... Today's Ponte Vecchio was built in 1345 by Taddeo Gaddi (not single-handedly, I assume) and replaced an earlier one which, you've guessed it, was destroyed by a flood.
Many enterprising souls quickly set up business on the bridge to cash in on the passing trade. These businesses consisted, ... Read review
Not only is this hotel excellently located right by the Ponte Vecchio, but it also has a ... more
panoramic roof terrace for a relaxing meal or drink whilst admiring the beautiful Florence skyline.Set in the Torre Rossi, a tower dating back to 1200, the hotel is in one of the most picturesque areas of medieval Florence, just 100 metres from the Pitti Palace and Uffizi Galleries. The hotel's atmosphere and service are also typical of traditional Florentine hospitality.Start your day in style with a relaxing breakfast surrounded by the impressive views from the restaurant terrace, set on the 6th floor. You can also enjoy a romantic evening meal there when you return to the hotel.The bright guest rooms all have large windows. For an extra special stay, the 7th-floor suite has a private terrace with a stunning view over the city.
Information: :Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
Location. The historic Vivahotels Pitti Palace Ponte Vecchio is located in Florence, ... more
Italy, two blocks from the Pitti Palace and four blocks from the Uffizi Gallery. Florence Vespucci Airport is 10 kilometres away. Hotel Features. Vivahotels Pitti Palace Ponte Vecchio is housed in the 13th century tower, Torre dei Rossi, originally thought to have been part of a cluster of dwellings. Today, it is located on the corner of two busy streets, surrounded by shops and cafés, and just steps from Ponte Vecchio. Inside, regular exhibitions of local artwork are held in the hotel's mezzanine gallery. Two roof terraces boast views across Florence. Vivahotels Pitti Palace Ponte Vecchio offers guests a complimentary continental breakfast. Located on the fifth floor, the breakfast room has floor to ceiling windows facing the city. In the evening it doubles as a bar. There is also a lounge in the basement. The hotel has one meeting room. Internet access is available in public areas (surcharge) and there is a faxservice. Staff at the 24 hour front desk can help with booking tours, museums, theatre and concert tickets. Guestrooms. The 73 soundproofed guestrooms are decorated in bright reds and yellows with contemporary furnishings and double glazed windows. Rooms have air conditioning, satellite televisions, minibars and tiled bathrooms with bath/shower combinations. Expert Tip. The north side of the river is a good place to shop for locally produced handmade marbled paper. Please Note: The hotel's elevator system will be undergoing maintenance from 15th February to 20th April. As a result, the elevator will not be available at all during this period; access to the breakfast room will be by stairs only. Please contact the hotel directly on +39 55 23 98 711 for further information.
Information: :Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
Location. The historic Vivahotels Pitti Palace Ponte Vecchio is located in Florence, ... more
Italy, two blocks from the Pitti Palace and four blocks from the Uffizi Gallery. Florence Vespucci Airport is 10 kilometres away. Hotel Features. Vivahotels Pitti Palace Ponte Vecchio is housed in the 13th century tower, Torredei Rossi, originally thought to have been part of a cluster of dwellings. Today, it is located on the corner of two busy streets, surrounded by shops and cafés, and just steps from Ponte Vecchio. Inside, regular exhibitions of local artwork are held in the hotel's mezzanine gallery. Two roof terraces boast views across Florence. Vivahotels Pitti Palace Ponte Vecchio offers guests a complimentary continental breakfast. Located on the fifth floor, the breakfast room has floor to ceiling windows facing the city. In the evening it doubles as a bar. There is also a lounge in the basement. The hotel has one meeting room. Internet access is available in public areas (surcharge) and there is a fax service. Staff at the 24 hour front desk can help with booking tours, museums, theatre and concert tickets. Guestrooms. The 73 soundproofed guestrooms are decorated in bright reds and yellows with contemporary furnishings and double glazed windows. Rooms have air conditioning, satellite televisions, minibars and tiled bathrooms with bath/shower combinations. Expert Tip. The north side of the river is a good place to shop for locally produced handmade marbled paper. Please Note: The hotel's elevator system will be undergoing maintenance from 15th February to 20th April. As a result, the elevator will not be available at all during this period; access to the breakfast room will be by stairs only. Please contact the hotel directly on +39 55 23 98 711 for further information.
Information: :Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
Location. The Ponte Vecchio Suites&Spa is located in Florence, Italy, 50 metres from the ... more
Ponte Vecchio. The Uffizi Gallery is 250 metres away, the Pitti Palace is 300 metres away, and the Duomo is at a 600 metre distance. Santa Maria Novella Train Station is one kilometre away, and Florence Airport is four kilometres from the hotel. Hotel Features. The Ponte Vecchio Suites&Spa is spread over two buildings set in the city centre. The primary location is the modern boutique style property, housing the deluxe and deluxe junior suites and a basement spa which offers a range of beauty treatments, and a steam room and sauna. The classic and deluxe studio suites are housed in the 14th century Palazzo Canigiani. Services available include a multilingual concierge who can to provide sightseeing advice, make personal training appointments and organise excursions into the surrounding countryside. Further amenities include dry cleaning and laundry facilities. Apartments. The 10 apartmen ts are equipped with kitchens, and have either contemporary or traditional decor. Amenities include LCD televisions with satellite channels, hair dryers, wireless Internet, air conditioning, desks, and minibars.
Information: :Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
Location. The Ponte Vecchio Suites&Spa is located in Florence, Italy, 50 metres from the ... more
Ponte Vecchio. The Uffizi Gallery is 250 metres away, the Pitti Palace is 300 metres away, and the Duomo is at a 600 metre distance. Santa Maria Novella Train Station is one kilometre away, and Florence Airport is four kilometres from the hotel. Hotel Features. The Ponte Vecchio Suites&Spa is spread over two buildings set in the city centre. The primary location is the modern boutique style property, housing the deluxe and deluxe junior suites and a basement spa which offers a range of beauty treatments, and a steam room and sauna. The classic and deluxe studio suites are housed in the 14th century Palazzo Canigiani. Services available include a multilingual concierge who can to provide sightseeing advice, make personal training appointments and organise excursions into the surrounding countryside. Further amenities include dry cleaning and laundry facilities. Apartments. The 10 apartmen ts are equipped with kitchens, and have either contemporary or traditional decor. Amenities include LCD televisions with satellite channels, hair dryers, wireless Internet, air conditioning, desks, and minibars.
Information: :Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
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Although it's thought that there's been a crossing here since Etruscan times, the bridge that spans the river today is far more recent...relatively speaking. Today's Ponte Vecchio was built in 1345 by Taddeo Gaddi (not single-handedly, I assume) and replaced an earlier one which, you've guessed it, was destroyed by a flood.
Many enterprising souls quickly set up business on ... ...literally.
The Ponte Vecchio is not only the oldest bridge in Florence, it's also the only bridge that predates WW2. In 1944, the retreating nazis were ordered to destroy all the bridges over the Arno to try and halt the advancing allies, but those orders were disobeyed, and the bridge remained.
However, where some far-sighted nazi officer showed compassion, Mother Nature wasn't so accommodating. During the flood of 1966, all ... more
Florence is awash with art treasures, teeming with stunning architecture and flooded with pretentious shops, but it isn't always that way. Oh no. Sometimes it's awash with teeming floods. The River Arno, which dissects the city, has been known to flush away everything in its path. Not the PONTE VECCHIO though.
Although it's thought that there's been a crossing here since Etruscan times, the bridge that spans the river today is far more recent...relatively speaking. Today's Ponte Vecchio was built in 1345 by Taddeo Gaddi (not single-handedly, I assume) and replaced an earlier one which, you've guessed it, was destroyed by a flood.
Many enterprising souls quickly set up business on the bridge to cash in on the passing trade. These businesses consisted, for the most part of blacksmiths, butchers and tanners - to say it wasn't the most fragrant of strolls would be putting it mildly. All that changed in the 16th century when Cosimo I de Medici set up home in the Palazzo Pitti.
Although a 'secret' passageway (the Corridorio Vasariano - an elevated walkway between the Palazzo Pitti and the Uffizi) had been constructed above the shops allowing the Medici toffs to cross the bridge without rubbing shoulders with the mere plebs, it didn't stem the flow of 'interesting' aromas that permeated from below. Being of a discerning nature, and holder of virtually absolute power, he swiftly evicted the more odious occupants (that'd be all of them), and moved in a more refined clientele...especially those concerned with refined precious metals. To this day, the shops on the bridge consist almost entirely of goldsmiths and jewellers, with just a couple of souvenir shops thrown in...not literally.
The Ponte Vecchio is not only the oldest bridge in Florence, it's also the only bridge that predates WW2. In 1944, the retreating nazis were ordered to destroy all the bridges over the Arno to try and halt the advancing allies, but those orders were disobeyed, and the bridge remained. However, where some far-sighted nazi officer showed compassion, Mother Nature wasn't so accommodating. During the flood of 1966, all the shops on the bridge were deluged and completely wrecked, although the bridge itself survived and is still going strong.
So, suitably encouraged as to its state of repair and apparent indestructiblity, we made our way gingerly to this historic bridge.
Some of the best views of the bridge are, not surprisingly, from other bridges where you can get a complete and unimpeded panorama of this impressive structure. We crossed the river on the Ponte alle Grazie and, dodging traffic, took quite a few photos before heading up to the bridge proper.
You'd be forgiven for thinking that a stroll across an old bridge with a few shops on it wasn't the most exciting thing in the world, and you'd be right. Although it was good! The shops are more like medieval 'luckenbooths' really, with nothing more than a tiny trading space behing a large window. The shops all had their little offices at the back overlooking the river - I can think of worse places to while away the working day! I'm not sure, but I think there are around 40 or so of them lining both sides, with a small, open square in the middle.
With almost all the shops being goldsmiths and/or jewellers, the lane seems to shimmer and glitter with the reflected splendour of the various wares. And what a selection! I was expecting a great deal of repetition among the goods on offer thinking that perhaps 40 such similar shops side-by-side might lead to a mind-numbing duplication. I was wrong. Somehow or other, it was possible to look in almost all the shops and see something different in each one. Obviously, there is still a fair bit of repetition, but I was struck by just how many different articles of jewellery could be fashioned from gold - some of it exquisitely ornate and beautiful, some of it garish and gaudy, all of it yellow and unfeasibly shiny.
If gold's not your thing, there are lots of 'trinkets' to be had as well. Semi-precious and precious stones, objet d'art, and a myriad other little things...with not-so-little price tags. To be fair, most of the merchandise on display wasn't prohibitively expensive, but it's not bargain-basement cheap either. Noticing the twinkle in Mrs P's eye, I was tempted to splurge and treat her to something tasty, so I did. She really enjoyed her ice-cream.
There's not really a lot more that can be said about this, one of Florence's best-known landmarks, so I won't.
Advantages: Lots to see and do Disadvantages: Not enough time there
the Younger in the 1770’s and comprises a sweep of 30 houses fronted by 114 massive Ionic columns. No 1 is now a World Heritage Building and has been restored and furnished in late 18th century style with the ‘lived in ‘ feeling of sewing put down and letters left unfinished. There is background music of the period and a kitchen museum of brass and pewter in the basement.
The Pultney Bridge over the River Avon was designed by Robert Adam in 1771 and named after William Pultney, the first Earl of Bath It is lined with shops having been inspired by the famous PonteVecchio in Florence. The view of the weir just downstream of the bridge is breathtaking.
Sally Lunn’s house is the oldest house in Bath dating from 1482. The famous buns are still produced here to sally Lunn’s original 1680’s recipe. In the cellar ...
SusanLesley 11.05.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Bath (England)
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 PonteVecchio. This glorious bridge was the only one spared by the German attacks in the second World ...
Enjoy a fabulous location in Florence AND help to save work of art. The Pitti Palace Hotel is located at the foot of the PonteVecchio, 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 ...
