 |
The Draw
• The cradle of the Renaissance, with estimable art and architecture on every street
• Simple but sophisticated dining with outstanding ingredients
• Select shopping with a great fusion of well-known Florentine brands and local designers/artisans
The Scene
The Florentines have a reputation within Italy of being proud to the point of snobbish, and it's easy to see why. When your city is responsible for the Western world's acknowledged artistic peak, your native sons include Dante, Michelangelo and da Vinci and your everyday sights include architecture by Brunelleschi, you rank among the most culturally rich destinations on the planet. But all this deference to history doesn't mean that the city is frozen in the past; cutting-edge hotels and restaurants have come onto the scene in recent years, giving this vibrant Tuscan city on the Arno River an ever more contemporary edge.
To Be Seen
• The Duomo. The center of the city is dominated by Brunelleschi's famous pink, white and green marble dome. If you're feeling strong, climb to the top of the adjacent bell tower, designed by Giotto, for superlative views of the city. Then walk a few paces west to the Baptistry for a look at its elaborately carved bronze doors.
• Piazza della Signoria. For generations this square has been the gathering place for Florentines. It's dominated by the 13th-century Palazzo Vecchio, once the palace of Cosimo I and now the city hall. A copy of Michelangelo's statue David, (the real one is in the Galleria dell'Accademia in Piazza San Marco) and Ammannati's Neptune's Fountain are just two of the masterworks on this square. The adjacent Uffizi Gallery is filled with so many artistic treasures, including a salon dedicated exclusively to the work of Botticelli, that it is impossible to tour in a day.
• Santa Maria Novella. The Renaissance facade of this church is admired by many for its geometric harmony and green and white marble inlays. Inside, look for Masaccio's seminal painting, La Trinita -- thought to be the first work of art to display realistic perspective. Several blocks away, others worship on Via Tornabuoni, the most elegant shopping street in town, featuring every important name in Italian design.
• San Lorenzo. If Michelangelo thought he had a hard time with Pope Julius II over his fresco in the Sistine Chapel, the Medicis were even worse; that's the reason the Church of San Lorenzo has a rough, unfinished facade -- the family wouldn't approve his design. Inside, Brunelleschi had an easier time redoing the vast, vaulted interior. And Michelangelo did succeed in designing the soothing New Sacristy of the adjoining Medici Chapels. The rest of the chapels, which house the tombs of Florence's most important family, are worth seeing for their vulgar opulence, including walls of cut marble and semiprecious stones. The San Lorenzo area is also known for its outdoor market, where vendors hawk wallets, scarves and the like. The real gem is the Mercato Centrale, the adjacent indoor food market.
For The VIP
• Go where few can. Some of the most extraordinary palazzi (palaces) in Florence are almost never open to the public, but the right connections open doors. The London- and Italy-based company Lanza & Baucina (www.lanzabaucina.com) can arrange private dinners, cooking courses and wine tastings in incredible houses and private residences that you would never otherwise get to see.
• After-hours access. The crowds in Florence's museums can be staggering. But a private visit to those museums or churches can be arranged outside of regular admission hours. Inquire with your hotel concierge.
• Designer wheels. Italians worship fine cars. Rent a vintage Maserati and drive around the Tuscan countryside. The travel agency Enjoy Florence (www.enjoyflorence.com) can help.
Overrated
The Ponte Vecchio. This famous storefront-lined bridge used to be home to some of the city's highest quality jewelers. Today, the stalls are geared more to tourist trinkets. Best to look at it from another bridge -- Ponte alle Grazie or Ponte di Santa Trinità.
Underrated
Several museums inside Pitti Palace, including the Galleria Palatina, a painting gallery that is surpassed only by the Uffizi. Also the Palace's lavish private apartments of the Medici family and Boboli Gardens.
Don't Miss
A meal at a beloved local trattoria, such as Osteria de'Benci; hot chocolate and people watching at Rivoire in Piazza della Signoria or Gilli on the Piazza della Repubblica; gelato at Vivoli; a glass of wine overlooking the Arno River at the Sky Lounge of the Hotel Continentale.
When To Go
Autumn and early spring. Summer, especially August, is hot, muggy, buggy and filled with tourists.
Page 1 of 1
