Hostel Italy: Book Your Bed Before You Go!
Choose from over 10.000 Structure worldwide
 |
 |
|---|
Tourist information: Florence
 |
Florence
Capital of the region of Tuscany, has a population of around half a million inhabitants, spreads on the banks of the Arno, between the Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian seas, almost in the middle of the Italian peninsula. It is a city which bustles with industry and craft, commerce and culture, art and science. Being on the main national railway lines, it is easily accessible from most important places both in Italy and abroad. The Florence "Vespucci" airport, where both national and international airlines stop, is located 5 Km. from the city centre. The main motorway, A1, connects Florence with Bologna and Milano in the North and Rome and Naples in the South. The motorway A11 to the sea joins it to Prato, Pistoia, Montecatini, Lucca, Pisa and all the resorts on the Tyrrhenian sea. There is also motorway which connects Florence to Siena. The climate is temperate but rather variable, with breezy winters and hot summers. The Chianti area, between Florence and Siena, is one of the most beautiful countrysides in Italy and a famous wine production area. Founded by the Romans in the first century B.C., Florence began its rebirth after the decadence of the barbaric ages, in the Carolingian period, and reached its highest pinnacles of civilization between the 11th and 15th centuries, as a free city, balancing the authority of the Emperors with that of the Popes, overcoming the unfortunate internal dispute between Guelfs and Ghibellines. In the 15th century, it came under the rule of the Medici family, who later became the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. This in fact was the period when the city was at the height of its glory in art and culture, in politics and economic power. The Grand Duchy of the Medicis was succeeded, in the 18th century, by that of the House of Lorraine, when in 1860 Tuscany became part of the Kingdom of Italy of which Florence was the capital from 1865 to 1871. In this century, the city has once more taken up its role as an important centre for culture and the arts. Florence contains an exceptional artistic patrimony, glorious testimony to its secular civilization. Cimabue and Giotto, the fathers of Italian painting, lived here, along with Arnolfo and Andrea Pisano, reformists of architecture and sculpture; Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio, founders of the Renaissance; Ghiberti and the Della Robbia; Filippo Lippi and l'Angelico; Botticelli and Paolo Uccello; the universal geniuses Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Their works, along with those of many generations of artists up to the masters of the present century, are gathered in the city's many museums. In Florence, thanks to Dante, the Italian language was born; with Petrarch and Boccaccio literary studies were affirmed; with Humanism the philosophy and values of classical civilization were revived; with Machiavelli modern political science was born; with Guicciardini, historical prose; and with Galileo, modern experimental science. Up to the time of Charlemagne, Florence was a university town. Today it includes many specialized institutes and is an international cultural center. Academies, art schools, scientific institutes and cultural centers all contribute to the city's intense activity. The economy of Florence is based mainly on the services sector, as the city is an important commercial centre. The traditional centuries-old banking and financial sector continues to flourish. Tourism and crafts (jewelry, embroidery, footwear, leatherwork, ceramics, wrought-iron and basket work, lace and reproduction furniture) provide considerable sources of income. The city is an active centre of culture, and organizes periodical exhibitions and art festivals. Industry, though consisting generally of small and medium-sized firms, has fairly important precision engineering, optical, pharmaceutical, chemical, metallurgical, publishing and textile sectors. Italian art has engendered great public interest and involvement, resulting in the consistent production of monumental and spectacular works. In addition, Italian art has nearly always been closely allied with the intellectual and/or religious currents of its day while retaining its own remarkable past as a continual source of inspiration. Florence is called the capital of arts; according to statistics produced by UNESCO, 60% of the world's most important works of art are located in Italy and approximately half of these are in Florence. From the 13th to the 16th century it was a seemingly endless source of creative masterpieces and Italian genius. Both Dante and Michelangelo were born here. Boccaccio wrote his 'Decameron' in Florence. The Italian Renaissance, Europe's richest cultural period, began in Florence when the artist Brunelleschi finished the Duomo, with the huge dome. During the Italian Renaissance Florence acquired its renaissance palaces and squares, turning it into a living museum. Many squares, such as Piazza della Signoria exhibit famous statues and fountains. Florence is also a city of incomparable indoor pleasures. Its chapels, galleries and museums are an inexhaustible treasure, capturing the complex, often elusive spirit of the Renaissance more fully than any other place in the country. The most famous museum in Florence is the Uffizi which houses works by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Titian and Rubens. Other great art museums include the Pitti Palace, Galleria dell'Accademia and Palazzo Vecchio. Florence is also home to some of the biggest churches in Italy, including the famous Duomo of Florence, San Lorenzo, Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce. Florence attracts a high proportion of international travelers to Italy. The city is an active centre of art and culture, and organizes periodical exhibitions and art festivals. Take for example the summer, when music, cinema, dance and theatre pour out onto the streets and into the squares. There are several outdoor cinemas to be found in Florence, one in the grounds of an old villa where the film is projected onto a screen on the facade of the villa. Nearly all the squares are open in the summer months providing entertainment every evening along with refreshment and spectacular views of the surrounding buildings. The other seasons areno exception however as Florence's theatres draw in the crowds with the operas, ballets and special guests, the many venues that Florence is blessed with host exhibitions, concerts, shows and rare collections of paintings. Florence's blends its art and culture in such a way that you'll find there's always something new to see, do or experience, as it offers endless opportunities to become intimately acquainted with the artistic, architectural, literary, and cultural achievements
of Italy's past. From Florence you can plan some wonderful weekends in the country. Or even just day trips as many places are within an hour and a half's distance from Florence using public transport. If you are planning an excrusion in tuscany see also our suggestion, you can now book your excursion in tuscany with us!
Tuscan food is simple and abundant with local produce, mellow cheeses and grilled meats. Tuscans are also known for their appreciation of beans as seen in the staple of the Tuscan table: white beans cooked with sage and olive oil. Beef Steak Florentine, many versions of roasted or wine-braised game such as boar, deer and rabbit and thick and hearty soups cover the table of a typical Tuscan meal. Plus this is the home of Chianti wine.
The recipes in Florentine cookery range from the original and traditional to more recent arrivals and innovations. Such a wide and occasionally unusual choice of dishes has not only provided some fascinating historical and social information, but the assortment and variety of flavours, colours, customs and costs suited to all pockets, also offers a style of cooking which is lively and flexible.
At the heart of Florentine cookery lie four fundamental ingredients: bread (plain, unsalted, well-baked with a crispy crust and light and airy inside); extra-virgin olive oil, without any doubt the best even for frying, grilled meat; Florentine steaks of beef, roasted or wine-braised game such as boar, deer and rabbit and lastly, wine itself.
Florentine restaurants serve all the Italian specialities, not just the ones typical of Florence and here is a brief guide to some of those Tuscan meals.
Santa Croce is a Florentine Gothic church with frescoes by Giotto and Gaddi, sculptures by Donatello and a beautiful courtyard. To continue the Renaissance theme you can visit Brunelleschi's Pazzi Chapel, a small masterpiece of classical proportions. Considered Florence's most important square, a short walk through the Piazza della Signoria is definitely advisable.
From there you can walk through the Uffizi Museum arches and continue to the banks of the Arno River with a breathtaking view of the Ponte Vecchio; an amazing old bridge, with plenty of established Florentine jewelers.
Visit Santa Croce square, and walk to the Palazzo Medici Riccardi. Have a look at the Michelozzo palace built for Cosimo dé Medici, which set the tone for all Renaissance palaces. Visit the courtyard and view Gozzoli's frescoes in the Cappella dei Magi, not forgetting the outside of the building visible from the narrow streets. Visit the historical laboratories of Florence, to see how the same arts of the Renaissance are still practiced today: ceramics, mosaics,
leather and perfume.
This is a square rich with delights, whether it be the Baptistery, with Ghiberti's doors that Michelangelo said were beautiful enough to be the gates of Paradise or Giotto's "campanile" or bell tower. Brunelleschi's enormous dome of the cathedral can either be admired from the ground, from the bell tower or by ascending the 460 steps to the top for a panorama of the city: not for the faint-hearted!
San Lorenzo is one of two churches in Florence by Brunelleschi. He adopted a simple geometry to develop complex spatial patterns, which can be seen inside the church as well as in the old and new Sacristies; designed by Brunelleschi and Michelangelo respectively. This is a chance to compare masterpieces from the early and high Renaissance. The church has one more treasure: Michelangelo's Laurentian Library, located in the adjacent cloister, which is famous for its entry vestibule, where Michelangelo inserted a stairway that seems to float down from the second floor reading room. If you have enough time you can go to Santa Maria Novella, a Gothic church with a Renaissance facade added by Alberti in the 15th century. In the church you can see paintings by Giotto, Masaccio and Uccello.
Piazza della Santissima Annunziata is one of the Renaissance's first piazzas, with its symmetrical buildings and trapezoidal shape. It isn't possible to the square without noticing the buildings; Brunelleschi's Ospedale degli Innocenti with its elegant loggia, and Michelozzo's Church of the Santissima Annunziata, where you'll find Andrea del Castagno and Pontormo paintings. Go to one of Florence's less famous treasures: the Museum of San Marco. Fra Angelico lived in this monastery, and he painted a small devotional fresco in each of the monks' small bedrooms, creating a truly unique museum experience. You can continue to San Apollonia, to see Andrea del Castagno's
"Last Supper" fresco. The medieval Palazzo del Bargello now houses the Bargello museum, where you can enjoy the building's interior spaces and the sculptures by Donatello, Michelangelo, Brunelleschi and Ghiberti. Another palace to consider is the Palazzo Gondi, where you can admire how the Florentine palazzo evolved from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. There's also the medieval Palazzo Vecchio, Palazzo Davanzati and Alberti's mid-14th century Palazzo Rucellai, described as the most eloquent example of the Renaissance's love of proportion and order. There are many important churches to be seen in Florence, here are just a few from the Middle Ages onwards; the Romanesque 11th-century Santissimi Apostoli, the 13th-century Santa Trinità and Brunelleschi's early Renaissance masterpiece, Santo Spirito. Have a look at Santa Felicita, where you can see Pontormo's Mannerist frescoes of the Deposition and the Annunciation. Finish with Santa Maria del Carmine, where you can visit the Brancacci Chapel and see Masaccio's frescoes, especially the "Banishment of Adam
and Eve from Paradise."
A new way to discover the charming city of Florence! This 24 hour ticket incorporates 15 stops at Florence's top visitor attractions. There is no better way to see Florence than on this hop on and hop off double-decker bus. Stops along the tour route include the Cathedral, Santa Croce, San Marco, Piazzale Michelangelo and much, much more! Hop on and off as many times as you like!
You can hop on and off as many times as you like aboard this open-top double-decker bus. Your ticket is valid for 24 hours and two routes are included in the price: Florence City Tour and Florence Fiesole Tour.
Duration: 24 hour ticket
Price: Starting from EUR €22,96 per person.
Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of Michelangelo! The Accademia Gallery in Florence attracts visitors from all over the world to gaze upon masterpieces by famous artists, especially Michelangelo's most famous work - the statue of David. Come see for yourself the superb collections the Gallery has to offer.
Entry is pre-booked therefore there is no waiting in the main entrance ticket line!
Duration: 1 hour
Price: Starting from EUR €30,63 per person.
This is an absolute must whilst in Florence! Pre-book now so you don't spend your vacation time in the long lines for one of the most famous picture galleries in the world - the Uffizi Gallery. Be inspired by the works of art by Botticelli, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci - just to name a few.
Entry is pre-booked therefore there is no waiting in the main entrance ticket line!
Duration: 1 hour
Price: Starting from EUR €30,63 per person.
There is no better way than to experience a city by foot! You will discover the secrets of the city of Florence on this easy guided walking tour. Captivate the art, history and craftworks of this remarkable city, and come in close contact with the uses and customs of the town dwellers. A truly unique experience!
You have the option to combine this tour with a light lunch, including drinks, in an ancient and charming restaurant in the old city centre, very close to where the tour ends (Available from April 1st through to October 31, and excluding Mondays).
Duration for Private tour: 2 3/4 hours
Price for Private Tour: Starting from EUR €36,25 per person.
The perfect introduction to Florence! These motorcoach tours are ideal for discovering Florence and its surrounding hills. Travel along the most important and panoramic roads of the city as well as exploring many well known places by foot. Choose from a Morning or Afternoon Tour - or simply combine both as a full day tour. A private tour is an alternative.
You have the option to combine this tour with a lunch. Entry is pre-booked therefore there is no waiting in the main entrance ticket line!
Duration: 3/8 hours
Duration for Private Tour: 3/8 hours
Price: Starting from EUR €38,44 per person
Price for Private Tour: Starting from EUR €86,25 per person.
Buonasera! There is no better tour to experience the magic of Florence by night. Admire the city's beauty at twilight before experiencing an unforgettable evening of sumptious Florentine cuisine. You will dance the night away to some of the most famous and romantic Italian songs. Guaranteed to create memories that will last a lifetime!
Duration: 4 1/4 hours
Price: Starting from EUR €95 per person.
