Tuscany Review
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    • Scenic Towns of Tuscany >
      • Hill Towns of Tuscany >
        • San Gimignano
        • Pienza
        • Volterra
        • Montepulciano
        • Cortona
        • Montalcino
        • Monterchi
        • Monteriggioni
        • Massa Marittima
        • San Miniato
        • Fiesole
        • Roccatederighi
      • Seaside Towns in Tuscany >
        • Viareggio
        • Castiglione della Pescaia
        • Forte dei Marmi
        • Porto Santo Stefano
        • Porto Ercole
        • Orbetello
        • Rosignano Marittimo
        • San Vincenzo
        • Follonica
      • Orange Flag Towns of Tuscany >
        • Pitigliano
        • Chiusi
        • Santa Fiora Amiata
        • Casciana Terme
        • Lari
        • Sarteano
        • Certaldo
        • Castiglion Fiorentino
        • Trequanda
        • Radicofani
        • Peccioli
        • Casale Marittimo
        • Barberino Val d'Elsa
        • Cutigliano
        • Casole d'Elsa
      • Tuscany's Borghi Piu Belli d'Italia >
        • Giglio Castello
        • Sovana
        • San Casciano dei Bagni
        • Castiglione di Garfagnana
        • Coreglia Antelminelli
        • Lucignano
        • Poppi
        • Castelfranco Piandisco
        • Suvereto
        • Buonconvento
        • Montescudaio
        • Scarperia
        • Anghiari
        • Montemerano
        • Barga
        • Loro Ciuffenna
      • Historic Towns of Tuscany >
        • Vinci
        • Pietrasanta
        • Colle di Val d'Elsa
        • Pontremoli
        • Asciano
        • Sorano
        • Bagni di Lucca
        • Reggello
        • Chianciano Terme
        • Sansepolcro
        • Pomarance
        • Borgo San Lorenzo
        • Castelnuovo di Garfagnana
        • San Quirico d'Orcia
      • Pretty Villages of Tuscany >
        • Lajatico
        • Borgo a Mozzano
        • Ponzanello
        • Panzano in Chianti
        • Castiglione d'Orcia
        • Mammiano
        • Montemassi
        • Prata
      • Vineyard Towns of Tuscany >
        • Greve in Chianti
        • Bolgheri
        • Radda in Chianti
        • Carmignano
    • Beach Resorts of Tuscany >
      • Castiglioncello
      • Lido di Camaiore
      • Marina di Cecina
      • Marina di Pietrasanta
      • Marina di Pisa
      • Talamone
      • Marina di Bibbona
      • Baratti
      • Punta Ala
      • Marina di Massa
      • Tirrenia
      • Quercianella
      • Marina di Carrara
    • Beaches of Tuscany >
      • Cala delle Caldane Beach
      • Cala delle Cannelle Beach
      • Cala Spalmatoio
      • Cala del Leone
      • Arenella Beach
      • Campese Beach
      • Spiagge Bianche
      • Le Rocchette
      • Ansedonia
    • Religious Sites of Tuscany >
      • Abbey of Sant'Antimo
      • La Verna
      • Abbey of San Galgano
      • Vallombrosa Abbey
      • Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore
      • San Vivaldo
      • Certosa di Pontignano
    • The Tuscan Archipelago (Arcipelago Toscano) >
      • Elba
      • Giglio
      • Capraia
      • Pianosa
      • Giannutri
      • Montecristo
      • Gorgona
    • Parks & Nature Reserves of Tuscany >
      • Appennino Tosco-Emiliano National Park
      • Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona & Campigna National Park
      • Migliarino San Rossore Nature Park
      • Parco di Pratolino
      • Calafuria Nature Reserve
    • Landmarks of Tuscany >
      • Ponte della Maddalena
      • Lake Bilancino
      • Lake Santa Luce
      • Monte Amiata
    • Natural Spas of Tuscany >
      • Saturnia
      • Bagno Vignoni
      • Bagni San Filippo
    • UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Tuscany >
      • Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany >
        • Medici Villa La Ferdinanda - Artimino
        • Medici Villa Poggio a Caiano
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      • Abetone
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      • Pisa Airport
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      • Piombino
      • Giglio Porto
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      • Metropolitan City of Florence
      • Arezzo Province
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      • Pistoia Province
      • Prato Province
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    • Mountain & Valley Regions of Tuscany >
      • Val d'Orcia
      • Chianti
      • Maremma
      • Casentino
      • Garfagnana
      • Mugello
      • Alpi Apuane Regional Park
      • Val d'Elsa
      • Monte Argentario
      • Crete Senesi
      • Monti dell'Uccellina
      • Val di Cecina
      • Valdichiana
    • Versilia

Florence

Florence


At the heart of Tuscany lies the jewel of the Renaissance, the city of Florence. Known in Italian as Firenze, this is the capital city of the region with a population of 378,839. 

​In terms of numbers it's only the 8th biggest city in Italy but when it comes to things to see, it's almost beyond compare. 

The starting point for any tour of Florence is the Piazza Duomo where you'll find Florence Cathedral (Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore), topped with Brunelleschi's famous dome. 
You can climb up to the dome of the cathedral and get one of the best views of the city, or alternatively, scale Giotto's Bell Tower which is slightly shorter, slightly easier and on the same piazza. ​Also on Piazza Duomo is the beautiful Florence Baptistery with its marble exterior matching that of the cathedral. 

This is a city where you really can see everything on foot if you're fit enough and just a short walk from Piazza Duomo you'll find the famous bridge, Ponte Vecchio, one of the symbols of Florence. From there you can walk across the River Arno and visit the expansive Boboli Gardens, which is often held up as the best example of a real Italian garden.  

Back on the other side of the river there's the enormous Uffizi Gallery with its endless corridors of mainly Renaissance art work including the likes of Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Caravaggio and Rembrandt to name-drop just a few. There are also dozens of other galleries and museums in the city, among which is the Palazzo Vecchio which stands proudly on Piazza della Signoria, bustling day and night with its bars and restaurants always busy. 

Such are the riches of Florence that I can get this far without mentioning the Statue of David. There are in fact two David statues, the real one in the Galleria dell'Accademia with the impostor keeping a watching brief on events outside the Palazzo Vecchio. 

​Another key area of Florence is Santa Maria Novella where you'll find a Basilica and square of the same name. This is also the location of the city's most important train station and transport hub. From Stazione Santa Maria Novella you can take a train to the major cities of Italy or just outside the station, use the bus system to make your way around the city's itself. Also located here is the tram stop, Unità, from where you can take a tram ride to Florence Airport, a journey of around 23 minutes.

There is so much more to say about Florence which is why it has its own website, Florence Review, that you can find the link for below. 
Florence Review

Category: Cities of Tuscany

Administrative area: Metropolitan City of Florence

Population: 378,839

Highlights: Florence Cathedral, Uffizi Gallery, Giotto's Bell Tower

Close by: Fiesole, Mugello, Scarperia, Lake Bilancino, Certaldo

Recommended accommodation: Hotel Spadai
By train: Rome - 1 hr 25, Milan - 1 hr 48, Venice - 2 hrs 6 mins
​
​
By tram: ​​Florence Airport - 23 minutes
By car: Siena - 1 hr 10, Pisa - 1 hr 24, Lucca - 1 hr 45, 
​
​
By air: Florence Airport (8 km), 23 minutes by tram, 30 mins by car


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Tuscany Review is part of the Italy Review network of websites, aimed at making life easier for English-speaking people travelling throughout Italy.
For advice on other locations in Italy please visit my websites below:
Capri Island Review
Procida Review
Ischia Review
Veneto Review
Sorrento Review
Abruzzo Review
Amalfi Coast Review
Basilicata Review

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​All photos and images on the site that are marked with the © copyright symbol or with the Tuscany Review logo are the property of Tuscany Review and must not be used elsewhere without prior permission. All written content on the website is the property of Tuscany Review and its use is strictly limited to this website alone. 
  • Home
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    • The Italy Review Network >
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  • Things to see in Tuscany
    • Cities of Tuscany >
      • Florence
      • Pisa
      • Siena
      • Lucca
      • Arezzo
      • Prato
      • Pistoia
      • Livorno
      • Grosseto
      • Massa
      • Carrara
    • Scenic Towns of Tuscany >
      • Hill Towns of Tuscany >
        • San Gimignano
        • Pienza
        • Volterra
        • Montepulciano
        • Cortona
        • Montalcino
        • Monterchi
        • Monteriggioni
        • Massa Marittima
        • San Miniato
        • Fiesole
        • Roccatederighi
      • Seaside Towns in Tuscany >
        • Viareggio
        • Castiglione della Pescaia
        • Forte dei Marmi
        • Porto Santo Stefano
        • Porto Ercole
        • Orbetello
        • Rosignano Marittimo
        • San Vincenzo
        • Follonica
      • Orange Flag Towns of Tuscany >
        • Pitigliano
        • Chiusi
        • Santa Fiora Amiata
        • Casciana Terme
        • Lari
        • Sarteano
        • Certaldo
        • Castiglion Fiorentino
        • Trequanda
        • Radicofani
        • Peccioli
        • Casale Marittimo
        • Barberino Val d'Elsa
        • Cutigliano
        • Casole d'Elsa
      • Tuscany's Borghi Piu Belli d'Italia >
        • Giglio Castello
        • Sovana
        • San Casciano dei Bagni
        • Castiglione di Garfagnana
        • Coreglia Antelminelli
        • Lucignano
        • Poppi
        • Castelfranco Piandisco
        • Suvereto
        • Buonconvento
        • Montescudaio
        • Scarperia
        • Anghiari
        • Montemerano
        • Barga
        • Loro Ciuffenna
      • Historic Towns of Tuscany >
        • Vinci
        • Pietrasanta
        • Colle di Val d'Elsa
        • Pontremoli
        • Asciano
        • Sorano
        • Bagni di Lucca
        • Reggello
        • Chianciano Terme
        • Sansepolcro
        • Pomarance
        • Borgo San Lorenzo
        • Castelnuovo di Garfagnana
        • San Quirico d'Orcia
      • Pretty Villages of Tuscany >
        • Lajatico
        • Borgo a Mozzano
        • Ponzanello
        • Panzano in Chianti
        • Castiglione d'Orcia
        • Mammiano
        • Montemassi
        • Prata
      • Vineyard Towns of Tuscany >
        • Greve in Chianti
        • Bolgheri
        • Radda in Chianti
        • Carmignano
    • Beach Resorts of Tuscany >
      • Castiglioncello
      • Lido di Camaiore
      • Marina di Cecina
      • Marina di Pietrasanta
      • Marina di Pisa
      • Talamone
      • Marina di Bibbona
      • Baratti
      • Punta Ala
      • Marina di Massa
      • Tirrenia
      • Quercianella
      • Marina di Carrara
    • Beaches of Tuscany >
      • Cala delle Caldane Beach
      • Cala delle Cannelle Beach
      • Cala Spalmatoio
      • Cala del Leone
      • Arenella Beach
      • Campese Beach
      • Spiagge Bianche
      • Le Rocchette
      • Ansedonia
    • Religious Sites of Tuscany >
      • Abbey of Sant'Antimo
      • La Verna
      • Abbey of San Galgano
      • Vallombrosa Abbey
      • Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore
      • San Vivaldo
      • Certosa di Pontignano
    • The Tuscan Archipelago (Arcipelago Toscano) >
      • Elba
      • Giglio
      • Capraia
      • Pianosa
      • Giannutri
      • Montecristo
      • Gorgona
    • Parks & Nature Reserves of Tuscany >
      • Appennino Tosco-Emiliano National Park
      • Foreste Casentinesi, Monte Falterona & Campigna National Park
      • Migliarino San Rossore Nature Park
      • Parco di Pratolino
      • Calafuria Nature Reserve
    • Landmarks of Tuscany >
      • Ponte della Maddalena
      • Lake Bilancino
      • Lake Santa Luce
      • Monte Amiata
    • Natural Spas of Tuscany >
      • Saturnia
      • Bagno Vignoni
      • Bagni San Filippo
    • UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Tuscany >
      • Medici Villas and Gardens in Tuscany >
        • Medici Villa La Ferdinanda - Artimino
        • Medici Villa Poggio a Caiano
    • Ski Resorts of Tuscany >
      • Abetone
  • Travel
    • Tuscany Airports >
      • Pisa Airport
      • Florence Airport
    • Sea Ports of Tuscany >
      • Piombino
      • Giglio Porto
  • Tuscany Hotels
  • Tuscany
    • Provinces of Tuscany >
      • Metropolitan City of Florence
      • Arezzo Province
      • Grosseto Province
      • Livorno Province
      • Lucca Province
      • Massa & Carrara Province
      • Pisa Province
      • Pistoia Province
      • Prato Province
      • Siena Province
    • Mountain & Valley Regions of Tuscany >
      • Val d'Orcia
      • Chianti
      • Maremma
      • Casentino
      • Garfagnana
      • Mugello
      • Alpi Apuane Regional Park
      • Val d'Elsa
      • Monte Argentario
      • Crete Senesi
      • Monti dell'Uccellina
      • Val di Cecina
      • Valdichiana
    • Versilia