Florence

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The Mother of the Renaissance

Castle in Florence, Italy - Courtesy ENIT

For all Tuscany's splendor, when it comes to the treasures of the Italian Renaissance, Florence, or Firenze, is unrivaled. Tuscany is overrun with the most beautiful cities and towns, which all boast quaint medieval streets and striking architecture; but none is like Florence, a veritable art museum unto itself. In addition to its significant past, Florence today has one of the most thrilling and convivial cultures in Italy, giving it the perfect ambiance in which to relax, appreciate, learn, and savor.

See all of our Florence Hotels.

You can also view the location of our hotels on the map below.

Must Sees in Florence

Il Duomo (Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore): Florence's incomparable Cathedral. Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 1:30 to 4:45 p.m.
Baptistry: The most stunning in Italy with an incredible ceiling mosaic and bronze walls. Monday-Saturday noon to 7 p.m.; Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Duomo Museum: Featuring all of the art that historically inhabited the Duomo. Monday-Saturday 9a.m. to 7 p.m; Sunday 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Ponte Vecchio: Florence's most famous bridge in the diamond district spanning the Arno River.
Uffizi Gallery: world renowned museum featuring distinguished collections of the Renaissance masters. Tuesday to Sunday 8:15 a.m. to 7p.m.
See our Florence Day Tours

Map of Florence

Florence's allure has several facets. Many of us first decide to come to Florence to understand why it is so special, to see the majestic mosaic of the Last Judgment covering the Baptistery's ceiling, or to look out at the Ponte Vecchio while trying to catch an internal glimpse of what it must have looked like when Dante would have crossed it. Others among us are making the first of many pilgrimages to the Uffizi Gallery to gaze upon the masterful works that, until this point, only existed to us in a university textbook. Still more come to Florence to try its haute cuisine, to attempt to grasp the transcendental beauty created through the simple combination of a bistecca alla fiorentina paired with a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino. Some of us don't know how we even arrived in Florence, but are ever-so-slightly perceptive of having been drawn to it by its intense energy derived from an immortal past and compelling present. All of Florence's enthralling personalities await its visitors, who are all bound to realize that each one is a different shade of the singular enduring Florentine spirit.

Be sure to bring a map of Florence with you on your Florentine travels!

Shopping in Florence

Leathers
Jewelry (Ponte Vecchio)

See our Florence Day Tours

Florentine Cuisine

Crostini di fegato: lightly toasted bread topped with a tasty chicken liver paste.
Lasagna: exceptional in Florence.
Panzanella: typical bread and vegetable salad.
Tripa alla fiorentina: Tripe seasoned with spices and topped with grated cheese.
Bistecca alla fiorentina: Florence's famous steak dish featuring the tasty Chianina beef.
Chianti/Chianti Classico/Chianti Classico Riserva/Brunello, Rosso di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: excellent regional dry red wines.
Vernaccia di San Gimignano/Pinot Grigio: Regional dry white wines.