Florence Vacation Guide & Travel Information

About Florence

Florence (Firenze in Italian) is the capital of the region of Tuscany, on Italy's northwest coast. Florence is a small city, located in the Arno River valley, and surrounded by olive-planted hills on the north and south. It extends west and slightly east along the Arno valley with suburbs and light industry. The centro storico (historic center), where visitors spend most of their time, is a tight tangle of medieval streets and piazze (squares). Most of Florence, and the majority of the tourist sites, lie north of the river, within a vintage artisan's working-class neighborhood wedged between the Arno and the hills on the south side.

The center is encircled by a traffic ring of wide boulevards, known as the Viali, that were created in the late 1800s by tearing down the city's medieval walls. Since the 14th century the cultural heart of the city has been the Piazza della Signoria with the Palazzo Vecchio (Town Hall), the Uffizi Gallery and a large number of publicly displayed world famous sculptures.

Florence is a walking city. Visitors can take a leisurely stroll between the two most often visited sights, the Duomo and the Uffizi, in less than five minutes. The walk from the most northerly point, San Marco with its Fra' Angelico frescoes and the Accademia with Michelangelo's David, to the most southerly, the Pitti Palace across the Arno, should take no more than 30 minutes. From Santa Maria Novella rail station across town to Santa Croce is an easy 20 to 30 minute walk.

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The city is served by two airports: Amerigo Vespucci is a few miles northwest of the city center, and Galileo Galilei (for international flights) in Pisa is about 46mi west of the city. Galilei has regular connections to London, Paris, Munich and major Italian cities. A city bus runs every 20 minutes from the main train station (Santa Maria Novella Station) to Amerigo Vespucci airport. There is frequent train service between the main station and Galileo Galilei airport.


Buses : There are also two bus stations. For international services, which go all over Europe, you need the Lazzi station - buses to Rome also go from this station. For domestic services to Siena, Arezzo, Castellina and all over Tuscany, go to the SITA station. Buses (autobus) are useful only to reach outlying destinations or to get to your hotel with luggage.

Walking : Florence is a walkable city, and many first-timers coming from Rome or Milan misjudge distance and hop on a bus only to find themselves in the suburbs or hills within minutes.

Train : Trains from all over Italy arrive and depart from Florence's Santa Maria Novella Station. The pendolino (rapid intercity trains) uses Florence's Rifredi Statiion. There are many passes that can be purchased to effect great savings on rail travel. Always buy a ticket before you board the train, as there is a surcharge for purchasing on the train. Florence is connected by train to Rome, Milan, Venice, Trieste, Verona, Bologna and Pisa.

Taxis : Taxis aren't cheap, and with the city so small and the one-way system forcing drivers to take convoluted routes, they aren't an economical way to get about town. Taxis are most useful to get you and your bags between the train station and your hotel in the centro storico. There's a taxi stand outside the train station.

Florence is full of attractions for all ages. Below is a list of some suggested things to do in Florence. You can also book some of these attractions online and save your vacation time.

Duomo
One of the most famous landmarks of Florence. This immense Cathedral took almost 150 years to complete. The large dome was one of the greatest engineering feats of its day, and symbolizes Florence at its greatest.

Galleria dell' Accademia
Founded in 1784 by the Grand Duke Pietro Leopold to introduce Academy students to artwork from every period. In the present day it is most famous for housing Michelangelo's 'David' and other noted Renaissance works of art.

Palazzo degli Uffizi
One of Europe's leading art galleries. Established in 1591, it became one of the world's first public galleries. It now houses many Renaissance masterpieces. The Uffizi has within its collection work by amongst others; Botticelli (‘The Birth of Venus)', Uccello, Caravaggio, and Leonardo da Vinci.

Battistero
A wonderful example of Italian Romanesque-style architecture, but it is the Baptistry's great bronze doors for which this building is justly famous. The east door by Lorenzo Gliberti,was named 'The Gate of Paradise' by Michelangelo.

Palazzo Medici-Riccardi
This magnificent palace has hosted royalty, artists and philosophers throughout its five hundred years. The austere construction is built in the style of classic Florentine Renaissance architecture.

Piazza del Signoria
The cultural centre of Florence, and in a sense a large open-air gallery thronged with great statues.

Cathedral Museum
Houses some of the finest examples of Renaissance art found anywhere in the world, including work by Michelangelo, Donatello, and Leonardo da Vinci amongst others.

Bargello
Originally a jail this building now accommodates the National Museum, part of which houses one of the most impressive collections of Renaissance sculpture anywhere in the world.

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