Italy through its cities
Every city has its own rhythm, its own streets and its own feeling of home.
Florence
Florence pairs its Renaissance legacy with a living tradition of craftsmanship. Beyond the galleries and celebrated façades, workshops, small squares and neighbourhood streets continue on both sides of the Arno. Art here reaches well beyond museum walls.
Places to start with
Santa Maria del Fiore
The cathedral is recognised by its marble cladding and Brunelleschi's dome. Its architecture spans several periods; remains of an earlier basilica lie beneath it.
Uffizi Gallery
The collection moves from medieval painting through the Renaissance and beyond. Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo and Caravaggio appear alongside ancient sculpture.
Piazza della Signoria
Palazzo Vecchio, Neptune's fountain and the Loggia dei Lanzi sculptures connect Florence's political and artistic history. The David outside the palace is a copy.
Ponte Vecchio
The historic Arno bridge retains its rows of jewellers. Their presence follows a Medici decision to replace earlier trades with goldsmiths and silversmiths.
Oltrarno: a city of makers
Cross to the Arno's left bank and explore Santo Spirito and San Frediano. Goldsmiths, bookbinders, leatherworkers and woodworkers carry on their crafts here. A walk past the workshops reveals a more intimate Florence alongside its palaces.
Explore beyond the city
Based on information from Italia.it. Check visiting arrangements on each attraction's own website.