A day in Florence
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Ponte Vecchio
Ponte Vecchio, Florence by night.
A beautiful, bustling medieval bridge
Noteworthy for: Creating the concept of ‘bankruptcy’. When a merchant here was unable to pay his debts, soldiers would break (‘ruptus’) the table (‘bancus’) on which he sold his goods.
Word to the wise: Don’t add to the ‘love padlocks’ on the bridge - you can be fined EUR 50.
Although originally home to butchers and fishmongers, the bridge’s shops were occupied by goldsmiths in the late 16th century - and these remain to this day. It is now one of the city’s best places to find expensive jewelry, original artworks and tacky souvenirs - if that's your kind of thing.
Address: Ponte Vecchio
See & Do
Il Duomo
Big, bold and beautiful: the symbol of the city
Noteworthy for: Head down into the crypt to see the unpretentious tomb of Brunelleschi, the architect of the dome. He also worked on the San Lorenzo and Santo Spirito churches.
Best known locally as simply Il Duomo (The Church), the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the most iconic building in Florence - and one of Italy’s most famous sights. An enormous gothic cathedral (once the largest on earth) that was started way back in 1296, its marble-covered exterior and magnificent dome are now considered true architectural masterpieces.It might be a heaving tourist trap, but the fact is the Duomo is simply too good to miss. The ludicrously ornate church façade is contrasted by the relatively bare interior (although there are several small, ornate features dotted around the nave: from paintings to pulpits; statues to stained glass windows), while the undoubted highlight of the church is the enormous fresco of ‘The Last Judgment’ by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari. Painted inside the imposing dome, it’s definitely worth the 463-step climb.
Fee: Cathedral: Free, Dome: EUR 8
Open Hours: Cathedral, Thu, Sat: 10am - between 4pm and 5pm, depending on season
Sun/religious holidays: 1.30pm - 4.45pm
Holy Thu: 12.30pm - 4.30pm
Fri: 10.30am - 4.30pm
Dome, Mon-Fri: 8.30am - 7pm
Sat: 8.30am - 5.40pm
1st Sat of the month: 8.30am – 4pm
Address: 17 Piazza del Duomo
Phone: +39 055 215 380
II Duomo's webpage
See & Do
Bargello
Sculptural masterpieces in the city’s oldest building
Word to the wise: Take a short break from the stunning sculptures to seek out the lavish medal collection worn (or in some cases distributed) by the powerful Medici family.
Originally built in the mid-13th century as a palace for the local chief magistrate, the Bargello - Florence’s oldest building - has since been used variously as police headquarters, a prison and a barracks. But today it’s one of the country’s most important art galleries, displaying its largest collection of Gothic and Renaissance sculptures.Across three levels you can find a plethora of Michelangelo masterpieces - including ‘Brutus’, ‘David-Apollo’, ‘Bacchus’ and ‘Madonna and Child’ - as well as highly regarded statues and sculptures by other Renaissance masters, such as Donatello’s ‘David’, Giambologna’s ‘Mercurio’, Jacopo Sansovino’s ‘Bacco’ and Vincenzo Gemito’s ‘Pescatore’.
There are also fine silver, ceramic, tapestry, textile, armor, weapon and coin collections to be enjoyed. And most of all, you get to explore the stunning architecture of the iconic building that inspired Palazzo Vecchio.
Fee: Adult: EUR 4
Open Hours: Daily: 8.15am - 1.50pm (5pm during summer)
Address: Via del Proconsolo 4
Phone: +39 055 238 8606
Bargello's webpage
Shopping
Mercato Centrale
A historic covered market famous for fresh produce
Noteworthy for: If you’re looking for gourmet Italian foodstuffs to take home – from dried pasta to cured prosciutto to truffle vinegar – this market is the place to come.
Florence’s finest fresh produce market, the Mercato Centrale in the district of San Lorenzo is a wonderful way to spend half a day. Housed in a magnificent cast-iron covered market hall built in 1874 by Giuseppe Mengoni, the stalls today sell everything from flowers and fresh fruit to meat, fish and cheese – with the odd fashion and souvenir stall too. You’ll also find a number of small cafés and eateries, making it the perfect place for breakfast or a light lunch.
Open Hours: Mon-Fri: 7am - 2pm
Sat: 7am - 2pm, 4pm - 7pm
Address: Via dell'Ariento 10-14
Phone: +39 055 214 070
Shopping
Via Maggio
The best antique and art shopping in Italy
Word to the wise: If you’re hoping to pick up some original Renaissance art, stop in at Guido Bartolozzi - Florence’s most famous antique shop. It’s at number 18.
There are few better places in Europe to go antique and art hunting than Florence - and there’s nowhere better in Florence than Via Maggio. In fact, with its long rows of antique shops displaying their wares out front, it feels more like an open-air museum than a street - somewhere you can spend half a day looking around. You’ll find oil paintings, marble statues and sculptures, tapestries, china figures, furniture, lamps and weaponry, dating mostly from between the 16th and 18th centuries, spread all along the street here.Open Hours: Most shops open daily: 9am - 7.30pm Address: Via Maggio Phone: Guido Bartolozzi: +39 055 215 602 Guido Bartolozzi's webpage
Restaurants
4 Leoni
A wonderful trattoria serving local specialties
Popular plate: Although it’s easy to fill up on the delicious mains and fresh bread, save space for the cheesecake, as it may be the best dessert you'll ever have.
Talk of the town: This restaurant is frequented by celebrities from around the world, so you may find yourself sat next to an A-List star.
Price sample: Three course meal: EUR 80-100 Open Hours: Daily: 12noon - 12midnight Address: Via de'Vellutini 1r Phone: +39 055 218 562 4 Leoni's webpage
Restaurants
Enoteca Pinchiorri
An exclusive, elegant (but expensive) eatery
Noteworthy for: Having one of the largest and best-stocked wine cellars in Europe - if not the world - with over 150,000 bottles of pricey Italian classics dating from 1906.
Word to the wise: As you might expect, this restaurant has a very strict dress code. Dinner jacket required.
The menu is comprised of true Tuscan specialties, cooked to perfection with the freshest ingredients, while the beautiful antique décor, the stylish dinnerware (made from fine china, crystal and silver) and the attentive service help to make this a night out you’ll never forget. You just have to be prepared to pay EUR 200 per head for a meal, plus another EUR 200 for a bottle of wine.
Price sample: Main course: EUR 70-90
Menu with five dishes: EUR 200
Open Hours: Tue-Sat: 7pm - 10pm
Address: Via Ghibellina 87
Phone: +39 055 242 757
Enoteca Pinchiorri's webpage
Restaurants
Trattoria Cibrčo
Stunning gourmet food at more affordable prices
Popular plate: It’s difficult to choose between all the sensational main dishes, but when it comes to dessert choose the Italian cheesecake with bitter orange sauce.
Word to the wise: There are no reservations here, so make sure you arrive at 7pm to be sure of a table for dinner.
Price sample: Main course: EUR 12-35 Open Hours: Tue-Sat: 1pm - 2.30pm, 7pm - 11.15pm Address: Via de' Macci 122R Phone: +39 055 234 1100 Trattoria Cibrčo's webpage
Bars & Nightlife
Sei Divino
An exceptional wine bar - and so much more
Noteworthy for: Having small, regional ‘aperitivi’ that change every night of the week. From Japanese classics to Mediterranean cuisine, you never quite know what you’re going to get.
Word to the wise: Strike up a conversation about wine with the owner Francesco - you'll learn a lot.
Price sample: Wine, glass: EUR 3-8
Age: 18
Open Hours: Mon-Sat: 12noon - 2am
Sun: 3pm - 2am
Address: Borgo Ognissanti 42/r
Phone: +39 055 217 791
Bars & Nightlife
Fusion Bar
A wonderful, contemporary wine and cocktail bar
Tipple of choice: The cocktail list here is exceptional. Highlights include La Vie en Rose (a rose-scented champagne concoction) and the Green Hornet (a blend of rum, beer and lime).
It might be located in the middle of an ancient city, but Fusion Bar is all about contemporary style. With an excellent assortment of fine wines, exotic cocktails and tasty bar snacks, all served in a fittingly avant-garde atmosphere (heavily influenced by local art and fashion), it's no surprise that Fusion Bar is one of Florence’s most popular hangouts for the rich and famous.If you have the appetite - and the budget - for it, you will also find a top-class restaurant here, serving a unique and award-winning blend of Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine.
Price sample: Cocktail: EUR 12
Snack: EUR 9-16
Age: 18
Open Hours: Daily: 12noon – 3.30pm, 7.30pm – 11pm
Cocktail bar, Daily: 7.30pm – 11.30pm
Address: Vicolo dell Oro 5
Phone: +39 055 2726 6987
Fusion Bar's webpage
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