanks to trade and banking. The Renaissance was simply a natural continuation.
What to see and do in Florence?
In Florence you are always close to everything. Just a few minutes’ walk down the narrow medieval streets and there’s Palazzo Vecchio. It’s hard to imagine that the Medici wanted to live here. An austere medieval castle with a lion at the top. When the lion is facing the Arno River, it rains. It’s a finer translation of the Florentine proverb that is a little more daring. Florentines
like to spice up their dialect with a lot of expressions that make most Italians blush.
Piazza della Signoria is the most important square in Florence. It’s always bustling with life. Tourists and locals love it. The easiest way to enjoy Signoria Square is to sit down on the bench at la Loggia dei Lanzi or at one of the outdoor cafés and just watch people.
However, Ponte Vecchio is perhaps the symbol of Florence. This charming bridge with jewellery shops is a real gem. No wonder the tradition of putting padlocks on a bridge started here. It’s a romantic spot, with live music at night.
These are, of course, spots that EVERYONE who comes to Florence visits sooner or later.
So what about my favourite places?
I live in the middle of the city and love the hustle and bustle. When I want to get away from the noise, I usually go to Oltrarno, i.e. the other side of the Arno River. Piazza della Passera, Piazza Santo Spirito and Piazza Santa Felicita are three lovely squares with nice restaurants, wine bars and cafés. Piazza Santo Spirito is also known for its nightlife. It’s one of the places where young people hang out. Another cosy area is San Niccolò. From San Niccolò, it’s also not far to my big favourite, the Rose Garden, just below Piazzale Michelangelo. Nearby you also find the Iris Garden, though it is only open for one month a year when the iris blooms in late April to late May.
If you’ve already visited the Uffizi, Pitti Palace, the Academy of Fine Arts with David and want to see something completely different, I have a few hidden treasures to suggest. In addition to the museums and churches you’ll find on MY FLORENCE TOURS, I highly recommend the San Marco Museum, dedicated to one of the first Renaissance artists, Beato Angelico. In addition, you can see the exquisitely decorated monk’s cells and even peek into Savonarola’s room. This monk managed to seize power from the Medici family in the late 15th century, but met a grim fate.
If you like sculpture, the Bargello Museum is a must. Here you’ll find works by Donatello, Verrocchio, Michelangelo, Bernini and others. If you like churches, Santa Maria Novella is an option, as is the church of Santa Trinita. Personally, I love the “Last Supper” paintings found in most Florentine monasteries. Many believe that it was Leonardo da Vinci who first painted a “Last Supper” in the Santa Maria delle Grazie monastery in Milan, but this tradition already existed in Florence long before that. If you would like to visit any of the museums/churches described above, just contact me. We can combine a walking tour with a visit to one of these museums or churches.