In two Florentine city squares, just a few hundred paces apart, visitors are drawn back to a time when political and religious powers were tied with one another, resulting in an explosion of cultural creativity that still resonates today. Piazza della Signoria and Piazza del Duomo are the heart of Medici Florence, brimming with extraordinary works of art and tracing in their architecture in the city's history from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.
Florence's unequaled blend of medieval and Renaissance elements can also be seen in any of the city's monuments. The church of Santa Croce, which reflects Florentine Gothic styes, houses frescoes by Giotto in the Capella Peruzi; the celebrated Crucific Annunciation; the tomb of Michelangelo; and Brunelleschi's Capella dei Pazzi, completed in 1461.Among these many beautiful sites to see, the following are a few of the most intriguing.
January is usually the coldest month for Florence, Italy, when the city experiences cold temperatures, cloudy skies, rainfall and snowfall. During this month, the average temperature for the city begins at 6.5°C. To check the current weather in Florence click here.
The Florence airport is 3 miles from the city; a shuttle bus runs every 30 minutes. Frequent train and bus services link Santa Maria Novella station in central Florence with Pisa International Airport. The city of Florence is best explored on foot. For more travel information visit the Travel page.
L'Albergotto, a small Renaissance palazzo, offers enchanting views over the city. Villa Liana is a 19th-century former British consulate furnished with antiques and set in a lovely garden.
Whether you dine at an exclusive restuarant or a humble osteria, it is impossible to be disappointed by Tuscan food. Elegant Enoteca Pinchiorri is known world wide for the quality of its food and has one of the finest wine cellars in Europe. For more information click here.
A visit to the interior of the Baptistry is a must and, if you face the 463 steps (which is highly recommended), climb up to the top of the cathedral dome to admire the views. Move on to Piazza della Signoria and wander among its many sculptures. For the most part these are copies, but the effect is spectacular.
The inside of the Piazza Del Duomo itself is where the different levels of spirit worlds are portrayed through vividly detailed paintings, the top level being the highest spiritual kingdom. Be prepared to see some explicit imagery of demons punishing those who have fallen. For more information click here.
You cannot say you have visited Florence without a cisit to the Uffizi, one of the most important art galleries in the world, housed in a 16th-century building. Spend the day exploring this cultural treasure-house.
The museam contains a rich amount of unique artworks and masterpieces conserved within its walls, the majority from the Renaissance period. For more information on the Uffizi Gallery