Sightseeing in Florence
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Florence or Firenze in Italian is a charming town tucked away in Tuscany, which is one of the nicest regions to visit in Italy. The city is well known for its art and architecture and in medieval times it was an important center for trade and finance. It also was one of the wealthiest cities in the world which has resulted largely in the city as we see it today. Every summer the town gets literally flooded with tourists to experience some of the best culture that Italy has to offer.
Because of its important role in history Florence is home to some of the best architecture and museums such as the Pitti Palace and the Uffizi. During high season expect some long queues here but they are worth it. Another famous landmarks of Florence is the Duomo which has been build using a unique architectural design. The church itself can be entered for free, but climbing the dome or the bell tower requires a ticket. On the main square the Neptune fountain is located, but also other monuments can be found. Other sights within the city include the Loggia del Lanzi and Ponte Santa Trinita.
If you get to the high grounds and walk to Piazzale Michaelangelo, it is possible to see the classic view of the rooftops of Florence with its bridges crossing the river Fiume Arno and the cathedral rising above the city. This is actually one of the highlights of the city.
The last landmark which is not to be missed is the Ponte Vecchio. This is a bridge which has several smaller buildings on top of it. The best view is not from the bridge itself, but from the nearby waterfront where you can see how Ponte Vecchio blends in with the surroundings buildings and the river.
The city is fairly compact and mostly pedestrianized and is nice to walk around. This city is a gem when it comes to its history. It is worthwhile to sometimes escape the crowds and explore the smaller streets as you could be happily surprised. Florence has a reputation as being one the must see cities in Italy which is for a good reason.
Italy is filled with attractive smaller towns so finding a day trip from Florence is not a hard task. One attractive town to visit is Barga which has a older city center than most other places and has a unique charm to it. Still, the most obvious place to go to is Pisa and take a picture where you are holding up the leaning tower with your hand. The last place to recommend is Lucca which is roughly 90 minutes away and has a city center which is just as pretty, but considerably less visited.
The best time to visit Florence is somewhere between March and October. Outside of these months it can get very cold. The summer months are notoriously busy with tourists, so early or late in the season is a better choice to avoid the crowds. The only way of getting around the center is really by foot, but the distances between places is short and there is more than enough to see when walking from one place to another. |
Florence travel photo gallery
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Ponte Vecchio.
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Ponte Vecchio crossing the Fiume Arno.
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The Italy photo galleries
that are available:
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Bridges over the river Fiume Arno.
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La Fondiaria Assicunazioni.
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Baptistery in front of the Duomo.
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Buildings on the riverfront.
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Santa Maria Novella Church.
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The historical city center.
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Old building in the historical city center.
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The red and white colored Duomo.
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The outer walls of the Duomo.
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The entrance to the Duomo.
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Galleria Degli Uffizi.
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Loggia del Lanzi in Piazza del
Signoria.
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Neptune fountain on Piazza del
Signoria.
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Statue of the grand duke of Tuscany on
the Piazza della Santissima.
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Internet site with travel information about Florence
Suggested photo albums on Mad Planet Earth
Last update: 04/09/2013
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