Florence Travel

Overview
Florence has been long known as one of Italy's most beautiful cities, and its ties to the Renaissance are obvious as soon as one sets foot in the city. Brunelleschi's Duomo is the most apparent architectural wonder your eyes will meet upon entering the city, a piece of architecture that becomes more and more beautiful the closer you get to it. The Duomo is located in the Plaza del Duomo, just southeast of the train station. The Plaza del Duomo is the beginning of the city's center that stretches south to the river. This is the main tourist district, boasting the majority of preserved medieval and renaissance art and architecture. Florence's center is very compact and could likely be traversed from one side to the other in just a 30-minute walk.

Historical and Architectural Attractions
A trip to Florence would not be complete without a visit to the Duomo di Firenze. The beautiful cathedral and dome were designed by Brunelleschi during Europe's Renaissance, and a statue of Brunelleschi stands in front of the cathedral looking up at the dome. Another historical and architectural attraction is the Palazzo Vacchio, once Florence's city hall. The palace is now a gallery of fine art, and a replica of Michelangelo's Statue of David stands in front of the building's main door. In southern Florence you'll find the Ponte Vecchio stretching over the Arno River, the only bridge in the city that survived the Second World War. Finally, to see the tombs of such notable figures as Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Dante, visit the Santa Croce church.