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.