From the Middle Ages to the present day, Piazza della Signoria, between Piazza del Duomo and the…read moreArno River, is the beating heart of the historic center of Florence with its distinctive L-shape, which my partner, our friends, family member, and I visited in mid-September. Palazzo Vecchio, the traditional seat of the Florentine government, with its distinctive tower, is yet another symbol of the city. In front stands a copy of Michelangelo's David (the original can be seen at the Accademia Gallery). One of the most impressive squares we've ever seen! The piazza looks like an outdoor museum, full of iconic statues and history in every corner. One can't miss the Fountain of Neptune that was commissioned to celebrate a Medici marriage. It is a colossal statue of Neptune, the Roman god of the sea and the counterpart of the Greek god Poseidon. The atmosphere is vibrant and lively with both tourists and locals, perfect to enjoy both during the day and at night. Definitely a must-see in Florence!

Nice gathering place next to Ponte Vecchio. There's a beautiful fountain here and plenty of places…read moreto gather and dine. I love these Italian palazzos!

Definitely need a tour guide to truly appreciate this masterpiece. We went with "Florence by…read moreElvis". Michelangelo spent three years behind a fence creating David, in the rain and sun, sleeping on the ground next to his sculpture in progress. The space between his legs was already in the marble which was shaped like the letter B when he got it. It was originally supposed to be placed at the top of the Cathedral. The eyes are in the shape of a heart so when the sun struck it it shone. So many more details, too many to explain here. Also in the same museum is the first painting that sparked the Renaissance. A definite must see!

Not bad. Upside:…read moredramatic example of Renaissance style, realistic body modeling, expressive, iconic. Downside: "iconic" is Italian for "you've totally seen this before." You'll be all "I have to see David" and then when you get there you'll be all "I totally have seen this a billion times, usually he's standing over a fountain and water's coming out of his dick or something." No water, no fountain, just rock with the parts that don't look like a naked guy gone. Don't get me wrong, I like art, it's just that sculpture technology has come a long way since they made this one. (Apparently circumcision technology has come a long way too if you know what I mean. Haven't seen a hood that white since my last Klan meeting, haha, jk, racism is bad). In Vegas they have a sculpture of a volcano that actually erupts every hour. Rain Forest Cafe has bug sculptures that flap their wings. This guy just stands there with his wang looking like it's wearing a marble raincoat. Unless you're into that sort of thing, no judgment. Ample parking. No Jumbotron.

If you're spending any real time in Florence, you're pretty likely to cross the Ponte Vecchio,…read morewhich spans the Arno and more or less connects Palazzo Pitti to the Duomo. You'd walk it even if it were just any old bridge, but it is in fact The Old Bridge: a medieval stone arch bridge, and the only bridge in Florence to survive World War II. We never made a point of visiting Ponte Vecchio, but we walked across it several times during our two days in town. It's a lovely bridge, with shops built onto both sides--I guess this was a common thing in medieval times. The shops give the bridge an interesting building block look from the outside, and form a vibrant commercial corridor within. No car traffic, but plenty of pedestrians at all times. Most of the shops on Ponte Vecchio seem to sell gold jewelry. I recognized a few chain jewelers, but I think those were in the minority. I doubt Ponte Vecchio is the place to get a good deal on gold jewelry, but if you want a gold souvenir from Florence, it's probably worth a browse. We didn't shop on Ponte Vecchio, but we enjoyed the bridge as a bridge, a practical monument full of beauty and history. It offers prime views of the city and is, of course, a marvel in itself. We enjoyed seeing the shops open, but the bridge was even prettier at night, when they were closed. The storefronts all had these wood shutters that made them look like treasure chests. So charming. We were in Florence in mid-November and saw the Christmas lights go up over Ponte Vecchio but didn't stay long enough to see them turn on. I'll bet this bridge is magical during Christmas, but it's not like it isn't special all year round. It's one of the places that makes Florence Florence.

If you came to Ponte Vecchio without any context, it's pretty underwhelming. However, upon further…read moreAI deep dive, you'll learn it's the oldest bridge in Florence (1345) that survived WWII and once had butchers and fishmongers along the bridge, but were later replaced by goldsmiths and jewelers. While the original medieval vendors no longer exist, the bridge is still lined with goldsmiths and jewelry shops today. For the best experience, don't just walk across the bridge, take it in from different angles. My favorite view is from the riverbanks, but many prefer seeing it from a distance at Ponte Santa Trinita.

Absolutely gorgeous place to visit. Please go inside if you have the chance but if you don't, the…read moreexterior is absolutely gorgeous. The areas has a lot of hotels (pretty obviously, since the train station is right across the street, on the back side of the church) and quite a few places to eat and drink. Two wine windows are in the area and my best friends favorite gelato shop, you can see from the square.

This review is merely for the exterior and a bit of the surrounding area. I read that they offer…read moretours inside, but we did not have time for one. This church was near our hotel and I wanted to at least see it as I'd taken an architecture course once in college that covered it. The back of the church is close to the front of the main Florence train station, separated by a wide street with multiple light rail tracks. You need to walk around to the far side (from the station) to see the façade, which is the famous view. There are businesses flanking one side of the church (hotels, restaurants, and other shops). There was some booth set up where people attempted to flag down passing pedestrians (I'm not sure if it was some political thing or they were eventually asking for donations, etc.; we escaped without hearing their pitch). Also around the front of the church there were African guys selling trinkets or attempting to engage tourists to sell something. These guys were fairly common throughout downtown Florence, actually. In front of the church is a large plaza which provides good longer-range unobstructed views for photos. The front of the church is sort of a 'late Gothic transitioning into the Renaissance' style. It is quite striking and worth a short detour on your way to the city center. The best lighting for photos seemed to be in the mid to late afternoon.

Giotto's Bell Tower is one of Florence's most iconic landmarks and absolutely worth the climb…read more Standing tall right next to the Duomo, its Gothic design and intricate marble work make it stunning to admire from the outside. But the real highlight comes when you brave the 414 steps to the top with no elevator, just narrow winding stairs that add to the experience. Each level offers stopping points with windows where you can catch your breath while enjoying unique views of the cathedral and the city below. Once you reach the very top, the panoramic views of Florence, with the Duomo's dome right in front of you, are nothing short of breathtaking. FWIW, we did this tower prior to climbing up the dome as a warm up of sorts and did help though based upon your day/energy levels please plan the two ascents wisely. Tickets are usually bundled with the Duomo complex pass, and it's a good idea to book them in advance since the climb is popular and spots can fill up. If you're up for a workout and want some of the best views in Florence, this is something you can't miss.

Was it wise to immediately do this tour/walk right after the 'Opera' that's next to this?…read more(Not when you're over the hill and lazy... like myself.) Regardless - this is ANOTHER fantastic structure that's so rich with history and meaning and the views at each level get more and more breathtaking. Those 400+ steps are savage and only slightly easier coming back down. (As talented and advanced as the artists and architects were centuries ago - they didn't have the foresight to create a second staircase so we wouldn't have to continually bump into each other coming-and-going in the present day?! Sheesh!) Another official "Amazing!" place to visit, get enriched, kill an hour or so, and burn more than few calories.

Do you find the Medici family interesting? I do…read more The Fontana del Nettuno, the Neptune Fountain, was commissioned by Cosimo I de' Medici to celebrate the wedding of his son, Francesco, to the Grand Duchess Joanna of Austria. It also memorialized his power in Florence as a patron of the arts and a political prowess. The fountain was commissioned after he had brought clean water to Florence and on the occasion of bringing two families together. Imagine being a new bride and seeing a mammoth marble statue of your future father-in-law in all his glory. Think about it. The fountain itself is stunning. Cosimo, as Neptune, perched on a shell shaped horse drawn chariot surrounded by dolphins, Putti cherubs, women, men and fauns. So interesting. Thank you to our tour guide, Roberta, who brought shared the story of this fountain on the tour of Firenze.

These sculptures are pretty amazing. Add in the water spouting from them and it's a cool artistic…read morepiece standing outside for anyone to enjoy. Whats not to love? Free and cool to stare at!

This is the oldest standing building in Florence. Likely part of city wall in byzantine times…read more It is now part of the Hotel Brunelleschi, rooms of this tower go for about €1300+/- a night. There's a small museum with some ceramics found during the restoration, some as old as the days of the young Florence, or Florentia as it was called, dating back to the first century! There's an underground level where the ruins of the Roman public baths can be visited. In the late 1200's it was a female jail, the name of this tower derives from the straw mattresses the inmates used to sleep in.