Continuing on from our last post, we are still following along Google's automatically generated itinerary for a day in Florence. Having just crossed the Ponte alle Grazie, a quieter bridge over the Arno, just a stone's throw from the busier and more famous Ponte Vecchio, we were on our way to the next attraction…
4. Santa Croce (Travel: Less than 5 minutes by foot. Approx. time to spend here: 1 hour)
This stunning Gothic church is a lovely polychromatic 13th century Franciscan basilica that is the final resting place of the likes of Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli among others. Packed to the rafters with incredible frescoes, stained glass, sculptures and other objets d'art, there is plenty to see and do. In fact, there is too much to take it all in entirely in a single visit but the experience of stepping inside this jewel box of culture and history is worth the minor sensory overload.
4. Santa Croce (Travel: Less than 5 minutes by foot. Approx. time to spend here: 1 hour)
This stunning Gothic church is a lovely polychromatic 13th century Franciscan basilica that is the final resting place of the likes of Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli among others. Packed to the rafters with incredible frescoes, stained glass, sculptures and other objets d'art, there is plenty to see and do. In fact, there is too much to take it all in entirely in a single visit but the experience of stepping inside this jewel box of culture and history is worth the minor sensory overload.
5. Uffizi Gallery (Travel: 5 minutes by foot. Approx. time to spend here: 2 hours)
The Uffizi Gallery, or Galleria degli Uffizi, is a gallery in the Piazza della Signoria and is one of the oldest and most famous art museums in the world. Originally begun under Vasari for Cosimo I de' Medici in 1560, it was once an office building that became overrun by artworks until this became the primary purpose and it was eventually opened to the public.
It is home to artworks by the likes of Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Cimabue, Botticelli, Giotto, Van der Weyden, Durer, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Artemisia Gentileschi and Rembrandt as well as the work of scientists like Galileo and writers such as the great Dante Alighieri.
It is the must-see art museum of the city and, we have to agree, if you only have one day in the city, make sure to set aside time for it.
The Uffizi Gallery, or Galleria degli Uffizi, is a gallery in the Piazza della Signoria and is one of the oldest and most famous art museums in the world. Originally begun under Vasari for Cosimo I de' Medici in 1560, it was once an office building that became overrun by artworks until this became the primary purpose and it was eventually opened to the public.
It is home to artworks by the likes of Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Cimabue, Botticelli, Giotto, Van der Weyden, Durer, Raphael, Titian, Caravaggio, Artemisia Gentileschi and Rembrandt as well as the work of scientists like Galileo and writers such as the great Dante Alighieri.
It is the must-see art museum of the city and, we have to agree, if you only have one day in the city, make sure to set aside time for it.
6. Piazza della Signoria (Travel: Less than 5 minutes by foot. Approx. time to spend here: 45 minutes)
The Piazza della Signoria is the city's main square and is located in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall, which was originally called the Palazzo della Signoria. It is a focal point of the historical area of Florence and is where you will find the Palazzo Vecchio and the Loggia del Lanzi, an open-air structure that contains important examples of ancient and Renaissance sculptures such as Cellini's marble statue of Perseus and Giambologna's “Rape of the Sabine Women”. This is essentially a never-closing, free, open-air museum – a great attraction to add to an itinerary.
Just find a luxury villa in Florence and begin ticking off Google's list of must-see attractions for yourself and be sure to read on to the last post in this series with their final picks.
The Piazza della Signoria is the city's main square and is located in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, the town hall, which was originally called the Palazzo della Signoria. It is a focal point of the historical area of Florence and is where you will find the Palazzo Vecchio and the Loggia del Lanzi, an open-air structure that contains important examples of ancient and Renaissance sculptures such as Cellini's marble statue of Perseus and Giambologna's “Rape of the Sabine Women”. This is essentially a never-closing, free, open-air museum – a great attraction to add to an itinerary.
Just find a luxury villa in Florence and begin ticking off Google's list of must-see attractions for yourself and be sure to read on to the last post in this series with their final picks.
