It’s the Capital City or Italian Renaissance; it’s about 90 kilometers far from Viareggio and is easily reachable by car, train or bus. Strolling along its streets it’s not just a visit but a real experience. Nothing is missing in Florence: here you can find art, famous museums, shops and all the amusements you need.
Among the main monuments you can’t miss the cathedral square, “Piazza del Duomo”, with its marvelous church of “Santa Maria del Fiore” (free entrance): the gigantic dome (access with tickets) of the church was realized by Brunelleschi during the Renaissance in a technique we were not able to discover yet. Just in front of the cathedral you’ll find the Baptistery of “San Giovanni” and it’s usual to take pictures of the “Porta del Paradiso” (copy, the real one available inside the “Opera del Duomo” museum). Along the “Calzaiuoli” street you’ll find not only shops but also little jewels of Italian art, like i.e. the “Orsanmichele” church (free entrance). The street is ending just inside the wonderful “Piazza Signoria”, a marvelous open air museum where you can find famous statues like the “David” by Michelangelo (copy, the original is available at the “Museo dell’Accademia”), “Giuditta e Oloferne” by Donatello, the “Perseo” by Benvenuto Cellini and the “Fontana del Nettuno” (Neptune’s Fountain) by Bartolomeo Ammannati. In the same square you’ll find the Old Palace, “Palazzo Vecchio”, center of the power of Medici Family during the Renaissance and now main seat of the municipality of Florence. A few steps and you’ll be inside “Uffizi” square, just on the side of “Uffizi” museum (to visit the inside is better to have a reservation); on the façade you’ll find cubbies with 28 statues of the main historical characters of Florence like Amerigo Vespucci, Benvenuto Cellini, Donatello, Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarca,
Galileo Galilei, Giotto, Giovanni Boccaccio, Leon Battista Alberti, Leonardo da Vinci, Lorenzo il Magnifico, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Niccolò Machiavelli and so on. All straight, passing under the gallery, you’ll reach the river Arno, that is crossing the city center on a side. For sure you’ll take pictures of the old bridge, the “Ponte Vecchio”, that is crossing the river toward the “Oltrarno” area, where you can find the well known “Palazzo Pitti” (today National Picture Gallery), with its famous “Boboli” garden realized in the typical Italian Style. To enjoy a view that you won’t easily forget, let’s have a last stop at “Piazzale Michelangelo” (reachable by public bus), the “belvedere” up on a close hill dominating all the city center. If you like walking, there is a road that is leading you upper to the church of “San Miniato al Monte” final stop of our virtual visit. Enjoy your stay! |
