Boasting incomparable views of the Duomo and Brunelleschi's Dome, this palace is the ideal ... more
base for those who have dreamed of living in the city of Dante, Michelangelo or Machiavelli.Walk out of the front door and into the heart of the city, famed for ...
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Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
Advantages: Beauty. History, Culture. Good food and wine Disadvantages: Expensive. Crowded with tourists.
of Florence's remarkable past.
Built towards the end of the 13th century the Piazza Della Signoria has long been the civic center of Florentine life and is a place of great beauty and elegance. The square is dominated by the Palazzo Vecchio a 14th palace, once the home of the Medici, but in May and June soccer matches with the players in medieval costimes are held. On long sultry summer evenings the square attracts the young Florentines as well as a host of tourists.
Henry James in referring to Florence wrote "... One is dealing with a solemn brilliance - a harmony of acute tones - that I am not capable of describing." From the Piazzale Michelangelo, you get a superb panoramic view of the great Renaissance city and realize how hard it is to describe the brilliance of Florence, just like Henry James.
The best way to explore this perfectly ...
Advantages: Must-go Italian city Disadvantages: No
In my last trip to Italy, I stayed in Florence for one and a half day. Let me share with you my fantastic experience of Florence.
Florence is the cultural capital in the medieval time, and the key player in the Renaissance movement. A small city it seems, but the home of some of the most famous people in history-Michaelanglo, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo etc, just to name a few.
Again with narrow streets and allys, our first stop was a demonstration of leather. Italian/Florentine leather is world famous and shops selling leather cloths and accessories are everywhere. Obviously, I didn't leave without getting some goods myself. After that, we had a walking tour with a local guide.
Best known of all Florence's treasures is the Ponte Vecchio. This glorious bridge was the only one spared by the German attacks in the second World ...
Advantages: More art than you can wave a brush at Disadvantages: The crowds...oh, and the crowds
I had read so many guidebooks, online guides and reviews about Florence, that I wasn't sure I actually needed to visit in person. However, since we were in Tuscany anyway, and the hotel we were staying in was a mere 40km distant, I though it would be somewhat amiss not to see the city and all its glories.
Florence is a dream destination for art-lovers - some of the planet's most famous works of art jostle for position in some of the greatest galleries of the world. I'd like to tell you a bit about some of these treasures, but I'm not going to.
Not because I don't want to, but because I can't. I didn't see any!
I'm afraid I wasn't willing to queue in blazing sunshine and temperatures in the mid-30's just to see some old paintings. Call me uncouth and uncultured if you will, just don't call me at 3am!
So, if you're looking ...
