Pitti Palace (Palazzo Pitti), Florence

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... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: A must-see when in Italy.
Disadvantages: Other tourists know that, too.

...to three metres and destroying thousands of artefacts in the churches and museums as happened in the year 1966. When we’ve arrived at the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge), we can turn left and go to the Palazzo Pitti which also houses a fine museum of old and modern art including the furniture and knick-knack of the Pitti family, usually there are no queues waiting to get in. Stand in front of the Palazzo for a while and take in its size, here you can get a feeling for the wealth and power of a Renaissance family. It is the biggest Palazzo in Florence, but not the only one, there are many more in the city centre. Behind the Palazzo Pitti are the Giardini (gardens) Boboli, you have to pay to get in, but they’re certainly worth a visit if you’re tired and have to rest. There are no other parks in the city where you could sit... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Great location. Fabulous roof terrace views. Helpful staff.
Disadvantages: None

...Enjoy a fabulous location in Florence AND help to save work of art. The Pitti Palace Hotel is located at the foot of the Ponte Vecchio, a few minutes stroll from many of the top attractions in this most attractive city. Our twin room was not large but was clean, comfortable and had a tiny sundrenched balcony - the view was of streets and rooftops but in Florence even these are interesting. The best feature of this hotel is the roof terrace where you can enjoy a delicious breakfast looking across the city. The Arthotel group sponsors the restoration of works of art and guests can contribute to this too. When you visit the Uffizi Gallery you can bring your admission ticket to the hotel reception. The value of your ticket will be donated by the hotel to the restoration fund. The staff were very helpful, going beyond the call... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful