Florence is an open-air museum that grew more beautiful over the centuries. You can find masterworks of arts, architecture and see them up so close that you can almost touch them. The city has a magnificent position; it sits at the feet of Apennine Mountains in a valley that opens its arms to art and luxury lovers.
Florentine buildings and monuments can tell stories of art, war, love and life. The streets of this city are always crowded with those who seek to learn about the history.
The best time to visit Florence is between March and November as the temperature can drop below zero during wintertime and can reach 40 degrees Celsius in summer.
Florence is rich in places to discover even though it is not a very large city. Three days are enough to explore its major marvels. However, I would highly recommend you stay longer, I know I regret not staying on for a few more days.
Walking around the city is the best way to discover it. It is okay to get lost on the streets. You will find your way back for sure. Just take your time to appreciate the buildings, the food, the art and the greenery.
I have prepared a list of places that you have to visit on your next trip to Florence just remember to take your camera and wear comfortable shoes.
The Uffizi gallery is one of the busiest museums in the whole city. It is the oldest art museum of the Western world, where you can find the masterpieces of many Italian artists. Once you’re done, you have to pass by the Accademia Gallery where you can meet the most magnificently sculpted statue ever, Michelangelo’s David, face to face. I finally knew what all these love stories were talking about.
Another must-see museum is designed for those who appreciate fashion brands such as the Gucci museum, bookstore and cafe at the Piazza della Signoria. At the Ferragamo you will learn about the history of this fashion brand. Shopping streets Via Tornabuoni and Via della Vigna Nuova have the best shops in the city.
Piazza del Duomo is a place to see and be seen. It’s a magical place with great architecture. At the heart of Florence it is filled of gothic and renaissance sculpture. Around the Duomo are great gelato (ice cream) and coffee cafes, where I recommend buying something to go and sit in front of the building and admire it.
Speaking of gelato, you have to try Il Gelato Vivoli. It is located near Santa Croce at Vie Isola delle Stinche 7. Try it and you will know why Italian gelato is so famous: it is to die for.
I always appreciate farmers markets to see the local harvest and try original produce. Go to Mercato Centrale, which is a massive covered market that sells fruit, vegetables, olive oil, and other gastronomic treats that you will surely love.
Italy is not a place to go when you are on a diet. You will regret not trying the amazing foods in cafes and restaurants around the Piazza della Signoria, which is the most famous square in the city. There is an open-air sculpture exhibit and you can see the replica of Michelangelo’s David and take photos of it.
If you like history you will appreciate visiting the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Florence. It was built in 1345 and is the only surviving bridge from Florence’s medieval days.
The Vasari Corridor is the city’s most interesting experience. The corridor is an elevated enclosed passage connecting the Palazzo Vecchio with the Palazzo Pitti. An exceptional structural masterpiece, it was designed by Giorgio Vasari in 1565. It houses plenty of art but the pieces aren’t as impressive as collections found elsewhere.
The new Florence Opera Theatre is an extraordinary rectangular geometric structure and is one of the most modern opera houses in the world. The acoustics are of very fine quality. The best place is the new opera theater; the best time is during the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino season.
The Antica Farmacia di Santa Novella is a historic pharmacy that was founded in 1612 and is one of the oldest pharmacies in the world. There you can purchase the most unique essences and extracts. It is more like a museum than a perfume shop since it stocks an awesome range of perfumes, herbal elixirs and soaps based on, of all things, vinegar.
If you have more days to spend, take this opportunity to explore the towns around Florence. Tuscany offers many places that you must see and discover from Pisa, Siena, Arezzo Cortona, Parto, Pistoria and Lucca. I would say Italy is the best place to travel around and get lost.
Where to stay:
The Four Seasons Florence, once a residence of the Medici and Della Gherardesca, is not like any other resort. The urban resort makes you feel like you’re stepping into the Renaissance era. It is located in the heart of the city within walking distance to Accademia Gallery, the Uffizi, the Duomo and almost everywhere you would want to be.
The Four Seasons won the Trip Adviser’s Travelers’ Choice, voted top 25 luxury hotels in Italy. Their General Manager, Patrizio Cipollini, won GM of the Year by Luxury Travel Adviser Awards of Excellence. I am not surprised because I saw how he was treating his guests and staff. He knew everyone by name and you will see him walking around the resort from the restaurant to the reception to the lobby checking every single detail. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t have an office.
The hotel only opened in 2008 after more than seven years of renovation, it offers 116 rooms and suites with a combination of a 15th century Plazzo and a 16th century Convent. It was the former home of a Noble Florentine family before being converted into a convent in the 18th century. The garden at the hotel is actually the oldest private park in the city, but now it is part of the hotel’s property.
The hotel’s interior is magical; it is a jaw dropper with the artistic details, flowers and natural light coming from the windows. As soon as you walk in you will meet one of my favorite staff, Kin. He is jolly and I loved spending time talking to him about the hotel and the city. Kin will walk you inside the hotel where you will see the indoor courtyard with its beautiful seating area with a sculptured centerpiece surrounded by beautiful flowers arrangement. This goes on until you reach your room and you will not be disappointed with that. Most of the rooms are kept original from the old days. The walls and fresco ceilings are hand painted and the floors are original. Each suite at this resort is like a small art gallery, which represents the real Italian luxury.
The hotel celebrates love with arranging and hosting lavish weddings on its indoor and outdoor properties. The honeymoon suite is located in the middle of the hotel’s garden; it is isolated where the couple can enjoy total freedom in their beautiful one-bedroom suite.
When I was having dinner at the hotel’s Il Palagio restaurant I loved everything about it, from food prepared by their own Michelin Star chef, the service, the live piano playing to the elegant décor and lovely views of the inner gardens.
Il Plagaio also offers an open buffet breakfast where you are offered a beautiful variety of fresh baked goods and fresh products. The salmon egg Benedict is a must-try. You will love it. My other favorite restaurant is Al Fresco. You will enjoy eating authentic Italian cuisine with a view of the pool and under a majestic tree that provides shades on a hot Florence day.
The hotel is very family-oriented, even at the breakfast you will find a mini buffet designed especially for children along with other services and entertainment that match the comfort of a family.
The best part of the hotel to me was the spa. It is an oasis of calm that provides an exceptional experience for the mind, body and soul with its friendly, professionally skilled & trained therapists. The spa has an exclusive line of the city’s number one perfumery Santa Maria Novella. Truly, Florence is the jewel of the Renaissance. It is a city that you will never forget.
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