Florence Holiday Guide what to see and do

Ponte Vecchio    

This famous Bridge is the oldest in Florence, its first construction already existed before the 11th century but was destroyed by a flood of the river Arno. The bridge was rebuilt in solid stone in 1345. Now the bridge hosts mostly upmarket shops.

The San Lorenzo Market
The Central San Lorenzo Market is housed inside a very large iron and glass building that was built in 1874. On the ground floor there are several delicatessens, selling Florentine and Tuscan delicaciest. On the first floor there are flower stalls and fruit and vegetable stalls where all the local seasonal produce is displayed.

Palazzo Pitti
This palace was built for the banker Luca Pitti halfway through the fifteenth century. After he went bankrupt, the building became the Medici family residence. The family improved the building, starting with the large courtyard designed by Ammaniti. The Medici collected their Baroque and Renaissance art collections here, which can now be viewed in the Palatina Gallery. The Palace contains other important museums too: the gallery of Modern Art, the Silver Museum and the Costume Gallery.

Piazza della Signoria                                                                                       At the the Piazza della Signoria you will find a host of delights: Palazzo Vecchio, with its sixteenth-century hall full of frescoes by Vasari, the Fountain of Neptune by Ammannati, and the copy of Michelangelo's David all welcome you when you enter the square. On the right-hand of the square there is the Loggia della Signoria that contains some fine statues such as the bronze Perseo by Cellini and il Ratto delle Sabine by Gianbologna.

Spedale degli Innocenti
This building was opened in 1445, and was the first orphanage in Europe. A part of the building is still used for this purpose today. The portico, built by Brunelleschi, is decorated with glazed terracotta spheres that represent new-born children. It is still possible to see the "wheel" in the portico, a turning stone cylinder where mothers placed their unwanted children, who were then turned round to the inside of the building.

Giardino di Boboli
The Boboli Gardens spread out alongside Palazzo Pitti. They were both created on the wishes of the Medici family in 1500. If you take a walk through the wonderful Renaissance gardens, you can see the magnificent monuments such as the amphitheater, the Grotta del Buontalenti, and the small island with the statues of the dancing country-folk.