Florence Vacations

Overview

Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and the province of Florence. This city is also the most populous city in Tuscany. Florence lies on the banks of River Arno. It was the center of the Italian Renaissance and it was created by Julius Caesar in 59 B.C. This city was also called the Athens of the middle ages. Florence has hot, humid summers with warm, damp winters. Florence is known as the "Cradle of Renaissance," for its monuments, buildings, and churches.

Activities & Attractions

Florence has plenty of historic sites, parks, gardens, market places, architectural marvels, and religious places that you can visit.

The best known architectural site in the city is the domed cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore, which is also known as the Duomo. You can also visit the Campanile and the nearby Baptistery buildings. The dome, built 600 years ago, is still the largest dome built with mortar and brick in the world. The Historic Center of Florence was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO for its importance in cultural heritage. Visit the Bartolomeo Ammanati's Fountain of Neptune in the heart of the city. This masterpiece marble sculpture has a Roman aqueduct that is still functional. Another unique structure in the city is the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge.) A striking feature of this bridge is that there are plenty of shops built on it edges, which are held up by stilts.

The Uffizi Gallery is one of the largest museums in the world. Built in the mid-sixteenth century, this gallery houses some of the paintings of famous artists. You can see paintings of Cimabue, Giotto, Masaccio, Tintoretto, Leonardo, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Rubens, Rembrandt, Dürer, and Goya here. The History of Science Museum,Bargello (the National Museum), and Archeological Museum are some of the other prominent museums you can visit in Florence. If you want to visit the great churches in the city, then you can visit Basilica de Santa Croce, Basilica de San Lorenzo, Santa Maria Novella, and Orsanmichele.

Lodging

There are plenty of lodging options in Florence. Hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, rental apartments, and budget motels are available for your stay. Some popular hotels in the city include Florence Business Hotel, Hotel Balcony, Hotel David, Residence Michelangelo, and Palazzo Alfani.

Transportation

You can come to Florence by boat or train. Some of the fastest Euro trains travel to Florence. You can also travel by car, although you are not allowed to drive in the old part of Florence. You can see some of the most beautiful places in Florence when you travel by car. Frequent busses are available that take you to most places of interest in the city.