HOME
THE REGIONS OF ITALY
PLACES IN ITALY
Italy in Photos
Piazzale Michelangelo, 50125 Firenze, Italy (May 2019)
Florence
Florence is one of Italy’s most celebrated cities, renowned around the world as the birthplace of the Renaissance and as a living museum of art, architecture, and culture. Set in the heart of Tuscany along the banks of the Arno River, Florence offers a remarkable blend of historical grandeur and vibrant contemporary life. Its streets, squares, and skyline reflect centuries of artistic achievement and intellectual innovation, making the city an enduring symbol of human creativity and beauty.
The origins of Florence date back to Roman times, when it was founded as a military settlement in the first century BCE. Over the centuries, the city grew into a powerful centre of commerce and finance, largely through the influence of wealthy merchant families. Among these, the Medici family stands out as the most influential, shaping Florence’s political, cultural, and artistic identity for generations. Their patronage supported some of the greatest minds in history, including Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Botticelli, whose works continue to define the city’s legacy.
Florence’s historic centre, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a compact yet astonishingly rich area where masterpieces appear at every turn. The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, known as the Duomo, dominates the skyline with its vast red-tiled dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi. This architectural marvel remains a testament to Renaissance ingenuity and ambition. Nearby, Giotto’s Campanile and the Baptistery of San Giovanni, with its famous bronze doors, form a harmonious ensemble that captures the spiritual and artistic heart of the city.
Art is inseparable from daily life in Florence. The Uffizi Gallery houses one of the world’s most important collections of Renaissance art, featuring iconic works such as Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Primavera. The Accademia Gallery draws visitors from across the globe to see Michelangelo’s David, a sculpture that has become a universal symbol of human perfection and strength. Beyond these major institutions, countless churches, palaces, and small museums contain frescoes, sculptures, and architectural details that reward close attention and quiet exploration.
Florence is also a city of elegant public spaces that invite both reflection and social life. Piazza della Signoria has long been the political centre of the city and remains a lively gathering place surrounded by imposing buildings and outdoor sculptures. The Ponte Vecchio, with its line of historic shops spanning the Arno, offers one of the most recognizable views in Italy, particularly at sunset when the river reflects warm golden light. Across the river, the Oltrarno district reveals a more traditional side of Florence, where artisans still practice age-old crafts and daily life unfolds at a slower pace.
The cultural richness of Florence extends naturally into its culinary traditions. Tuscan cuisine is known for its simplicity and emphasis on high-quality ingredients. Dishes such as ribollita, pappa al pomodoro, and bistecca alla fiorentina reflect a deep respect for local produce, bread, olive oil, and wine. Meals are often unhurried and social, reinforcing the importance of community and tradition. Local markets, bakeries, and wine bars offer countless opportunities to experience these flavours in authentic settings.
Despite its immense historical significance, Florence is not frozen in time. It is a living city with a strong contemporary identity shaped by students, designers, craftsmen, and scholars. The presence of universities and cultural institutions ensures a constant exchange of ideas, while modern fashion and design coexist with centuries-old traditions. This balance between past and present gives Florence a dynamic energy that continues to inspire residents and visitors alike.
Florence is a city that invites immersion rather than haste. Its beauty reveals itself gradually, through the curve of a street, the sound of church bells, or the play of light on stone facades. More than a collection of monuments, Florence represents a way of seeing the world shaped by art, humanism, and an enduring appreciation for beauty. To visit Florence is to step into a city that has shaped history and continues to speak powerfully to the imagination.
Worth a Visit
The Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, situated just a short walk from Florence’s main railway station, is one of the city’s most elegant and historically significant squares. Dominated by the magnificent façade of the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, the piazza offers an exquisite blend of medieval charm, Renaissance artistry, and vibrant urban life. The origins of the square date back to the Middle Ages, when it served as an open space in front of the Dominican church and convent of Santa Maria Novella, begun in the 13th century. Over time, it was enlarged and paved to accommodate religious gatherings, public events, and even sporting competitions. In the late 16th century, under the patronage of Grand Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici, the piazza underwent significant transformation.
Tucked away in the vibrant Oltrarno district, the Piazza del Carmine is a spacious and atmospheric square that serves as the forecourt to one of Florence’s most important churches. the Basilica di Santa Maria del Carmine. While less crowded than the city’s more famous piazzas, it offers a rich blend of art, history, and neighbourhood life, making it a rewarding destination for those seeking an authentic Florentine experience. The square takes its name from the Carmelite convent established here in the late 13th century. Over time, the Basilica di Santa Maria del Carmine became renowned for housing the Brancacci Chapel, whose fresco cycle, begun by Masaccio and completed by Masolino and Filippino Lippi, s considered a cornerstone of Renaissance painting. These works, celebrated for their ground-breaking use of perspective and naturalism, influenced generations of artists, including Michelangelo.
The Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine, located in the lively Oltrarno district of Florence, is one of the city’s most significant churches, renowned above all for housing the celebrated Brancacci Chapel, a cornerstone of Renaissance art. Though its plain exterior may not draw immediate attention, within its walls lies a treasure that has profoundly shaped the course of Western painting. The church was founded in 1268 by the Carmelite Order, who established a large convent complex on the site. Over the following centuries, the building grew in importance, enriched by chapels commissioned by prominent Florentine families. The most famous of these is the Brancacci Chapel, begun around 1424 by Felice Brancacci and decorated with frescoes by Masaccio and Masolino da Panicale, later completed by Filippino Lippi.
Porta Romana is a historic gateway located in Piazzale di Porta Romana, Florence. Built in the late 13th century, this imposing structure was one of the key entrances to the city, originally part of Florence’s defensive walls. The gate’s strategic location on the southern side of Florence controlled access from the Roman road that led to Rome, marking its significance in medieval times. The architecture of Porta Romana combines both medieval and Renaissance elements. The gate features a robust, arched design typical of medieval fortifications, with a large central archway that allowed passage for both people and goods. The tower above the arch provided a vantage point for guards to oversee and manage the flow of traffic into the city.
Perched high above Florence on the crest of the Monte alle Croci, the Abbazia di San Miniato al Monte is one of the city’s most beautiful and oldest religious monuments. Its striking white-and-green marble façade, shimmering in the Tuscan sunlight, dominates the skyline and offers some of the most breath-taking panoramic views over the historic centre. The abbey’s origins date back to the early 11th century, when construction began on the present basilica over a site associated with Saint Minias (San Miniato), a Christian martyr believed to have been beheaded in the 3rd century during the persecutions of Emperor Decius. According to legend, Minias picked up his severed head and walked to this hilltop, where he chose to die, making the location a place of deep spiritual significance
Tucked away on the slopes of Florence’s famed Oltrarno district, just below the panoramic Piazzale Michelangelo, the Giardino delle Rose (Rose Garden) is one of the city’s most enchanting and peaceful green spaces. Created in 1865 by the French architect Giuseppe Poggi, the garden was part of a wider urban redevelopment project marking Florence’s brief role as the capital of the newly unified Kingdom of Italy. Poggi envisioned a terraced oasis where locals and visitors could enjoy sweeping views of the city’s domes, towers, and red-tiled rooftops framed by the gentle hills of Tuscany. Covering about one hectare, the garden is home to over 350 varieties of roses from around the world, blooming in a dazzling array of colours and scents from late spring through early summer.
Piazza del Duomo is the monumental heart of Florence, a dazzling stage where some of the most celebrated masterpieces of Italian Gothic and Renaissance architecture stand side by side. Located in the historic centre, this square is dominated by the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, whose soaring red-tiled dome—designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, has become the city’s most recognizable symbol. Around it, the Baptistery of San Giovanni, Giotto’s Bell Tower, and the cathedral’s intricate marble façade together form one of the most harmonious and breath-taking architectural ensembles in the world. The piazza’s history stretches back to Roman times, when this area served as a central point in the ancient settlement of Florentia. The Baptistery, with its octagonal plan and richly decorated bronze doors by Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo Ghiberti, predates the cathedral and stands as one of the oldest buildings in the city, dating to between the 11th and 12th centuries.
Photo Gallery of Walk 1 in Firenze – Piazza di Santa Maria Novella to Parco e giardino Il Bobolinom
Approximately 3.44 km – 2.14 miles
The walk starts in Piazza di Santa Maria Novella – Piazza degli Ottaviani – Via dei Fossi – Piazza Carlo Goldoni – Ponte alla Carraia – Lungarno Soderini – Piazza di Cestello – Chiesa di San Frediano in Cestello – Via di Cestello – Borgo S. Frediano – Porta di San Frediano, Borgo S. Frediano – Walk back along Borgo S. Frediano to Via del Drago D’Oro – Piazza del Carmine – Chiesa di Santa Maria del Carmine – Borgo S. Frediano – Via dei Serragli – Via Santa Maria – Porta Romana, Piazzale di Porta Romana – Viale Niccolo Machiavelli – Parco e giardino Il Bobolinom
Photo Gallery of Walk 2 in Firenze – Via delle Porte Sante to Lungarno Torrigiani
Approximately 1.80 km – 1.12 miles
The walk starts at Via delle Porte Sante – Abbazia di San Miniato al Monte – Via di S. Salvatore Al Monte – Chiesa di San Salvatore al Monte – Piazzale Michelangelo – Passaggio Via del Monte alle Croci – Giardino delle rose, Viale Giuseppe Poggi – Via del Monte alle Croci – Porta San Miniato – Via S. Miniato – Via di S. Niccolò – Via dei Rena – Piazza Nicola Demidoff – Lungarno Serristori – Lungarno Torrigiani
Photo Gallery of Walk 3 in Firenze – Lungarno Guicciardini to Piazza di Santa Croce
Approximately 2.03 km – 1.26 miles
The walk starts in Lungarno Guicciardini – Piazza de’ Frescobaldi – Ponte Santa Trinita – Via de’ Tornabuoni – Piazza di Santa Trinita – Via de’ Tornabuoni – Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli – Ponte Vecchio – Borgo S. Jacopo – Via de’ Guicciardini – Piazza di S. Felicita – Chiesa di Santa Felicita – Via de’ Guicciardini – Via de’ Bardi – Lungarno Torrigiani – Giardino Martin Lutero, Lungarno Torrigiani -Ponte alle Grazie – Via dei Benci – Borgo Santa Croce – Via Antonio Magliabechi – Piazza di Santa Croce
Photo Gallery of Walk 4 in Firenze – Borgo dei Greci to Piazza del Duomo
Approximately 1.74 km – 1.08 miles
The walk starst in Borgo dei Greci – Piazza di S. Firenze – Piazza di S. Firenze, Piazza di S. Firenze – Via dei Magazzini ia Via della Condotta – Via dei Magazzini – Piazza della Signoria – Via degli Speziali – Via dei Calzaiuoli – Piazza della Repubblica – Via degli Speziali – Via dei Calzaiuoli – Piazza del Duomo
COPYRIGHT © 2018-2026 ITALY IN PHOTOS - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED