< Exploring Florence and Central Italy
Florence
Florence was created in a whirlwind of artistic energy that still makes itself felt more than 500 years later. But it is no museum-piece: street performers entertain the crowds and scrumptious ice cream is always near at hand. The city is sliced through by the River Arno, its north bank packed with art and architectural highlights, while to the south lies more lived-in Oltrarno, with the medieval Ponte Vecchio linking the two.
The spectacular red-tiled dome of Florence’s Duomo rising above the rooftops
Florence as an Art City
Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia
Florence’s reputation as an art city is unparalleled. Its galleries have fine medieval works, but the city’s artistic revolution came with the Renaissance, inspired by the forms and subject matter of Classical art. Renaissance artists studied anatomy to breathe life into their works and used mathematical principles to introduce perspective into their painting, and the great artists imbued their works, both sacred and secular, with psychological insight.
Bargello
There is more than one David in town: Donatello’s bronze version, looking rather camp with hand on hip, reintroduced the nude to Western sculpture. It is housed in the Bargello, built as the town hall in 1255 and converted into a sculpture gallery in the 19th century. Other treasures here include a panel made by Brunelleschi for the competition to sculpt the Baptistry doors, and sculptures such as Verrocchio’s delicate Lady with a Posy and Giambologna’s fleet-footed Mercury.
Sculpture-packed courtyard of the Bargello
Cappella Brancacci
Located in the church of Santa Maria del Carmine in Oltrarno, the Cappella Brancacci is famous for the pioneering Life of St Peter frescoes, started by Masolino in 1425, but mainly painted by his great pupil Masaccio. Masaccio died at the age of 27 before the chapel was finished – according to legend he was poisoned by an envious rival – so it was completed by Filippino Lippi. While Masolino’s work is elegant and decorative, Masaccio’s shocks with its emotional and social realism – Adam and Eve are depicted in anguish and shame, and the sick supplicants to St Peter are shown in starkly realistic, uncompromising poverty.
Michelangelo
One of the ultimate Renaissance men, Michelangelo left a great legacy to Florence in the form of architecture, sculpture, painting and even poetry. His most iconic work is the towering statue of David in the Accademia. He also created the magnificent tombs of the Medici Chapel in the church of San Lorenzo; painted the highly charged and coloured Doni Tondo which hangs in the Uffizi.
Santa Croce, the resting place of Michelangelo
Palaces
The Palazzo Pitti was the mighty home of the Medicis, and features a vast array of treasures: there are paintings by Raphael, frescoes by Pietro da Cortona, a glittering museum of silverware, a carriage museum and a gallery of modern art. The Palazzo Medici Riccardi, home to the family for 1,000 years from 1444, showcases Benozzo Gozzoli’s absorbing and colourful Procession of the Magi, with plenty of lively detail to interest observant kids.
San Marco
The Dominican church and convent of San Marco once housed the infamous preacher Savonarola, who ordered heretical books to be burned in a Bonfire of the Vanities. It was also home to Fra Angelico, whose delicate frescoes make this an unmissable stop for art lovers. Look out for his tender Deposition, a still Annunciation set in an arcaded loggia, the subdued scene of Mary Magdalene and St John mourning Christ at his tomb, and the powerful Crucifixion.
Santa Croce
Behind the elaborate façade of Santa Croce are some of the city’s best-known early artworks: lustrous frescoes painted by Giotto in the early 14th century: look out for the angel stigmatizing a startled St Francis. Also look for the tomb of Michelangelo, designed by artist and biographer Vasari; a fragile 13th-century crucifix by Cimabue; and a mesmerisingly realistic crucifix and Annunciation by Donatello.
Santa Maria Novella
In a city renowned for remarkable artworks, Masaccio’s Trinità in Santa Maria Novella is still arresting in its impact, showcasing the artist’s mastery of perspective. The venerable church also features beautiful fresco cycles by Ghirlandaio and Filippino Lippi.
The Uffizi
Vasari designed the Uffizi, which the Medicis adapted in the 1580s to display their magnificent art collection. There are enough masterpieces here to last a week, so tailor the visit in advance. Highlights include Botticelli’s resplendent Birth of Venus and Primavera; Piero della Francesca’s uncompromising portrait of Federico da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza; Giotto’s Ognissanti Madonna; Raphael’s Madonna of the Goldfinch; and Fra Filippo Lippi’s Madonna and Child.
< Florence
Duomo, Baptistry and Around
Frescoes inside Brunelleschi’s cupola by Giorgio Vasari, one of the many Renaissance painters and sculptors who collaborated on the Duomo
The Duomo (cathedral) is in the heart of Florence, and is easy to locate – just look for the high terracotta dome that dominates the city’s roofscape. The area around the Duomo is pedestrianized and usually crammed with visitors. The easiest way to get around this area, with its flat streets and wide pavements, is on foot. There are a few cafés and ice-cream parlours in and around the square, handy for a rest from sightseeing.
View of Florence, with the enormous dome of the Duomo dominating the skyline
< Florence
1. Duomo and Baptistry
The patterned cathedral with the giant dome
Detail from the Baptistry doors
Florence’s Duomo is unmissable: the huge pink, white and green marble cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore with the big orange dome can hold 20,000 people. One of the great early Renaissance buildings, its foundation stone was laid in 1296, but the Neo-Gothic patterned marble façade was not completed until 1887; it was inspired by the pretty decoration of Giotto’s tall Campanile alongside. The octagonal building nearby is the Baptistry, where Florentines were once baptized.
Key Features
1. Cupola interior Frescoes of the Last Judgment by Vasari.
2. Entrance to crypt
3. South doors
4. Baptistry ceiling Dazzling 13th-century gold mosaics illustrating the Last Judgment cover the ceiling.
5. Campanile The bell tower (1339) has terracotta panels by Andrea Pisano depicting Bible scenes.
6. The dome Brunelleschi built the impressive cathedral dome (1418–36), at the time the biggest in the world, without scaffolding.
• Crypt The crypt hides the remains of the original 4th-century church of Santa Reparata.
• Portrait of Dante On the Duomo’s north wall, this picture of the poet Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) by Domenico di Michelino shows iconic buildings of mid-15th century Florence. Can you spot the Duomo?
• East doors, Baptistry In 1401, Lorenzo Ghiberti won a competition to design the north Baptistry doors. In 1425–52 he designed the east doors; Michelangelo called them the “Gates of Paradise”.
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Campanile Middle East doors, Baptistry Right Portrait of Dante, Domenico di Michelino
Kids’ Corner
Duomo Q&A
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What stone was used for the Duomo’s pink, white and green patterned exterior?
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How was it decided who would design the bronze doors of the Baptistry?
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What did Michelangelo call Ghiberti’s second set of doors?
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How many steps are there to the top of the Campanile, next to the Duomo?
Big domes
The dome of Florence’s Duomo was the biggest in the world on its completion in 1436, surpassing the Pantheon in Rome. It is still the world’s largest brick and mortar dome.
Bean counters in the Baptistry
Until the 19th century all Catholic children in Florence were baptized in the Baptistry on the same day of the year, 25 March. The poet Dante was among those dunked in the octagonal font. The number of baptized children was counted by placing a black bean in an urn for a boy, and a white bean for a girl.
Ingenious solution
When Brunelleschi designed the dome of the Duomo, nothing like it had ever been built before. In fact, it consists of two domes: the outer dome with the terracotta roof and an inner dome. Between the domes are narrow staircases you can climb to the top of the outer dome.
< Florence
2. Santa Maria Novella
Putting art in perspective
Piazza Santa Maria Novella, a grassy square that used to be a venue for chariot-racing
Built by Dominican monks between 1279 and 1357, Santa Maria Novella is more than just a pretty façade; inside are some landmark works of art. The lower part of the façade is Romanesque, and was incorporated into one based on Classical proportions by pioneering architect Leon Battista Alberti in 1456–70 – an oddly harmonious combination. On entering, visitors see a fresco of Jesus on the Cross, God the Father behind him and the dove of the Holy Spirit hovering between, all in a trompe l’oeil vaulted chapel in the form of a Classical triumphal arch. This is Masaccio’s Trinità (1425–6). Its illusion of space and depth was one of the triumphs of Renaissance perspective: Florentines were so amazed when it was unveiled in 1427 that they queued up to see it.
There are plenty more artworks to see. Busy dogs round up lost sheep in frescoes in the Spanish Chapel (off the cloister), symbolizing the Dominican monks’ quest for lost souls. Filippino Lippi painted a bizarre fresco of St Philip exorcizing a dragon-demon (1502) in the Filippo Strozzi Chapel (in the right transept). Domenico Bigordi, better known as “Ghirlandaio”, painted the frescoes of the Life of St John (1485) in the Tornabuoni Chapel (behind the altar), which are peopled with Florentine aristocrats in the fashionable dress of the day.
Kids’ Corner
Do you know…
1. Which three figures make up the Trinity in Masaccio’s painting in Santa Maria Novella?
2. What do the sheep symbolize in the frescoes of the church’s Spanish Chapel?
3. Which saint is shown slaying a dragon in its Strozzi Chapel?
4. What were the obelisks on tortoises used for in Piazza Santa Maria Novella?
< Florence
3. San Lorenzo
Bankers’ mausoleum
Salami for sale in San Lorenzo market, also good for leather goods and clothes
Stay more than a day in Florence and the name Medici will become familiar. The Medici family ruled Florence from 1434 until the 18th century. Originally wool-traders, in 1397 they founded the Medici Bank, which became Europe’s largest bank in the 15th century, and spent part of the profits commissioning the best artists to create paeans to their wealth and power. San Lorenzo was the parish church of the Medici family, and in 1419 Brunelleschi was commissioned to rebuild it in the Classical style of the Renaissance. In 1515, Michelangelo submitted a winning design for the façade. It was never built however, perhaps because he was too busy sculpting the muscular figures of Medici family members for their tombs in the Medici Chapel (1520–34), or designing the Mannerist staircase (built 1559) that leads to the Biblioteca Mediceo-Laurenziana. A true multi-talented “Renaissance man”, he designed the library’s inlaid desks, taking time out to oppose his patrons as a military engineer for the Florentine Republic in 1530. Cosimo Il Vecchio (1389–1464), founder of the Medici dynasty, is buried under a simple slab in the basilica, flanked by two bronze pulpits (1460) by Donatello.
Kids’ Corner
Do you know…
1. Which Florentine family has its tombs in San Lorenzo?
2. How did the Medicis make their fortune?
< Florence
4. Accademia
Dazzling David
Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia
The tall chap with no clothes on and curly hair may be familiar. Originally intended for Piazza della Signoria (where a copy stands) Michelangelo’s David is now in the Accademia – Europe’s first art school, established in 1563. Its artworks were collected for students to copy and David (1504), a colossal 5-m (17-ft) nude of the biblical hero who killed the giant Goliath, is the most famous. His hands and arms look oversized – a clever trick, as in his original setting onlookers would have looked up at him, so Michelangelo made his top half bigger to appear proportionate from below. Another Michelangelo masterpiece, the Quattro Prigionieri (Four Prisoners) (1521–3), sculpted for the tomb of Pope Julius II, is also here. The four muscular figures appear to be struggling to break free from the stone. The gallery houses 15th- and 16th-century Florentine paintings and a painted wedding chest too.
Kids’ Corner
Gigantic David
It took four days and 40 men to shift David from the Opera del Duomo to the Piazza della Signoria, where he stood for 350 years until 1873.
< Florence
The Uffizi and Around
The Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Florence, lined with jewellery shops
The Uffizi art gallery is just off Piazza della Signoria, where a replica of Michelangelo’s David stands tall over spectacular fountains beside the stately Palazzo Vecchio. The long loggia of the gallery connects the piazza to the River Arno. It’s a short walk from the medieval Ponte Vecchio, crammed with jewellery shops. The surrounding streets and squares, though thronged with people, offer plenty of options for meals, drinks and ice creams.
The octagonal Tribuna in the Uffizi, built to house treasures of the Medici family
< Florence
1. The Uffizi
Incredible artists and the wings of angels
Street performer outside the Uffizi
The Uffizi is one of Italy’s greatest art galleries. It covers the whole sweep of Florentine art, from stylized Byzantine icons to the flowing lines of early medieval art, through Renaissance masterpieces to the colourful complexities of Mannerist art. Do not attempt to see every painting. Instead, see how many animals can be spotted in a painting, or count angel wings. Or stick to highlights by the most famous Italian artists – Giotto, Botticelli, Piero della Francesca, Leonardo and Michelangelo.
Gallery Highlights
1. Primavera is Italian for “spring” and this painting (c.1482) by Sandro Botticelli celebrates the season. The blue figure on the right is Zephyrus, god of the west wind.
2. The Holy Family (1505–1506) Perhaps Michelangelo was a bit bored with all those paintings showing Jesus on the Virgin’s lap. Here, Mary reaches over her shoulder to cuddle her baby.
3. The Annunciation Leonardo da Vinci painted this image of the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary in 1472–5, when he was only about 20. The angel’s wings were based on drawings of birds’ wings.
4. Ognissanti Madonna This precious altarpiece was painted by Giotto in 1310. See how the halos and the background glow with real gold leaf, and how the artist has conveyed spatial depth.
5. The Duke and Duchess of Urbino (1460–72) This portrait of Federico da Montefeltro and Battista Sforza by Piero della Francesca shows the duke’s hooked nose in a realistic way.
6. Rembrandt’s self-portraits There are two self-portraits by famous Dutch artist Rembrandt. One (1639) shows him as a confident young man, the other (1669) as a rather tired old man.
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The Annunciation, Leonardo da Vinci Middle The Duke and Duchess of Urbino Right Primavera, Sandro Botticelli
Kids’ Corner
Try your hand…
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Botticelli’s famous picture celebrates the spring. Why not pick another time of year and draw or paint it as you like?
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Rembrandt drew and painted himself throughout his life. Draw your own self-portrait. Do you need a mirror? Or can you draw yourself from memory?
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Leonardo liked to draw from life, which means he painted things that were in front of him. Look for interesting details to draw – fruit on a market stall, a flower in a vase or a lamp in the room you are staying in.
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Piero della Francesca’s portraits are very realistic. He didn’t try to make people prettier than they really were. Paint a realistic portrait of someone you know!
Bonfire of the vanities
This infamous event took place in Piazza della Signoria in 1497, when stern preacher Savonarola burned the musical instruments, art works, cosmetics and even books of the frivolous Florentine rich.
Michelangelo versus Leonardo
These two were rivals and both wanted to be considered the greatest artist of the age. The government in Florence set them a challenge – to create public art works depicting famous battles. Both of the battle pictures were reckoned at the time to be pretty amazing, but neither has survived, leaving the question of who is the champion still unanswered. Which painter do you prefer?
< Florence
2. Orsanmichele
Statues by star sculptors
An old-fashioned merry-go-round on Piazza della Repubblica
Visitors may notice that the church of Orsanmichele does not look much like a church. In fact, it was built in 1337 as a grain market and turned into a church in 1380. The outside was decorated with 14 statues paid for by craftsmen’s guilds. Highly competitive, each guild wanted the best and most famous artist to create a statue of its patron saint. The guild of armourers commissioned Donatello to make a statue of St George, the guild of linen-weavers asked him to sculpt St Mark and the guild of farriers had Nanni di Banco create one in honour of St Eligius. Each statue was placed in a niche, creating an extraordinary outdoor gallery of 15th-century sculpture. The statues outside the church today are copies of the originals.
Kids’ Corner
Test your knowledge
1. Orsanmichele does not look like a church. What was it built for originally?
2. Can you find the statues of St George, St John and St Mark on Orsanmichele?
Florentine flood
In 1966, Florence suffered the worst floods in a thousand years. The River Arno burst its banks and the Uffizi was badly flooded, but none of the major masterpieces were lost. Look for the plaques that show the level of the floodwaters.
< Florence
3. Museo Galileo
Celestial fun for everyone
A sundial in front of the Museo Galileo; there are many more inside
The Museo Galileo displays more than a thousand scientific objects, including the telescope belonging to Italian scientist Galileo Galilei (1564–1642), through which he identified Jupiter’s moons. Florence has a long history of scientific discovery – the ruling Medici family did not only support the arts, they also funded scientific developments such as measuring gravity, temperature and air pressure. Hi-tech video guides show how the most complicated contraptions worked. As well as globes (including an 11th-century Arabic brass one), there are navigation instruments, devices to generate electricity and a beautiful 16th-century armillary sphere, used to map the movements of planets and stars.
Kids’ Corner
Test your knowledge
What discovery did Galileo make by looking through his telescope?
< Florence
4. Ponte Vecchio
Jewels on the bridge
Shops and jewellery workshops lining the medieval Ponte Vecchio
Il Ponte Vecchio (“the old bridge”) was built in 1345, making it more than 650 years old. It is lined with jewellery workshops and shops whose windows glisten with gold. In the old days, however, leather tanners and butchers had their workshops here. The smell was pretty bad, especially as the workers threw their rubbish straight into the River Arno. In 1593 Duke Ferdinand I put an end to these stinky trades on the bridge, and the goldsmiths have been goldsmithing here ever since.
Kids’ Corner
Test your knowledge
Why was the Ponte Vecchio so smelly 400 years ago?
Survival of the bridge
The Ponte Vecchio is the only one of its kind in Florence. During World War II, when the German army was retreating from the city and the Allied armies were advancing, the Germans mined and destroyed all the other bridges. It is said the Ponte Vecchio was saved on German leader Adolf Hitler’s own orders.
< Florence
5. Palazzo Vecchio
Frescoes at the town hall
Palazzo Vecchio, a distinctive landmark on the skyline of Florence
The battlemented Palazzo Vecchio (meaning “old palace”) dominates Piazza della Signoria. Designed by Arnolfo di Cambio and built in the early 14th century, it was both an effective fortress and a graceful creation, with its arched Gothic windows and lines of crenellations. The bell tower, nearly 100 m (328 ft) high, was used to alert citizens to attack, flood or fire. Inside, frescoes by Giorgio Vasari (1555–79) decorate the walls in a hymn to his patron Cosimo de’ Medici, and visitors can see Michelangelo’s Genius of Victory statue (1533–4), an early Mannerist masterpiece.
< Florence
Boboli Gardens and Around
View of Palazzo Pitti, a vast repository for Medici collections of just about everything, including Renaissance art, seen from the grassy slopes of the Boboli Gardens
The sprawling Boboli Gardens, adjoining the vast hulk of Palazzo Pitti in the Oltrarno district, are the green lungs of Florence. Laid out in formal glory, they provide a refreshing break from the city streets. After the gardens, the narrow lanes of Oltrarno offer plenty of enticements: great local restaurants and old-fashioned shops and workshops. The area gives an insight into the way the Florentines live, away from the tourist honeypot across the river.
Viottolone, a shady avenue of cypress trees in Boboli Gardens, planted in 1612
< Florence
1. Boboli Gardens
Florentine fountains and a pretend cave
Lion relief carving on façade of Palazzo Pitti
Florence does not have a lot of green space, but what it does have is the Boboli Gardens. The glorious grounds of the Palazzo Pitti, the gardens were designed for the Medicis in the 1550s, with neat box hedges cut into symmetrical patterns, stretches of wild ilex and cypress trees, and plenty of fountains and statues. Whether to fly a kite, have a picnic or just find space to run and play, the Boboli Gardens are a great place to get out of doors.
Key Sights
1. Palazzo Pitti The huge palace was built by banker Luca Pitti in 1457, but within 100 years it was acquired by the rival Medici family.
2. Amphitheatre The first ever opera performances were staged here at the wedding of Marie de’ Medici to Henri IV of France in 1600.
3. Bacchus Fountain The fat fellow astride a turtle was modelled on a real person – a 16th-century court dwarf – but represents Bacchus, the Roman god of wine.
4. Kaffeehaus In summer, have a drink and enjoy the city views from this coffee house set in a pretty Rococo pavilion.
5. Orangery A grand glasshouse built to protect rare plants from the cold and wind.
6. Viottolone This sloping avenue of cypress trees was planted in 1612, and is lined with statues, some of them of ancient Roman origin.
7. La Grotta Grande Dripping with fake stalactites and crammed with sculptures, including Venus Bathing by Giambologna, these caves were built in the 16th century.
8. Isolotto The “little island” in the gardens’ Vasca dell’Isola (Island Pool) features tumbling plants and a tall statue of Neptune, god of the sea.
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Avenue of cypress trees, Viottolone Middle La Grotta Grande Right Isolotto in the Vasca dell’Isola
Kids’ Corner
Find out more…
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Which family lived in the enormous Palazzo Pitti?
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What kind of music was performed in the Boboli Gardens amphitheatre?
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Whose statue is in the middle of the Isolotto? -
Lots of long-established trades are carried out in the area around the gardens. What kinds of craft shops can you see here?
Florentine Florins
Under the Medicis, Florence was Europe’s main banking centre. The Florentine coin – the florin – was trusted by everyone to be pure gold, so it became a standard coin all over Europe.
Wedding party
When Cosimo III de’ Medici got married in 1661, he ordered a spectacular show for the Boboli Gardens, with 20,000 onlookers crammed into the amphitheatre. It featured a huge construction that showed the Greek god Atlas carrying a globe on his shoulders. The globe was split open and earth spilled out of it to form a mountain. Despite the elaborate party, Cosimo did not have a happy marriage… his pretty French wife Marguerite Louise eventually left him.
< Florence
2. Palazzo Pitti
Museums full of Medici hoards
Palazzo Pitti, a former residence of Florentine rulers, now houses several museums
This monolithic Renaissance palace was begun in 1457 for the Pitti family of bankers, to outclass the rival Medici family with a display of wealth and power. Ironically, the building costs bankrupted the Pitti, and the Medicis acquired the palace. In 1550 it became the main residence of the Medicis, and all subsequent rulers of Florence lived here. It contains all sorts of lavish treasures: the Palatine Gallery has about 1,000 Renaissance and Baroque paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries by artists such as Botticelli, Perugino, Giorgione, Caravaggio and Van Dyck, and an entire room is dedicated to Raphael’s best High Renaissance works. There are also museums of silver and porcelain, a carriage museum and a costume museum with sumptuous 18th- and 19th-century garb on display. The Royal Apartments drip with gilt and chandeliers, providing a vivid illustration of how the other half once lived in Florence.
Kids’ Corner
Look out for…
1. The Medici coat of arms – five red balls – which appear in various forms in Palazzo Pitti.
2. Three Ages of Man (1510) by Giorgione, in the Palatine Gallery of Palazzo Pitti; see how the hair moves from the young man’s head to the old man’s chin in the painting.
3. Raphael’s Veiled Woman (1516), also in the Palatine Gallery; the model was said to be the artist’s girlfriend.
Warning bells
The bell of Palazzo Vecchio is rung as a warning to Florentines, and can be heard as far as Oltrarno. It was last sounded when the city flooded in 1966.
Secret corridor
The Medicis did not want to mix with ordinary citizens and constantly feared attack, so they had architect Giorgio Vasari build a secret corridor all the way from the seat of government in the Palazzo Vecchio to their grand home, the Palazzo Pitti – the Corridoio Vasariano. It runs above the shops of the Ponte Vecchio and over Oltrarno houses to the palace. The corridor can be visited on infrequent, pre-booked tours from Palazzo Pitti.
< Florence
3. Cappella Brancacci
Big and little Thomas
Fresco by Masaccio and Filippino Lippi in the Cappella Brancacci
The Cappella Brancacci, in the church of Santa Maria del Carmine, houses famous frescoes of The Life of St Peter. Begun by Masolino (“little Thomas”) in 1424, they were continued by his pupil Masaccio (“big Thomas”) and completed by Filippino Lippi 50 years later. Masaccio’s work was revolutionary for its use of perspective, narrative drama and the tragic realism of his figures. In the scene of St Peter Healing the Sick, the cripples and beggars are lifelike in their misery. The Expulsion of Adam and Eve is a psychological study of the pair expelled from Paradise, who cover their bodies and faces in anguish and shame. In several scenes St Peter (in the orange cloak) is depicted against a background of Florentine buildings, painted using pioneering perspective.
Many great artists, including Michelangelo, later visited the chapel to study Masaccio’s ground-breaking work. By contrast, the frescoes by Masolino are less naturalistic and more decorative – look for the two turbaned figures.
Kids’ Corner
Look out for…
1. St Peter in the Cappella Brancacci; see how many times you can spot him, orange-robed except in his gruesome upside-down crucifixion.
< Florence
4. Santo Spirito
Splendid church
View of Santo Spirito church, designed by Brunelleschi, among Florence’s rooftops
Brunelleschi, architect of the Duomo’s dome, designed this harmonious church in 1440. The plain façade, added in the 18th century, gives no indication of the splendour within. Brunelleschi did not live to see what some consider to be his finest church built, but the colonnaded nave and aisles are faithful to his design. The harmony of the proportions has been slightly spoiled by the elaborate Baroque baldacchino and high altar. The 38 side altars are decorated with Renaissance paintings and sculpture, among them Filippino Lippi’s Madonna and Child (1466). This engaging and complex work, in the Nerli Chapel in the south transept, depicts an arcaded loggia complete with an intriguing Florentine vista in the background.
Kids’ Corner
Look out for…
1. The rooftop loggia on Palazzo Guadagni (1500), on the corner of Piazza Santo Spirito.
Where to Stay in Florence
Florence has a huge range of accommodation for families, from expensive hotels and apartments to smaller family-run city hotels and some fantastic B&Bs tucked away in mansion blocks. It is possible to camp outside town within walking distance of the Ponte Vecchio or, in the hills of Fiesole.
Price Guide
For a family of four per night in high season, in one or more rooms, inclusive of breakfast, service charges and any additional taxes such as VAT.
€: Under €200; €€: €200–350; €€€: over €350
Agencies
Cross Pollinate
An agency that handpicks B&Bs, guesthouses and private apartments owned and run by locals. Self-catering apartments are a good option for longer stays.
Way to Stay
A huge variety of apartments to rent, ranging from cosy studios to five-bedroom luxury flats decorated with interesting antiques, and also including more affordable options.
Duomo and Baptistry
Hotels
Hotel Il Bargellino
Via Guelfa 87, 50129; 0552382658; www.ilbargellino.com
Owned and run by an American woman and her Italian husband, who are both very hospitable, this hotel is small and cosy, conveniently located five minutes’ walk from Santa Maria Novella train station, but quiet. There is no breakfast, but coffee is available on the terrace.
€ • Family rooms • Garden • Wi-Fi
€ • Family rooms • Garden • Wi-Fi
Hotel Colomba
Via Cavour 21, 50129; 055289139; www.hotelcolomba.com
Located in a handsome 19th-century palazzo, a short stroll away from the Duomo, this welcoming, family-run hotel has single, twin, triple and quadruple rooms that are bright and modern. There are also two rooms equipped for disabled travellers. The breakfasts are generous.
€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
Hotel Giglio
Via Cavour 85, 50129; 055486621; www.hotelgiglio.fi.it
A pair of helpful brothers own the Hotel Giglio and they will happily give the lowdown to guests on what to see and where to eat nearby. The rooms are comfortable though plainly decorated, with terracotta or wooden floors, and the buffet breakfast is very good.
€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning • Lift
€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning • Lift
Hotel Benivieni
Via delle Oche 5, 50122; 0552382133; www.hotelbenivieni.it
In an early-15th-century historic palazzo close to the Duomo, this hotel has a fine exterior and comfortable rooms. The staff can help book excursion tickets and offer advice on sightseeing. There is an additional charge of €70 for an extra bed.
€€ • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning • Lift
€€ • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning • Lift
Hotel Il Guelfo Bianco
Via Camillo Cavour 29, 50129; 055288330; www.ilguelfobianco.it
This gorgeous 16th-century mansion in a great setting just north of the Duomo has a modern art collection and a pretty internal garden for breakfast. The restaurant is supplied by the family’s farm.
€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Air conditioning • Restaurant • Lift
€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Air conditioning • Restaurant • Lift
Hotel de Lanzi
Via delle Oche 11, 50123; 055288043; www.hoteldelanziflorence.com
Located close to Piazza del Duomo, some of the rooms here have cathedral views. The decor is plain, but the rooms are comfortable and the bathrooms well equipped. The helpful staff can assist with planning trips around the city.
€€ • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning • Lift
€€ • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning • Lift
Hotel Loggiato dei Serviti
Piazza SS Annunziata 3, 50100; 055289592; www.loggiatodeiservitihotel.it
This historic hotel in the northern part of the city centre is still only a 10-minute walk from the Duomo. It was built in the early 16th century as a monastery, and is full of charm, with original wood-beamed ceilings. There is a suite with views of the Duomo – great for families.
€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
Hotel Perseo
Via Cerretani 1, 50123; 055212504; www.hotelperseo.it
A modernized hotel in the centre of the city, Hotel Perseo is very well located for the Duomo and Baptistry, with spacious rooms. The decor is contemporary and plain, but the hotel is well run and impeccably clean.
€€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
€€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
Grand Hotel Minerva
Piazza Santa Maria Novella 16, 50123; 05527230; www.grandhotelminerva.net
In an excellent setting right next to Santa Maria Novella church, this grand old hotel has been thoroughly modernized. The rooftop pool has views of the Duomo, and may alone be enough to justify the price. There are two family suites, each of which can accommodate four people.
€€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning • Restaurant • Swimming pool
€€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning • Restaurant • Swimming pool
Grand Hotel Minerva with a rooftop pool offering views of the Duomo
Hotel Calzaiuoli
Via dei Calzaiuoli 6, 50122; 055212456; www.calzaiuoli.it
An upmarket option right in the heart of the city, this hotel is traditionally and unstuffily furnished. Triple rooms make it a good choice for families, and the breakfast buffet will set children up for the day. Despite the very central location, rooms are quiet thanks to the good soundproofing.
€€€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
€€€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
Hotel Calzaiuoli, conveniently situated right in the heart of the city
B&Bs
Soggiorno Panerai
Via dei Servi 49, 50122; 055264103; www.soggiornopanerai.it
This warmly welcoming B&B, set in an imposing mansion close to the Duomo, has rooms featuring wonderful wooden beds with colourful quilts, painted ceilings and terracotta floors. There are triple and quadruple family rooms.
€ • Family rooms
€ • Family rooms
Antica Dimora Johlea
Via San Gallo 80, 50129; 0554633292; www.johanna.it
One of a little chain of sumptuously furnished Tuscan B&Bs, this is just north of the historic centre. It is luxurious but homely, with a rooftop terrace, four-poster beds, antique prints and colourful Indian quilts.
€€ • Garden • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
€€ • Garden • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
Self-catering
Palazzo Alfani "al David"
Via Ricasoli 49, 50122; 055291574; www.palazzoalfani.com
A historic 16th-century palazzo opposite the Accademia, this building has been in the owner’s family since the early 19th century. It has been carefully converted into apartments, with spacious, comfortable rooms. The suites sleep four to eight guests.
€€ • Family rooms • Babysitting • Air conditioning
€€ • Family rooms • Babysitting • Air conditioning
The Uffizi
Hotels
Hotel Alessandra
Borgo SS Apostoli 17, Tornabuoni, 50123; 055283438; www.hotelalessandra.com
Housed in a 16th-century building, this hotel is close to the Ponte Vecchio and has nicely furnished rooms as well as a large suite. It is family-run with helpful staff, but it is upstairs with no lift.
€ • Family rooms • Babysitting • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
€ • Family rooms • Babysitting • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
Hotel Davanzati
Via Porta Rossa 5, 50123; 055286666; www.hoteldavanzati.it
A handsome shuttered building with terracotta-tiled floors and quietly elegant furnishings, this hotel is located in the old city, a short walk from Santa Maria Novella train station.
€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
Hotel Berchielli
Lungarno Acciaiuoli 14, 50123; 055264061; www.berchielli.it
Located on the Arno just a few minutes’ walk from the Ponte Vecchio, this is a great hotel for getting to the main sights as well as Oltrarno. There is a triple room for families and a roof garden.
€€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
€€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
B&Bs
Residenza Casanuova
Via della Mattonaia 21, 50121; 0552343413; www.residenzacasanuova.it
This charming family home would suit parents travelling with older children who will respect the beautiful furnishings and antiques. It has been in the family for three generations, and the welcoming owners speak good English. In summer it is possible to have an alfresco breakfast on the terrace, with its romantic rooftop views over the city.
€ • Credit cards not accepted • Garden • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
€ • Credit cards not accepted • Garden • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
Residenza Casanuova, a B&B in a charming family home
Casa Rovai Guest House
Via Fiesolana 1, 50122; 0552001647; www.casarovai.it
There are six lovely, spacious rooms in this quiet apartment building. Despite being elegantly decorated with antiques, ceiling frescoes and lovely fabrics, it is very family-friendly. The hosts are happy to provide guidance for family sight-seeing in Florence.
€€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
€€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
Relais Piazza Signoria
Via Vacchereccia 3, 50122; 0553987239; www.relaispiazzasignoria.com
These swish modern apartments are in a plum position overlooking the Piazza della Signoria. There are studio rooms and two attic apartments that can accommodate families, with modern furniture and rugged stone walls.
€€ • Family rooms • Air conditioning • Kitchen facilities
€€ • Family rooms • Air conditioning • Kitchen facilities
Boboli Gardens
Hotel
Hotel Palazzo Guadagni
Piazza di Santo Spirito 9, 50125; 0552658376; www.palazzoguadagni.com/
Built in the 16th century, this beautiful, historic palazzo has a beautiful terrace garden with views of the hills. Extra beds for additional family members can be added to the rooms.
€€ • Garden • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning • Lift
€€ • Garden • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning • Lift
B&Bs
Giglio Bianco
Via Romana 28, 50125; 055225873; www.gigliobianco.it
Housed in a grand mansion building, this B&B is in a great location for visiting the Boboli Gardens. The two en-suite rooms are comfortable and spacious. Breakfasts are generous and varied, and there is a restaurant that serves dinner with views of the Boboli gardens from the three large windows.
€ • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning • Restaurant
€ • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning • Restaurant
Home in Florence
Via Santa Maria 21, 50125; 0552337186; www.homeinflorence.com
With tiled floors, high ceilings and antique furniture, this is a quiet B&B near the Boboli Gardens. There are triple and quadruple rooms, as well as doubles – all are en suite. Book in advance for extra beds and cots; children under 2 stay for free.
€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
San Frediano Mansion
Via Borgo San Frediano 8, 50124; 055212991; www.sanfredianomansion.com
A grand old mansion with an enormous front door. Some of the rooms here are a little spartan, but they offer good value for money. There are family rooms that accommodate three to five people, and a small self-catering apartment. Visitors are given a key and are free to come and go as they please.
€€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning • Lift
€€ • Family rooms • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning • Lift
Hostel
Istituto Gould
Via de’ Serragli 49, 50124; 055212576; www.istitutogould.it/foresteria
One of the city’s best bargains, this beautiful 17th-century palazzo, owned by a group of Protestant churches, accommodates all visitors regardless of faith. Rooms are plain, clean and comfortable, and sleep up to five people. The location in Oltrarno is very good. Breakfast can be eaten here for a small supplement, or there are cafés nearby.
€ • Family rooms
€ • Family rooms
The courtyard of the Istituto Gould, one of Florence’s best-value places to stay
Around Florence
Hotel
Villa Fiesole Hotel
Via Beato Angelico 35, 50014 Fiesole; 055597252; www.villafiesole.it
The hills of Fiesole can make for a calmer and cooler stay than central Florence. This friendly, welcoming hotel enjoys sweeping views of the city. There is a balcony for guests to enjoy, and a small pool. Regular buses go into town.
€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool
€€ • Family rooms • Garden • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool
B&Bs
Fiorenza
Via Grecchi 36, 50125 Florence; 0552322183; www.fiorenzabb.it
South of the Arno in a quiet, residential neighbourhood, Elena’s B&B is tastefully decorated, with bright rooms, antique furniture and pretty fabrics. There is a secluded garden and beautiful patio. Elena herself is extremely welcoming.
€ • Family rooms • Garden • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
€ • Family rooms • Garden • Wi-Fi • Air conditioning
La Martellina
Via della Martellina 19, 50061 Fiesole; 3357684675; www.martellina-bb-florence.it
Housed in an old mill that dates back to the 13th century, this B&B is located in a small village around 5 km (3 miles) from Florence. It is possible to get there by bike on a track that runs along the Arno. The riverside garden makes this a really lovely get-away-from-it-all choice.
€ • Garden
€ • Garden
Casa Palmira
Via Faentina, 50030 Polcanto; 0558409749; www.casapalmira.it
Located in the hills near Fiesole, this country B&B has been restored by Assunta and Stefano, who offer a warm welcome and delicious home-grown food. There is a wood-burning oven in the kitchen for pizza-making. They have a cot for families with babies and the kitchen is open to guests for self-catering.
€ • Credit cards not accepted • Garden • Kitchen facilities
€ • Credit cards not accepted • Garden • Kitchen facilities
Agriturismo
Azienda Agricola Il Borghetto
Via Collina 23, Montefiridolfi, 50020 San Casciano Val di Pesa; 0558244442; www.borghetto.org
An attractive, family-run winery 20 km (13 miles) from Florence, Il Borghetto offers tasteful and relaxing accommodation in eight suites and rooms, plus cookery courses and tours of the vineyard and olive groves. There is plenty of space to roam in the sweeping grounds, which include an Etruscan ruin. A cottage with private patio is also available. The food is excellent.
€€ • Credit cards not accepted • Garden • Restaurant
€€ • Credit cards not accepted • Garden • Restaurant
Camping
Camping Michelangelo
Via Michelangelo 80, 50125; 0556811977; www.camping.it/english/toscana/firenze/scheda-600.aspx; open Apr–Oct
An attractive camp site located in an olive grove near the city, a 15-minute walk from the Ponte Vecchio. The location ensures it is very popular, so book well in advance. There is a snack bar with a terrace that has views over Florence, a supermarket and laundry facilities.
€ • Play Area • Cafe • Wi-Fi • Restaurant
€ • Play Area • Cafe • Wi-Fi • Restaurant
Camping Panoramico
Via Peramonda 1, 50014 Fiesole; 055599069; www.florencecamping.com
Just outside Fiesole, this wooded camp site has good facilities including a pool, and – as its name suggests – great panoramic views from its hillside perch. It is not quite as handy for Florence as Camping Michelangelo, but it is a good alternative if they have no space in the summer season.
€ • Garden • Swimming pool
€ • Garden • Swimming pool
Camping Panoramico in Fiesole, a shady alternative outside the city centre
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