Visit Florence Italy

The Ponte Vecchio or Old Bridge is the oldest bridge spanning the Arno river. This is mostly due to a affection that Hitler had during the second World War for the bridge. Since the dictator at the time thought the bridge was so beautiful it was spared as the Germans fled from the invading allies. But this only covers some of the more recent history of this landmark.

Built in 1345 by Taddeo Gaddi as a replacement for a previous bridge that was in the same area this bridge definitely has seen some history over the years. The Medici family used an upper passageway to cross the bridge in order not to mingle with the crowds. But the Medici probably did not also want to mingle in with the green grocers and butchers who occupied the bridge at the time. You see in earlier times the bridge was an outdoor food market and more then likely did not smell very well. So in response to this the city kicked out the food stalls and instead had the jewelers and goldsmiths of the day move in.

As you would imagine the Ponte Vecchio is still occupied by many jewelers and gold shops. However some small shops also sell magazines and some sell gelato. The range of prices in the shops is actually varied and you can find deals here if you are diligent enough. Also since the area is also known for its leather you can be sure to find at least some of it represented on this bridge as well. You can find better prices for leather though at the San Lorenzo leather market as that is its specialty.

Many tourists just take pictures of the bridge and do not spend a whole lot of time actually walking it from end to end. I would recommend at least window shopping as this can tell you the type of wealth that exists in the area. Besides it is just fun to see what others have made. Regardless it is well worth your time to check out this bridge on your visit to Florence and the best part is that it is free! At least if you do not buy anything!

The Galleria dell’Accademia or the Accademia Galleries is perhaps one of the most if not the most frequented art museum in the whole city of Florence. The reason for this is that this place contains the original marble statue of David carved by Michelangelo himself. Now even if you are not a fan of art I believe it should be required that you at least try and view this work in person just to say that you have done so at cocktail parties. At least you will have something to talk about.

Now assuming you can stand the swarms of tourists that arrive by the bus load to view this work there is far more to see then just the statue. For instance the hall leading up to the statue of David is the place where you will find four of his nonfiniti or unfinished sculptures of Slaves or Prisoners. These works epitomize the artists belief that his works are just waiting to be chiseled away from the excess stone that encases them.

Further down David’s wing you will see some of the paintings  by this great artist as well as many others that are said to be directly influenced by Michelangelo. For instance the painting of Venus and Cupid was supposedly drawn by the master then later painted by Pontormo . One important fact you need to keep in mind when visiting this art museum is that this was originally established as an art school in 1561 hence the name. So therefore you will see some of the works by the students of the great artists that were the teachers here.

Getting There
The address to this museum is:
Galleria dell’Accademia
Via Ricasoli, 60 Florence, 50122 Tuscany Italy
Tel: +39 55 238 8609

website 

Hours of operation
Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:50 p.m.
Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Closed Mondays

Since this is one of the most visited museums in the whole of Italy then it is a great idea to get reservations ahead of time. Be sure to go to the reservations entrance which is separate from the main entrance and ask to speak to the person from whom you made the reservation. That should make the task of getting in just a bit easier. Patience is very much required when visiting this site as the crowds can be a bit unbearable.

I can understand that many people do not have a huge amount of time to spend a month or more to absorb the spirit and essence of Florence. For these people whether they are tourists, backpackers or lovers on their honeymoon time is very limited. So then how do  you get the most out of your visit to Florence? Well you need to prioritize your time on places you are most interested in. So therefore a list of some of the most interesting sights in Florence would be advantageous. Fortunately I have spent some time to distill this city to its essence. While you may not be able to view all the sights you could spend some time just browsing the majority of these places in order to capture the history and background of the area.

On your visit to Florence you will be very sorry if you do not visit the Accademia galleries. This is the place to view Michelangelo’s most famous statue of David. This statue is featured in almost every television advertisement for visiting Italy and there is a reason for it as just about everyone who visits this country makes it a point to see it first hand.

You can not certainly miss viewing the Duomo or Cathedral of the city of Florence. It is by far one of the largest buildings in the city so you have no choice but to see it everywhere you go. However spend sometime inside this Cathedral as there are many works of art that is actually stored in the Museo dell’Duomo del Duomo or the Museum of Cathedral Works. In that museum you will find many statues by the likes of Michelangelo, Ghiberti, Donatello, and Brunelleschi to name just a few.

If you want to buy one of the best leather jackets you will ever find in the world then you should be sure to visit San Lorenzo outdoor leather market. I can attest to the quality as I bought a leather jacket here and I could not find anything like it here in the United States. By far one of the best jackets I have bought in Europe or anywhere else.

If you would like to limit your gallery viewing to just one sight then the best bet would be the Uffizi Galleries as there is a plethora of works by just about every known Renaissance artist known.  This museum is ranked as one of the world’s best due to its vast collection of works by the most notable of artists. If you are not aware of many of these artists you will get the most for your money if you just visit this place.

Perhaps soaking up the history of the city as viewed by the former rulers is your thing. If this is the case then be sure to check out Palazzo Pitti or Pitti Palace. This palace once contained the Royal apartments when Florence was once the capital of the unified Italy in the 1870’s. Certainly opulent all of the rooms were decorated by the artist Pietro da Cortona who is now one of the best baroque artists of our time. This palace also contains a main galleria called Galleria Palatina which contains some of the best known barogue works of art as well.

If you have not already tire d of viewing all the churches in Italy then you could perhaps muster up the strength to view Santa Maria Novella church which is known for the all the educational frescoes that line all of the church’s walls. At that time the best way to teach Biblical teachings was to show the parishioners vivid illustrations to make the teachings of the Bible come to life.

When I think of Florence I always think of the Ponte Vecchio or the Old Bridge that is lined with shops selling intricate works of Gold and other fine jewelry. This bridge was spared by the Nazi’s as they retreated as the person in charge at the time thought the bridge to be too beautiful to be destroyed. Many other bridges were not spared this same fate however.

To have a nice relaxing day strolling the Bargello Sculpture Gallery could be top on the list of things to do when you want to spend a lazy day just hanging out. This gallery is an great example of some of the best sculptures ever created and has many of the works by Michelangelo and Donatello.

You cannot avoid visiting Piazza della Signoria as it seems like all the roads draw you there. This piazza contains the cultural, social and political heart of the city. This has been the center of the city since the 14th century so obviously everyone of fame and infamy has been seen walking around this square. So what is your excuse then for not visiting it?

So there you have it! These are the top ten sights to see in Florence. You may have noticed that many of these sights are churches and museums. Well Italy has one of the richest histories in all of Europe and it would be a down right shame not to at least soak up a little bit of this history while here.