Welcome to Hotels and Getaways

Filled with story, graphics and civilization, Florence is a city that’s very hard to do justice to in a single day. A inspect to the Uffizi museum alone could easily eat a day or two into any route.

If you’re good enough to visit Florence for the first time, but unfortunate enough to have only a single day to taste the delights of this city, you will require to find out that you have a program.

The first thing you’ll require before you beginning your tour is a map of the city. The centre of Florence is pretty packed, so the easiest way to experience it, without dropping a thing is by foot. If you don’t have a map or a guidebook and you’re not the type that loves aimless rambling, make your first stop of the day one of the tourist offices where you can choice up a free map of Florence.

Starting off in the grand Piazza, you’ll easily spot the well-known Duomo, with its impressive terracotta coloured cupola. If you are there early plenty to avoid the gangs and feel you can face the 463 steps You are commended starting your tour by mounting up into dome for a stunning view of the city. The Duomo is likely the most characteristic feature of Florence’s skyline and is the result of years of work sweeping six centuries.

One Time you’ve received in the opinion, catch your breath with a easygoing stroll around the streets surrounding the Duomo, and then have a walk to the nearby Piazza della Signoria. Here you’ll find a particular outdoor gallery of sculpts, including Neptune’s Fountain and a copy of the famous Statue of David. You’ll also find the Palazzo Vecchio (the Old Palace) here. This was constructed in the early 14th century and is still used today for its special determination, as a Town Hall.

Merely beside the Palazzo you’ll find the Uffizi museum, with its unrivalled aggregation of Renaissance art. If you’re an art lover, you don’t want to miss the Uffizi, but it’s not something that can be easy handled in a short 2-hour see!

Alongside the Uffizi you’ll find the River Arno, with its many bridges. If you take a exact turn you’ll arrive at the Ponte Vecchio, the best-known bridge that houses a multitude of goldsmiths and jewellery stores, with its medieval workshops beetling the bridge over. The bridge itself was built in 1345 and is the only bridge on the Arno that wasn’t finished in World War II.

Once you’ve crossed the bridge, you’ll arrive in the area called Oltrano, which literally stands for Over the Arno. Here you’ll find the Palazzo Pitti a large 16th century castle. The palace was originally home to the Medici family who dominated Florence almost continuously between 1434 and 1743 and it now houses various most-valuable museums and galleries.

You may want to complete your day by holding a relaxing stroll in the Boboli gardens, which can be accessed through the Palazzo Pitti. These gardens were laid out in 1550 for the Medici a year after they bought the Palazzo Pitti and were spread to the public in 1766. Many parts of the gardens give brilliant vistas over Florence and make a welcome move back after a day of walking round the city.

If you have the time, it’s worth returning to view the Ponte Vecchio at sunset, followed by a walk along the bridge over after dusk, when the lights on the bridge reflect on the River Arno and everything seems virtually charming.

Finally, don’t forget to take a break from your sightseeing stop for lunch or a drink in a pavement caf, take some time to soak up the atmosphere and do a spot of people watching.