People rave about the Italian city of Florence, but it lives up to the hype. An ancient city that has art, and culture at its centre, and a landscape that is largely untouched by modernity.
Located in the heart of the Tuscany region of Italy, Florence as so much to offer from great works of art, to huge rolling gardens, busy town squares filled with vendors and so many amazing restaurants, cafes and sandwich shops.
Dominating the cities landscape is the huge Santa Maria del Fiore, which has the largest brick and mortar dome in the world. The massive cathedral was built between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries. It’s not that you get up close that you realise that its exterior is built out of bands of red, white and green marble, echoing the Italian flag.
Other sites to see include the town square, the Piazza della Signoria, recognizable from so many movies, you can’t help but look for Dr Hannibal Lecter walking by.
A little further along in the Ponte Vecchio, the medieval bridge that is lined with tiny shops on both sides, while a private walkway is build it above. The Vasari Corridor is a walkway that connects one side of the city to the other, it was used by nobility so they didn’t have to mix with the riff-raff.
Across the river is the massive Pallazzo Pitti, a huge palace which has some of the most amazing rooms with ornate ceilings and priceless art works. The palace also hosts a range of exhibitions, when we visited there was a presentation of amazing clothes worn by some of Italy’s most stylish women of the 20th century.
Outside is the expansive Boboli Gardens, walking from one end to the other will give you a serious work out, set aside four to five hours to wander through the different gardens filled with clipped hedges and grand fountains, some areas are well manicured while other sections embrace a natural wildness.
From the top of the gardens you can look across the Tuscan landscape, you’ll swear it’s an oil painting that sits before you, so beautiful is the landscape.
Food is a big part of a trip to Florence, the city is filled with great café and restaurants. One thing to check out is the sandwich shop All’ Antico Vinaio, it’s so popular people queue up down the street. Once you make it inside a giant signs warns you that the sandwich makers consider it sacrilegious to mix meats. You’ll end up with giant sandwich made with fresh bread, your choice of meat and filled with eggplant, tomatoes, cheeses and all manner of toppings.
Spend a few days wandering the streets, eating gelato, wondering through museums and art galleries or just stare off across the landscape watching the sunsets.
Graeme Watson
