Visiting Florence is like going on a magical journey into the inside of Middle Ages and Renaissance times. Each corner of the city tells a story about past times and antique traditions. Here lived fathers of Italian painting Cimabue and Giotto; then Arnolfo and Andrea Pisano, known in the sculpture and architecture circle, Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio, initiators of Renaissance, Botticelli, Paolo Uccello and two world's geniuses: Leonardo and Michelangelo. Their works, along with those of artists from other art generations, up unitil the masterpieces of our age, are shown in numerous museums of the city.

Florence's panorama is distinguished by an outstanding Cathedral Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore (a flower is a symbol of the city), finished in 1400s and made by artists like Giotto and Brunelleschi, who is the one to finish the dome. Then, walking in Oltrarno, a heart of numerous workshops and antique stores chracterised by iron doors, you can find objects with aristocratic and populist aspects. Another not-to-be-missed spot is Piazza della Signoria, dominated by Palazzo Vecchio, a building under construction since 1299 to meet the wish of Cosimo I of Medici, that makes it his residence up until he moves with his family to the Pitti palace.

If you like painted art, we definitely suggest a visit in the Uffizi’s Gallery, home to an extraordinary collection of Italian and European pictures and sculptures from period between XII and XVIII century. Walking along the streets of Florence, it is almost impossible to remain indifferent while passing Ponte Vecchio, the oldest Florentine bridge over the river Arno. Two porticos used to host wood workshops, that afterwards became jewellers goldsmiths and remained in their place up till today.

Florentine food is known all over the world: it’s enough to mention typical steak à la fiorentina, a huge, 3 cm high veal steak with bone, then tripe à la Fiorentina, pappardelle with hare, ribollita "Tuscan soup": ramainigs from the bean soup, then reheated in oven with spices; la panzanella, a cold soup with dry bread and tomatoes, celery, basil and onion, ideal during warm, summer season and spiced with oil, salt and pepper, as well as the cenci à la Fiorentina dessert. Tuscany is olso a goldmine of extra virgin olive oil and white tartufo. “A land of sweet hills” it is called, because more than anything else it offers stunning wines of which Noble Wine of Montepulciano, Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino are only some examples.

The city is also rich in shops selling antique arms, jewellery, renovated artistic objects, so that each visitor has an enormous amount of objects to choose from, to bring back home as a record of this unforgettable city of art.

How to get there
By car:
- A 14 in Bologna direction
- near Bologna continue on A1 and take exit towards Firenze Sud
- continue on SP 127, than exit and go to Florence in the centre direction.
Total km: 249
Driving hours: 2 and a half

By train:
There are no direct trains to Florence from Riccione Station (in P.le Cadorna) you always have to change in Bologne, then arrive on the Florence’s main station Firenze Santa Maria Novella, right in the centre. It is the best way to visit the old town without taking the bus or the taxi.