A visit to Florence
(Firenze) is a must for any
art lover. UNESCO estimates that 60% of the world’s most important artworks are in Italy, with over half of those located in Florence.
Situated in the
northwest of Italy, surrounded by the wine-growing hills of
Chianti, the city attracts
rapture and
frustration in equal proportions. Few can dismiss the image of Brunelleschi’s cathedral
dome bursting through the morning mist - a terracotta balloon hovering above the
medieval rooftops.
But once the visitor
drops down to street level, the profusion of
traffic,
tourists and
touts can remove all sense of tranquility. It seems every building holds a
masterpiece, demanding attention and often gobbling up funds. The streets are narrow and dark, enclosed on either side by granite palaces and even the open spaces are
crowded with babbling
tour groups.
Often called the
cradle of the
Renaissance, Florence owes much of her
wealth to the
Middle Ages.
Banking became big business on the back of the city’s profitable
wool trade and, in 1235, Florence minted the
florin, the first gold coin to become standard currency across Europe.
In their turn, these bankers commissioned some of the finest
art and
architecture in the city. The names Strozzi, Rucellai and Pitti can be found all over Florence, but it was the
Medici family (who led the city for over 300 years, off and on) that nurtured the greatest flowering of Renaissance art. The paintings of
Botticelli, the sculptures of
Michelangelo and the palaces of
Michelozzo all flourished under their rule.
Then, as now, most of the action in Florence took place between
Piazza del Duomo and
Piazza della Signoria, the city’s civic heart. Here, in the
historic center, Dante (acknowledged father of the Italian language) first glimpsed his muse, Beatrice. Here, the Florentine Republic rose and fell. And here, Savonarola’s
Bonfire of the Vanities blazed.
Florence, for all her
timeless charm, is no stranger to destruction. In 1944, all her bridges, save the
Ponte Vecchio, were destroyed by the
Nazis, in an attempt to stall the advance of the allies. In 1966, the banks of the
River Arno burst, flooding the city with her muddied waters and devastating homes and artworks. Most recently, in 1993, a
bomb exploded near the
Uffizi Gallery, ripping through the museum’s interior and claiming several lives.
That said, the only violence most tourists are likely to witness is during the medieval football match on
24 June (Florence’s patron saint day) when petty wrangles often spill onto the pitch.
It is best for visitors to
avoid the
peak summer months of July and August, when the weather can be unbearably sticky and the prospect of trailing around museums becomes unappealing.
Early autumn, when the countryside glows with mellow fruitfulness, is the best time to visit,
avoiding the
heat and the
queues and capitalising on the soft light, empty streets and the abundance of wild mushrooms and just-pressed olive oil.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
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Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
Related Italy Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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