12 things to do and see in Florence, Italy.

There are so many things to do in Florence that one month is probably not enough to see it all. Therefore, it is better to focus on the truly must-see attractions: those, let it be clear, that “if you have not seen them you cannot say that you have visited the city”. At the same time, however, woe to lose the taste for discovery! There is an “unexpected” Florence that often ends up crushed by the fame of its many “postcards”. Be careful with children too. Being a city of art, a great open-air museum, Florence can be “tiring” for the little ones. Don’t worry though. There is no shortage of parks, open spaces and toy libraries dedicated to them in the city. Finally, a piece of advice: it is better to plan a stay of at least 72 hours for a first approach to the city. Above, in addition, we wrote that a month is not enough to see everything; let alone a day or two. There is a real risk of making exhausting tours with fleeting visits to museums and monuments that instead deserve to be seen calmly and carefully.

“If you haven’t seen this, you haven’t seen Florence.” This is the inscription that stands out on the home page of the Piazza del Duomo site. A large open-air museum that includes the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Brunelleschi’s Dome, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistery of San Giovanni, the Crypt of Santa Reparata and the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo. Each of these monuments deserves to be treated individually. Over time, however, the idea of turning the entire square into a single museum center that can be visited with a single ticket has prevailed. So don’t be surprised that we put Piazza del Duomo first. It really is the first thing to do in Florence, especially since the ticket allows a good margin of flexibility.

One of the most famous bridges in the world and certainly one of the most beautiful as well. Suffice it to say that it was the only one in the city to be spared from retreating German troops in 1944. After all, this is a bridge that has seen so many, always having to deal with the “whims” of the Arno. In truth not only with those of the river. The de’ Medicis also contributed their own: first, with Cosimo I, by promoting the construction of the “Vasarian Corridor” (the adjective refers to the architect Giorgio Vasari, an architect in the service of Cosimo I), an elevated pedestrian path that allowed go from Palazzo Vecchio, the political and administrative heart of the city, to Palazzo Pitti, the family home, bypassing the people and their “moods”. Then, at a later time, with Ferdinand I who arranged for the carniceros (butchers) who had had shops on the bridge for centuries to be removed, replacing them with goldsmiths and other non-“stinking” trades. History aside, the Ponte Vecchio is one of the most beautiful postcard views of Florence. According to most, wonderful at night due to the romantic atmosphere that pervades the entire area.

The historic residence of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany and the largest monumental green area in the city. Inside the building there are several exhibitions: the Palatine Gallery and the Royal Apartments; the Gallery of Modern Art; the Silver Museum; the Porcelain Gallery and the Costume Gallery. Finally, as we said, the Boboli Gardens which, due to the number of landscape views and architectural details, must be considered a true museum, the visit of which requires no less than three hours. In short, Palazzo Pitti is quite time consuming, but just like the other places described so far, if not more so, it is an essential stop on a Florence vacation. Open every day except the 1st and last Monday of the month, January 1st, May 1st and December 25th.

For more than seven hundred years, the Palazzo Vecchio has been the heart of Florence’s civil power. Today it still houses several municipal offices, including the mayor’s, while the remaining rooms are used as a museum. Museum included in the network of civic museums of the city and also visible in preview on Google Art Project. More than 100 high-resolution images representative of the entire museum itinerary. Among the chosen images are the paintings of the Salone dei Cinquecento, the maps of the Sala delle Carte, passing through the Chapel of the Duchess Eleonora di Toledo and the Sala delle Audienze. In short, a preparatory virtual tour of the real visit. Even from the outside alone, however, Palazzo Vecchio is worth a visit. In fact, we are facing one of the most admirable examples of civil architecture from the 14th century, crowned by the majestic Torre di Arnolfo that can be visited with a supplement together with the museum. A curiosity. In 2010 the archaeological excavation of the basement of the Palace was completed.