Florence is a beautiful Italian city in Tuscany with traditional terracotta coloured buildings, breathtaking statues and artwork and interesting architecture.
Our day in Florence was jam-packed trying to get around all the sights and finding a few hidden gems of our own – away from the hustle and bustle of the well-travelled tourist trails.
Firstly, Florence is definitely a city to be seen from above. If you’re feeling fit, I’d recommend starting your day by climbing the Giotto Bell Tower, one of the four main monuments in Piazza del Duomo and adjacent to the cathedral. The Bell Tower is adorned in beautiful decoration, so it’s worth looking up and getting a snap.
So why did we choose to climb the bell tower rather than the Cathedral dome? Well, not only is the queue for the bell tower a lot shorter than that of the cathedral – probably because you have to climb up a gruelling 414 steps – but in my opinion, the view is also more spectacular as you get the spectacular panoramic views with the magnificence of the cathedral dome in them. From the top of the Bell Tower, you can see for miles across the sea of terracotta roofs and appreciate the beauty of the Tuscany region. The dome can truly be admired in all its magnificence from up here, it’s a great viewpoint from which you can sit and reflect.
Back down on the ground there are plenty of shops and restaurants to visit. Try out some authentic Italian cuisine or take a cooling break from the midday sun with a gelato. We walked around admiring the interesting architecture of the different churches and looking at the intricate work involved in creating the statues that line the squares before stopping for an afternoon cocktail.
After exploring the main part of the city we headed to the famous medieval bridge, Ponte Vecchio, which spans the river Arno. Here we found a collection of unique and interesting shops selling a range of fine jewellry. As you walk across the bridge you can imagine what it would be like to take a step back in time and imagine the merchants selling their gold and silver to the wealthy Florentines. Half way across there are two terraces enabling you to look out from the bridge across the river.
Once we had crossed the bridge we walked along the bank of the river Arno toward Piazzale Michelangelo. We made our way up the hill through the rose garden, full of beautiful flowers and trees, until we reached the famous Michelangelo steps which is a great spot to sit down and look across the city as the sun goes down. At the top of the hill we also found a lovely local market selling a range of foods, souvenirs and sweet treats, which was near to the bronze replica of Michelangelo’s David.
We had a wonderful time in Florence admiring the beautiful city, especially from above. The Bell Tower and Piazzale Michelangelo are worth the climbs for the panoramic views you get across the city. We ended our day by celebrating with an authentic Italian meal in a family-run restaurant that was kindly suggested to us by our Air Bnb host!
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