Florence Travel Guide

Florence is the capital of Tuscany. It is famous for its art, history and catherdrals. One of the most iconic catherdrals is Duomo, it took up to 140 years to complete. The Catherdral has the largest masonry dome in the world and was built on top of a small church, it also has a terracotta-tiled dome. Florence has one of the oldest bridges Ponte Vecchio, it is a medieval stone arch bridge. There have been shops on Ponte Vecchio since the 13th Century, there used to be a variety of shops including butchers and fishmongers. In 1593 Ferdinand decided that goldsmiths and jewellers would be the only ones allowed to have their shops on the bridge as a way to improve the wellbeing of everyone including their own. The current bridge was rebuilt after a flood in 1345.

Getting to Florence

Tuscany has two international airports Galileo Galilei in Pisa and Amerigo Vespucci In Florence. If you are getting a flight from European Cities such as London or Paris, the fares are normally cheaper. Some of the airlines that fly to Pisa are EasyJet, British Airways, Altalia and Qatar.

Travelling from Pisa Airport

If you are travelling by public transport there is a train shuttle from the airport to Pisa Centrale and from there you can get a train to Florence. The shuttle runs everyday from 6am to midnight. Monday to Saturday the cost is 2.70 euro one way and Sundays one way cost is 1.20 euro. You can also get a direct bus from the airport. Both journeys by train or bus are an hour into the city and you can buy tickets when you arrive at the airport.

From Florence Airport

The airport is on the North Western edge of the city and only 4km from the city centre. you can take a taxi or shuttle bus connection to the centre of Florence.

Attractions and Things To Do

Free Guided Walking Tour

If you would like to explore the historical streets and learn more about the art and history of Florence, JM Walking Tours takes you to places such as Pitti Palace, Uffizi Gallery, Santa Croce Church and Ponte Vecchio. For more details on their tours please visit https://www.jmwalkingtour.org

Accademia Gallery Museum and Uffizi Gallery

Accademia Gallery Museum near Piazza San Marco is home to Michelangelo’s David, it is most well known for its sculptures by Michelangelo. Each year the museum and the marble sculptures attracts millions of visitors. When you enter Accamedia, the first hall you will see is the Hall of Colossus, it was named after models of the Dioscuri of Montecavallo which were displayed in this hall in the 19th Century. Today it has the sculpture of Giambolgna and displays of panel paintings by artists including Perugino, Filippino Lippi, Pontormo, Domenico Ghirlandaio and Bronzino.

It is recommended that you pre book tickets to the museum, there are normally ques. You can also book a guided tour of the museum that includes that includes your entrance. The Accamedia is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 8.15am to 6.50pm.

Uffizi Gallery is one of the galleries I visited during my visit to Florence, I was overwhelmed by the beautiful paintings. The gallery was built between 1560 and 1580, it was designed by Giorgio Vasari. It is famous around the world for its collections of ancient sculptures and paintings from the Middle Ages to Modern period. For more information on booking tickets to Accademia Gallery Museum or Uffizi Gallery visit http://www.uffizi-tickets.org

Day Tours from Florence

If you have a long stay in the city there are several tours you have to choose from that visit other cities and towns such as Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano, Cinque Terre and Portovenere where you can enjoy scenic views and for any nature lovers you can go on a 45 minute nature walk with your tour leader. You can also take a tour to the magical city of Venice and visit some of the main attractions. For more details on City Wonder Tours their website is https://citywonders.com/florence/things-to-do/day-trips-from-florence

For a city break in the Tuscany region Florence is an incredible historical city. If you enjoy art I can thoroughly recommend visiting the galleries and Ponte Vecchio and Duomo Catherdral if you would like to find out about more of the history of the city. Most of the attractions are within walking distance of each other.

There is a small selection of some of my images from Florence, they are available to purchase in my online shop on Etsy

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/677623299/florence-photography-wall-art-print-set?ref=shop_home_active_47&pro=1&frs=1

 

 

Archive
January (2) February (4) March April (3) May June July August September October (2) November (2) December
January (3) February March April May June July August September October (1) November December
January February March April May June July August September October November December
January February March April May June July August September October November December
January February March April May June July August September (4) October November December
January February March April May June July August September October November December