Florence City Breaks, Florence Hotels and Florence Flights:

Florence is the cultural centre of Italy, and perhaps of the western world. Crammed with galleries, wonderful buildings and world-class art treasures, this unspoilt late-medieval city clearly demonstrates its importance in the cultural and political development of Europe. The architectural jewel of Florence has to be the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, know as the Duomo, a Gothic masterpiece. Its magnificent dome was built by Filippo Brunelleschi, and inside there are beautiful frescoes by some of Italy’s greatest artists. The Campanile tower [partly designed by Giotto] and the Baptistery buildings are also well worth a visit. The Baptistery started out as a Roman temple; its bronze doors were among the earliest large bronze castings in the Renaissance period. Both the dome and the tower are open to tourists and provide excellent views over the city rooftops.

At the heart of the city in Piazza della Signoria is the awe-inspiring Fountain of Neptune created by Bartolomeo Ammanati. This famous marble sculpture lies at the end of a Roman aqueduct, still in working order. A stroll around the city centre streets will reveal many Renaissance architectural masterpieces, including Brunelleschi’s Ospedale degli Santa Croce, Michelangelo’s work at San Lorenzo, and the Laurentian Library.

Renaissance Florence was dominated by the Medici, the most powerful family in the city from the 15th to the 18th century. They patronized many artists, and the city’s two major art galleries, the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace, were created for their art collections. The Uffizi was first opened to visitors in 1591, which makes it one of Europe’s first museums. Today it houses the greatest collection of Italian and Florentine art in the world. On the other side of the river is the Pitti Palace, which contains some of the Medici family’s private works, as well as a large number of Renaissance masterpieces, including several by Raphael and Titian, and a large collection of modern art. Next to the Palace are the lovely Boboli Gardens, displaying a whole host of interesting sculptures.

The Arno river passes through the centre of Florence, and by wandering along its banks, you can enjoy the unspoiled skyline of domes and towers. Be sure to see the Ponte Vecchio, with its built in houses and shops. Built in 1345, this is the only bridge in the city to survive World War II.

Location of Florence:
In the region of Tuscany, three-quarters of the way up the "boot" of Italy; inland, midway between the Ligurian and Adriatic seas. 50 miles east of Pisa. 3 miles southeast of Amerigo Vespucci airport.

Florence Temperature Chart :

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Temp °C	5	7	10	13	17	21	24	24	21	15	10	6

Average daily temperature °C

Serving Airports:
Florence Amerigo Vespucci [FLR]
Florence Galileo Galilei [PSA]
Flight time from UK: Approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes

Shopping in Florence:
Florence is the fashion capital of Italy with lots of upmarket boutiques and shoe shops in the shopping area stretching from the station to the cathedral. Expensive gold and jewellery shops surround Ponte Vecchio. Various markets, including San Lorenzo for local produce, some bargain souvenirs and quality leather goods; antique markets on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of every month. Gucci and Prada outlets a little outside the city.

Eating out in Florence:
A full range of restaurants and pizzerias to suit all budgets. Family-owned trattorias are popular and offer food typical of the region. Traditional fare is simple and rustic, with basic ingredients centring around white beans, polenta and the ubiquitous pasta. Regional specialities include grilled steak and baccala, a dish consisting of dried cod cooked with oil, garlic and pepper. Chianti is the local wine.

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Disclaimer:
By its very nature much of the information in our destination guides is subject to change at short notice and travellers are urged to verify information on which they are relying with the relevant authorities. Corona Holidays [UK] Limited cannot accept any responsibility for any loss or inconvenience to any person as a result of information contained above.

Florence

Florence City Breaks, Florence Hotels and Florence Flights:

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