There’s just something about the way the summer light fades across the Tuscan hills above Florence, glowing ochre and orange on the tops of the great Renaissance cathedrals. There is something effortlessly romantic about the sight of the Ponte Vecchio, arched over the gurgling Arno River. There’s something enchanting about getting lost in the Centro Storico, strutting down shady alleys this way, happening upon the great marble facades of the Duomo. Welcome to Florence – the undisputed masterpiece of central Italy.
Florence is known worldwide as the cradle of the Renaissance, and it hosts seminal works in the history of Western civilisation. Take the great Uffizi Gallery, which houses Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and da Vinci’s Adoration of the Magi. Consider the Galleria dell’Accademia, which exhibits the largest number of sculptures by Michelangelo, with the prized David among them.
But Florence is also an open-air exhibit of art and culture, and a luxury apartment in the city centre is the best way to experience it all. The Duomo has been hailed as the most exquisite achievement of European architecture through the ages. Find its two-toned marble exterior and mighty terracotta dome flanked by towers designed by the great Giotto, all set right in the heart of the old city. Nearby, the Ponte Vecchio bridge spans the water, its Medici-era cobbles and old jewel workshops still beckoning passersby.
As evening approaches, do as the locals do and take to the aperitif bars of Santo Spirito district south of the river. They’re interspersed with Tuscan trattoria selling hearty porchetta and the best carpaccio you’ll ever find. Up above, the Boboli Gardens are manicured lookout points overlooking the sea of red-tiled roofs and the cathedral domes in the distance.
Of course, the city’s other great pull is that it is the capital of and gateway to the greater Florence Area and the stunning Tuscany region. Book a luxury apartment in Florence and enjoy day trips to the legendary wine valleys of Chianti, the hot springs of the Val d’Orcia, or the pretty villages of Siena.
See
- The iconic Florence Duomo, a neo-Gothic masterpiece
- The medieval Ponte Vecchio
- Panoramic views from the hilltop Piazza Michelangelo
Experience
- View the masterworks of the Uffizi Gallery
- Sip an aperitif in the bustling neighbourhood of Santo Spirito
- Taste delicious wines from the world-renowned Tuscany region
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