Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy, rich in history and culture. This city was in the past the center of the Florentine Republic, the capital of the Medici Dukes and the Italian Kingdom, now - the administrative center of the Tuscany region. Despite its remoteness from the sea and constant political unrest, Florence made a tremendous contribution to the development of European and world civilization. The city gave the world such giants as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Dante and Galileo.
In Florence, the old part of the city is relatively small and all the sights, if desired, can be seen in one day, but I recommend staying there for a long time.
First of all, like many guidebooks, I recommend seeing the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, or as the local Duomo call it. This cathedral is truly amazing, no photograph can convey the true scale and beauty of this building. Inside, the entrance is free, to climb the bell tower or the dome you will have to pay 5-10 euros and climb the steps for a long time, but it's worth it: from this height you can see almost all of Florence in all its glory.
The Ponte Vecchio is the oldest bridge and the only one that has survived from the Middle Ages. It is located a few blocks from Santa Maria del Fiore. Since the Middle Ages, there were various shops and shops, now they sell jewelry there. If you are not interested in jewelry, you should still go for the wonderful view of the Arno River and the bridge itself.
Between Santa Maria del Fiore and Ponte Vecchio are Piazza della Signoria, the Uffizi Gallery and Palazzo Vecchio. On the Piazza della Signoria, there are many copies of famous sculptures such as David and Hercules. In the Palazzo Vechio there are masterpieces of paintings of world importance, the most famous paintings - "The Birth of Venus" and "Spring" by Botticelli, "Annunciation" and "Adoration of the Magi" by Leonardo da Vinci and "Venus of Urbino" by Titian.
Palazzo Pitti is the largest of the existing Florentine palaces. The building served as the residence first of the grand dukes of the Medici, then the dynasty of the Dukes of Lorraine and, finally, the Italian royal family. Today it is one of the largest museum complexes in Florence. It houses the Palatine Gallery, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Silver Museum, the Porcelain Museum, the Carriage Museum and the Costume Gallery, Italy's largest collection of fashion history. It can be found by walking through the Ponte Vecchio and several blocks. Behind the building are the Boboli Gardens, one of the most beautiful gardens in Renaissance Italy.
Not far from Palazzo Pitti is the Basilica of Santo Spirito and the square of the same name. The basilica is characterized by a sleek façade with one large round window. In the evenings, a light show is often held on this square, during which various lighting effects are shown on the facade of the basilica.
The Cathedral of Santa Croce is one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Florence, it is much smaller than Santa Maria del Fiore, although it is made in the same style and from the same marble. He's very graceful. inside you can see the famous frescoes of Giotto, the tombs of the great rulers of Italy. There is a monument to Dante next to the cathedral.
Also in the center of Florence is the famous Medici Chapel, which is worth visiting for the sculptures of Michelangelo. Also, for connoisseurs of Renaissance sculpture, in particular Michelangelo, I advise you to visit the Academy, where the original David is located.
This is not the whole list of things to see in Florence. But if you are not a fan of cathedrals, art galleries and museums, I recommend that you just walk around the medieval city, get imbued with its spirit, go to Italian cafes and go shopping in abundance in Florence. Definitely worth visiting this city more than once!
