Best things to do in Florence
Find out more about those top places in Florence
Right from ancient times the city of Florence has been one of Europe’s most loved city. It was known as the financial trade center of the old days and featured one of the most prominent families in history “the Medici Family”.
The city plays a major part in history and it is often regarded as the birthplace of the Renaissance, a period from the 14th to 17th century that signifies the transition from middle ages to modernity.
The former capital of Italy does not lack for tourist attractions with beautiful architecture that have great historical relevance such as the Boboli Gardens, Florence Cathedral and Ponte Vecchio.
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Ponte Vecchio
Located on the Arno River, the Ponte Vecchio is an architectural marvel with much history attached to it. The Ponte Vecchio is 32 meters wide and 20 meters long. The bridge has been rebuilt several times due to man-made and natural disasters but it survived the World War II unlike most bridges and the 1966 flood of the Arno. It became well-known because of the Benevento Cellini’s bust, where tourists and locals added padlocks known as love locks, until they were removed by city council and the act of adding locks was banned. There are also shops attached to the bridge so if interested you can do a bit of shopping.
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Florence Cathedral
Italy is filled with Cathedrals but the Florence Cathedral is one of the most famous in the country. Officially known as the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, the building was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio and Filippo Brunelleschi. The Cathedral has a crypt, part of which is opened to tourists, it holds the tombs of respected persons of Florence and Italy such as Zenobius of Florence, Pope Stephen IX, Conrad II of Italy and Pope Nicholas II.
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Statue of David
Known as a symbol of Florence, the statue of David is highly revered by the citizens of Florence. Situated in the Galleria dell’Accademia, it is a sculpture of the renowned Italian artist Michelangelo created between 1501-1504. Made of marble, it is a 17 ft (5.18 m) long representation of David of the Bible. The statue of David has been well conserved over the years and have survived various wars and natural disasters.
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Boboli Gardens
The Boboli Gardens is a perfect place to escape life in the city of Florence. Located right behind the Pitti Palace, the gardens were laid out for Eleanora di Toledo by several renowned architects including Bartolomeo Ammanati and Niccolo Tribolo. The Boboli Gardens gets its name from “Bogoli” the name of the family that owned the land where the gardened is situated. In recent times the Gardens seems to play part of an outdoor museum, with several sculptures and beautiful fountains.
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Fort Belvedere
Built for the fortification of Florence, the fort Belvedere was constructed over a five-year period (1590-1595). Situated on the highest hill of the Boboli gardens it is the largest fortress in Florence. The fort is known as the site where Galileo Galilei carried out some of his astronomical observations.
