Accommodations in Florence, Italy

FLORENCE: A TUSCAN TRAVELLER’S DELIGHT
Forgive us if we seem a little tongue-tied in describing Florence, but the truth is that the capital of Tuscany is such a spellbinding city that we find it difficult to know where to begin. Not only is Florence (Firenze to Italians) spectacularly beautiful, but it is also the cultural, artistic and architectural capital of Italy, as it has been since Renaissance times. Little wonder, then, that Florence remains a principal attraction for culture lovers from around the world – associated with such immortal names as Leonardo da Vinci, Dante Alighieri, Niccolo Machiavelli and Michelangelo Buonarroti.

Located in the centre of Tuscany, which is a beautiful province in it own right, Florence also houses the celebrated Duomo with the Brunelleschi cupola and the marble baptistery. As you wind your way along the quaint and narrow streets of the historic town centre (a UNESCO World Heritage site), and feast your eyes on the magnificent palaces, you will also be charmed by Florence's squares, with their typically Mediterranean atmosphere and relaxed ambience.

And how can you miss Florence’s outstanding churches, museums, and galleries? The Uffizi Galleries, one of the world’s most renowned art museums, will surely take up an entire day if you are serious about it. Then there is the Duomo, the Santo Spirito church and the Ponte Vecchio. In fact, there’s so much to see in Florence that we can’t possibly list it all, but here are some of the sights that you must see.

Apart from the Uffizi, the National Museum of the Bargello is one of Florence's most famous museums, housing splendid samples of Renaissance and Mannerist sculpture, including works by Michelangelo, Donatello, Bartolomeo Ammannati, Bartolomeo Bandinelli, Andrea and Jacopo Sansovino, and Antonio Rossellino. The Accademia is yet another storehouse of sculptures, among them Michelangelo’s immortal David and the unfinished Slaves.

Then there’s the Pitti Palace, the former home of the Medici family, the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, the Institute and Museum of the History of Science, housing the room of Galileo Galilei along with some of his original instruments, the American Cemetery, the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Ponte Vecchio (the only Florentine bridge to survive WW II), and the church of Santa Croce with the tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Dante.

We haven’t managed to get all the attractions of Florence on our list, so you need to see for yourself to find those out, but we have a far more comprehensive list of accommodation in Florence (www.yourwaytotuscany.com/Florence.htm) that we think will help you immensely. Whether you are looking for Florence hotels, exclusive luxury rental apartments, charmingly restored Florentine villas, or a simple bed & breakfast, we can tell you where to go.