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see + do
Florence see + do
As the cradle of the Italian Renaissance, Florence is a never-ending cultural feast. One of the fascinating things about the city of Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Brunelleschi is the way the sacred and the secular coexist: For every art-packed church like Santa Croce or Santa Maria Novella, there's a proud monument to the city's ruling Medici dynasty (Palazzo Vecchio, the Uffizi Gallery) and its wealthy merchant and banking class (Orsanmichele, Palazzo Pitti). Obviously, you'll want to check out the iconic masterpieces like Michelangelo's David (at the Accademia) and Botticelli's Birth of Venus (at the Uffizi), but try to make time for less visited but equally worthwhile Florence museums like the Bargello or the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, as well as excursions to outlying sights like Fiesole or San Miniato al Monte. And although the art of the past is the main draw, don't forget that Florence hosts one of Italy's best classical music and opera festivals—the spring Maggio Musicale—and is ideally situated for touring the Chianti wine region. Note that museum tickets can be booked in advance for major Florence museums at the Firenze Musei Web site, www.firenzemusei.it. However, only the Galleria degli Uffizi and the Galleria dell'Accademia generally have the kind of lines that make advance booking advisable.
Opera buffs should try and catch a performance at Florence's municipal theater—also known as the Teatro Comunale—where the stagione lirica runs from...more
The best place to hear chamber music in Florence is this gorgeous historic theater done out in splendid red and gold. Inaugurated in 1656, it is an intimate...more
If you're suffering from Stendhal syndrome—otherwise known as art overload—a session at this new day spa, a five-minute walk from Piazza del Duomo,...more
This 12th-century church hides several treasures behind its rather bland facade. The Sassetti chapel is decorated with frescoes of the life of St. Francis by...more
The 13th-century Dominican church of Santa Maria Novella has a stunning black and white marble facade by Alberti. Inside, there is an extraordinary wealth of...more
The 13th-century Franciscan church of Santa Croce has a typical Florentine striped facade. The vast interior has an open timber roof and it houses many tombs of...more
Built in the 11th century, San Miniato is one of Tuscany's most beautiful Romanesque churches and the oldest still standing in Florence after the Baptistery. It...more
The Medicis' parish church stands on the site of one of the city's oldest places of worship. The present building was designed by Brunelleschi; work on it began...more
Crossing the Arno at its narrowest point, the 14th-century Ponte Vecchio is one of the most famous bridges in the world. Today it is lined on both sides with...more
At the heart of the buzzing, boho-chic Oltrarno district is this lovely shady square in the shadow of its parish church. This edifice was Brunelleschi's last...more
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