THE 7 BEST THINGS TO DO AND SEE IN FLORENCE, ITALY

Motorcycle Journey

Let’s say you have one day in Florence? Do you know how to organize your day in Florence? Could you manage to see a lot of good attractions and not get overwhelmed?

Today I will tell you about the city known as the birthplace of the Renaissance, how to manage to see 7 attractions and stay relaxed at the same time.

I will show you Florence, which was the home of Michelangelo and Donatello, very talented and skilled artists. Again, Florence is famous for Catherine de Medici, French/Italian daughter to Lorenzo ll de Medici. She was recognized for being unforgivably ruthless and considered the most powerful woman in 16th century Europe.

What is close to my heart is that one of the greatest artists of all times, sculptor, architect, engineer, and genius, Leonardo da Vinci lived in this city for some time. This time I am taking you to Florence! I will show you the streets of Florence and the 7 attractions you shouldn’t miss.

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Drive to Florence (Verona – Florence -> 246.6 km )

The drive to Florence is unreal. Landscapes are such a beautiful sightseen for the eyes and the soul. Something like this should be experienced on a motorcycle to feel that warm wind and the smell of pine trees. Beautiful feels like I’m in a fairy tale. It did not last longer than 2.5 hours. I was hoping for some decent accommodation. I must admit that the rentals are not low-cost, also what I wanted was something in the Italian style. The room reminded me of a writer’s room, quite inspiring but straightforward: a simple, clean bed and a painting poster by the Austrian painter Gustav Klimt. Of course, the old building is the one that inspires. I was so thrilled.

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How to manage to see all attractions in one day

There are only a few rules that could help you see all these attractions in a day, to enjoy it fully and not to feel overwhelmed. Follow my list and have a good time.

• Night before book tickets you need in advance
• Make time frame for each attraction and see what would you like to see. (Google is perfect to find out info easuly)
• At tyhe same time leave some period of time for wandering
• Check working hours
• Get up early
• Take some healthy snacks and water, maybe electrolites in case its a middle of sumer and it is hot
• The order of attractions should be from the one that opens the earliest to the one that closes the latest
• Be positive 🙂

Walk through the city of renecance

I didn’t even notice the fatigue. I just wanted to walk the streets where Leonardo Da Vinci, the Medici family, and Michelangelo family members, walked. I have to admit that it was not on my mind at first to visit museums, galleries, and other sights. I just wanted to walk, dream and enjoy that fairy tale atmosphere.

In the meantime, I notice I have several days alone, without friends and family, and I do not mind, and I don’t feel alone. Sometimes I like to exchange thoughts with someone, but I also enjoy silence and daydreaming. I adore daydreaming, although I have never shared my dreams with others. Some came true even though they seemed unreal. Once, an unknown man told me to dream and fantasize as much as possible and be persistent in making those dreams come true. I think he was right.

The first day I walked so much that I couldn’t feel my legs anymore. From Piazza San Lorenzo, I passed Piazza Del Duomo and made a semicircle and passed Palazzo Gondi, Uffizi Gallery I to the Palazzo Vecchio.

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My impressions

My room was located in the center of Florence, which allowed me to visit the growing sights of the sand. When I came back from Italy, my boots and sneakers and shoes were for garbage.

Again, to return to some more interesting facts relating to Florence. I don’t know if you know, but Julius Caesar founded the city and turned it into a settlement of the Roman army. At that time, the architecture was more like a military camp than an ordinary city. Later, when Florence became a mighty municipality, large cathedrals began to be built. One of the cathedrals is known to have taken 140 years to make. I am amazed by that fact.

The monument, one of the most significant building in Florence, and the best thing to see is Duomo. Duomo is the most beautiful palace for me because of its colors and architecture. It considers it to be the third-largest in Europe. The other two more enormous cathedrals are St. Paul’s in London and St. Peter’s in the Vatican.

THE 7 BEST ATTRACTIONS TO SEE IN FLORENCE

1. Duomo – Cathedral of ‘Santa Maria del Fiore’

Visit both day and night, a magical building with phenomenal architecture. Santa Maria del Fiore, designed by Arnolfo di Cambio. it represents the third-largest church in the world (after St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Paul’s in London). Since it is finished in the 15th century, It is the largest church in Europe. 

Few main things to know:

• join a Florence Duomo Tour and get into special areas that are off limits to the average tourist.
• Since the 13th century myths and legends says there are secrets rooms as well as secrets symbols on the facade.
• Visiting stunning 16th century frescoes is must do on your list.

2. Uffizi Gallery

(book tickets, so you don’t have to wait in line for 2 hours in front of the museum)

Few main things to know:

• This was a private collection of the Medici family.
• The Uffizi contains one of the world’s most important collections of paintings. and sculptures.
• Here you can find three large Madonnas from around 1300, illustrating the debut of Tuscan art.
• Gentile da Fabriano’s Adoration of the Magi (1423) Ghotic style of painting, with lots of details.
• You can see the famous Portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Urbino by Piero della Francesca from around 1465.
• Even more popular, Botticelli’s most famous works, Birth of Venus and Primavera, both commissioned by a Medici, reflect this.
• Leonardo da Vinchi captures the atmosphere and show it in Adoration of the Magi (1481)

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3. Giotto’s Campanile

4. The Vecchio Bridge

It was the first bridge built for self-defense. It was built in 1345.

Few main things to know:

• The Ponte Vecchio existing from Roman times. The bridge was made of wood firstly, and than, after the flooding of the bridge in 1333, the Ponte Vecchio was rebuilt in stone in 1345.
• You must see the Corridoio Vasariano, Vasari’s secret corridor. It was designed to allow the Grand Dukes to move safely from their private abode of Pitti Palace to the Palazzo Vecchio.

5. Pitti Palace

(Renaissance palace was bought by the Medici family in 1549. It became the residence of the ruling families of Tuscany)

Must visit Pitti Palace in Florence:

• The Galleria Palatina pictures 
• The Italian Venus, which Napoleon commissioned from Antonio Canova in 1810.
• Sala di Apollo – 16th- and 17th-century works – Portrait of a Nobleman and Titian’s Maria Magdalena.
• The portraits Vision of Ezekiel and Madonna with Baldachin painted by Raphael.
• Royal Apartments
• Museo degli Argenti – rooms where Medicis spent the summer months.

6. Boboli Gardens

(Originally designed for the Medici family, one of the first gardens to serve as inspiration)

7. Piazza Della Signoria

Famous for Bartolomeo Amananti’s Fountain of Neptune and the Renaissance architecture of the surrounding palaces.

I was unable to see the Uffizi Gallery, very special and one of the best attractions to visit because I did not book a ticket in advance. The queue for tickets was 100 meters long, and there was a wait of about 2 hours. I didn’t want to wait that long because I would return to this beautiful city one day for sure. It looked magical on the outside, and I saw some shots from inside the museum, and I believe it is worth seeing. If you want to see the gallery and save some time, pre-book your ticket.

Arno river

I can visit each of these attractive places all the time because walking and enjoying the art, architecture, or the atmosphere that these buildings create is an irreplaceable experience and feeling that cannot be described in words. I greeted the sunset on the river Arno between the upper and lower part of the city. Very relaxing before the upcoming night wandering through the town, which is very popular in this city. The nightlife is much more developed than daily life, where people show themselves in the best light and hang out with friends.

Wandering the streets of Florence

I spent most of the time wandering the streets, visiting smaller cathedrals and galleries, narrow passages, small shops with handicrafts. I was tempted to sign up for a glass drawing workshop, but it lasted 3 days. I stayed in Florence for two and a half days, and I was more inspired by wandering the streets and old buildings. The only thing I really couldn’t do was find one of their local cafes to experience Florence the right way. I took a fast-food pizza for dinner and left to my cute, artistic room to do my ritual of nightdreaming.

Luckily I managed to visit almost all 7 attractions except the Uffizi gallery. I feel a powerful feeling of happiness and contentment!

A new day is waiting for me in Florence, full of activities & walks. I wanted to see museums and galleries. It’s a nice list, so I had to plan in time all visits to get to see all the attractions, although I wasn’t worried even if I failed in my mission. I’ll be back again one day.

Next time I’ll show you some breathtaking hidden places in Tuscany!

I hope that the text was a little helpful for you and inspired you at least a little. Write if you have any questions or some of your own opinion and vision of Florence. If you want to read the following blog feel free to sign up for the newsletter below. Also, you can follow me on Instagram (@miyaelsewhere), Facebook ( @miyaelsewhere ), and you can find some photos on Pinterest.