The world-renowned Bottega Veneta has its headquarters in Vincenza. There are lots of gorgeous leather goods: take your pick from wallets, bags, suitcases and belts. The prices here are also more reasonable than in other parts of Italy.
The shop is situated within walking distance of the Rialto Bridge, on the same side as San Bortolomio on Calle Ramo Fontego dei Tedeschi. It lives up to its name and is truly a "temple of music," with a collection of lyric sheets and scores to take your breath away. If you can not find something, you can order it, and a telephone call will inform you of its arrival in a couple of days. The young owner knows his stuff and could find his way around the collection blindfolded. It is impossible to leave this shop without a treasure.
First opened in the middle of the 13th century, this museum's collection was expanded up until the 16th Century. It houses the Assunta and the Madonna di Cà Pesaro, both by Titian, as well as the Madonna by Giovanni Bellini, which is found in the chapel. The funeral monument to Titian, Canova and Francesco Foscari, is also here, as is the tomb of Monteverdi. The exhibition space is quite large. Call for admission details.
Contact Information: Campo dei Frari, (Campo dei Frari), 30125 Venezia, Italy +39 041 272 8611
This stunning building was built in the Renaissance, but displays traces of successive interventions up until the baroque period. Scuola Grande Arciconfraternita di San Rocco is often used as a concert hall, and is next to the San Rocco Church with which it is often mistaken. It is dedicated to Rocco, who cured the sick during the 14th-century plague. The interior decoration of the school was entrusted to Jacopo Tintoretto, whose works, such as the Allegories, Life and Passion of Christ, and episodes from the Old and New Testaments can be admired. Among the most famous displays are The Annuciation, The Epiphany, and The Flight to Egypt. It is open throughout the year except for a few occasions. However the open hours may vary according to the months, so visit the website for details.
Contact Information: San Polo 3052, 30125 Venezia, Italy +39 041 523 4864
In addition to the exhibition of primitive art, there are displays of modern art, where you will find works by young aspiring and established artists. Particularly interesting are the new trends in art which are represented, be it in painting, sculpture or digital art.
The Palazzo Grassi museum is situated in an imposing palace designed by Massari, right opposite Cà Rezzonico. Formerly a center for arts, the Fiat group had it restored by Gae Aulenti and then transformed it into an exhibition center of international importance. Thus, the venue plays host to cultural events from time to time. Guided tours are available as well. Check website for more details on current and upcoming exhibits.
Contact Information: Campo San Samuele 3231 , 30124 Venice , Italy +39 041 523 1680
Museo d’Arte Orientale Ca' Pesaro displays clothes, weapons, musical instruments, and Chinese porcelain. The artefacts are all from the 17th-18th centuries, which was the Iedo period in Japanese history. The collection of arms is absolutely remarkable. Visit the website for more information.
This church, started in the 14th Century, is situated in the Campo Santa Margherita area, not far from Piazza Roma and the university. At present, like many long established Venetian structures, it has a 16th-century façade, a 14th-century Gothic one, and an interior of the same peculiar mix. Paintings by Lorenzo Lotto and Cima da Conegliano adorn the walls.
Contact Information: Campo del Carmini, 30123 Venezia, Italy +39 041 522 6553
Just around the corner from the Galleria dell'Accademia, on the Grand Canal is one of Venice's premier museums. Peggy Guggenheim, a wealthy American, was interested in contemporary art and came into contact with various artists who guided and educated her, including Alexander Calder and Marcel Duchamp. This museum houses a collection of contemporary art, including works by Bacon, Balla, Brancusi, and Chagall. You'll also find masterpieces of De Chirico, Kandinsky, Klee, and El Lissitskj, Magritte, Man Ray, Picasso, and Pollock. Images of Guggenheim's gallery in New York are also on display. The restaurant, with outdoor tables, which overlook the gardens, offers delicious food.
If you find yourself in Calle Larga XXII Marzo, opposite Carnevale, you will see the gorgeous Bruno Magli: the place for well-made, internationally renowned footwear. Not only are the shoes of commendable quality, but they are fashionable as well. From casual shoes to evening wear, you will find all you need right here! You can also browse through their exquisite collection of hand purses and bags for women. Venice is known for its small shops and boutiques, but Bruno Magli has a considerable amount of space to display its wares. Check website for more details.
Contact Information: Sestiere San Marco 1302, 30124 Venice , Italy +39 041 522 7210
A Guide in Venice helps you discover, explore and delve into the details of the histories and mysteries of this paradise on water. All three tour guides, each one a through professional and a true Venetian at heart, can help you know Venice beyond your personal exploration and borrowed knowledge. Although the guides prefer lone tourists or groups of about fifteen or so - tours for larger groups can also be arranged. First-timers to Venice can acquaint themselves with important landmarks and local culture and delights. While obsessed lovers of the city are sure to find great company in the tour guides as fellow travelers with whom you can analyze and discuss the joys and beauty of this unforgettable experience!
Contact Information: Throughout the City, 30125 Venezia, Italy +39 347 803 8793
This non-profit exhibition space is located in the hotspot location-very near Campo Santo Stefano, Grassi Palace and the Levi Foundation. A+A mainly features temporary exhibitions displaying contemporary paintings by both Italian and international artists.
Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia is a truly enlightening museum covering all the natural sciences. You'll find fossils, minerals, botanical collections, entomological collections, protozoa, mollusks and all kinds of vertebrates on display. There are also models of fishing boats and an antique laguna boat. This makes a good alternative to the numerous museums in Venice.
The Violini a Venezia concert season of Interpreti Veneziani, revives Venice's past splendor of art and music. The chamber music group was formed in 1987 by Paolo Cognolato, and ever since it has been acclaimed the world over for its excellent performances. Check the Web site or call for concert series details.
Contact Information: 5096 Piazzetta San Marco, Church of Saint Bartholomew, 30124 Venezia, Italy +39 041 277 0561
From milky opalescent to crystal clear, all kinds of glass, including chandeliers, vases, glasses and mirrors, in various styles and forms are displayed at Museo del Vetro. Visitors can also watch a glass-worker in action at Museo del Vetro. Be sure to visit the glass workshops and famous glass factories in Murano and buy a piece of authentic Murano glass. It is expensive, but it is also worth a lot, as the work of a master glass-worker is extremely difficult.
Galleria d'Arte Moderna-Cà Pesaro offers international art of the 19th and 20th Centuries. Amongst the exhibits here are works by Ciardi, Favretto, Klee, Arp, and Kandinsky. You'll also find works by Ernst, Mirò and Calder. Originally opened as an exhibition of avant-garde works, it now displays mostly Italian artists from the 19th and 20th Centuries, as well as foreign artists.
The Venice Carnival is a two-week celebration of mysterious masked balls, parades, theatrical productions, music and general gaiety. In the costumed tradition of carnivals of the 18th Century, the streets and various venues throughout the city are filled with activity. The many masked balls and galas held throughout the festivities are a perfect opportunity to don the traditional hoods, capes and black masks, concealing one's identify and making carnival mischief all the more fun! Many events and activities are free.
There is a silent and almost respectful ambiance in this museum. Visitors enter Museo Correr by means of a staircase, originally built as a grand entrance to the Napoleonic royal palace. From here, the tour continues through neoclassical rooms, the Royal Palace, the Canoviana Collection, Venetian Civilization, Antique Art, and Renaissance Bronze. There are many sculptures by Canova and decorative objects by Francesco Hayez. Venezia by Jacopo De' Barbari can be admired in the entrance. The hours of operation may vary according to the months. Visit website for details.
Contact Information: Piazza San Marco 52, 30124 Venezia, Italy +39 041 240 5211
In Venice, Vogini has always been synonymous with elegant leather goods and now with leather clothing also, located in the vicinity of Piazza San Marco. There is no leather accessory too unusual to be found here. A lot of the goods on sale here are also exported. Excellent customer service.
Mondonovo is not simply, as its name suggests, the new world. In the Venetian sense of the word, it refers to a type of internal floodlight, used by the Chinese for creating shadows, the inspiration behind Guerrino Lovato's concept for this shop. The specialty here is papier-mâché masks made by hand. The origins are as much in the Commedia dell'Arte as in Lovato's imagination. Some of the masks used in the film Eyes Wide Shut were made here. Lovato is also involved in painting, sculpture, set-design, iconography and history of art.
There is little more than this church on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. The Benedictine Convent Church was built at the beginning of the year 1000, and was redesigned by Andrea Palladio in 1566. Its interior, which receives plenty of natural light, is full of works of art, amongst which are The Last Supper and The Harvest by Manna di Tintoretto, as well as murals by Tintoretto and Carpaccio. The bell tower offers one of the most beautiful views of San Marco in Venice.
Contact Information: Isola di San Giorgio, 30100 Venezia, Italy +39 041 529 8711
The Institutional Chambers (Le Sale Isituzionali) are the magnificent rooms where Venice's political and judicial organs resided for centuries. The most popular rooms include the Room of the Great Council, the Room of the Senate, the Room of the Collegio and the Room of the Council of Ten. All of them are adorned by the work of prominent artists of the late Renaissance period (15th and 16th Century): Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese. Explore various other areas of the museum as you discover more about the city. Guided tours are available. Various exhibits and cultural events are held here from time to time. Check website for more details.
Contact Information: San Marco 1, Doge's Palace, 30124 Venice , Italy +39 041 271 5911
Historic landmarks come a dime a dozen in Venice, but this clock tower is a mite more legendary than most. Centrally located at the entrance to one of the city's oldest marketplaces, the looming structure has stood watch over generations and generations of busy Venetians. By appointment only, visitors can enter the hulking monolith, ascend its stairways, climbing through the complex inner workings of the ancient clock, and taking in some astounding views of the neighborhood below. Check website for exact timings of the tours.
This is a city within a city. The quickest way to see it all is to take the motorboat to the stop outside the naval history museum and head towards Fondamente Nuove. At present, there is little to see: partly because the large docks are walled off and partly because as they have been partially abandoned, it will appear to anuntrained eye as though there is nothing to see. The area used to be very technologically advanced - it was here that the whole of the Mediterranean was instructed in modern methods of shipbuilding. Note the marble lions that guard the entrance: they were brought here from Pyrius in 1687.
For a long time this was the only way to cross the Canal Grande. There was a bridge here at the end of the 12th Century, but the current one, designed by Antonio da Ponte, was built 1554-1591. There are now lots of shops on the bridge selling all kinds of souvenirs and curiosities. Fresh fruit, vegetable and fish markets line the streets in the bustling neighborhood. A second bridge was built in 1854, this bridge is still an important historical landmark and always a bright spot for tourists.
Contact Information: Ponte di Rialto, 30124 Venezia, Italy
Piazza San Marco is Venice's most famous piazza. What appears to be a rectangle is actually a trapezium, and when you look up at the basilica, the piazza seems enormous, although it is only 175 meters long. On both sides of the piazza are the Procuratie, which housed the procurators of San Marco. The centerpiece of the piazza is the Basilica di San MarcoThe oldest of these (probably built by Codussi) are on your left when you face the basilica; Longhena built the ones on the right later, in 1640. The most recent buildings, commissioned by Napoleon in 1810, lie behind.
Contact Information: Piazza San Marco, 30124 Venezia, Italy
Some legends say that the Ponte dei Sospiri was called the Bridge of Sighs because it was a rendezvous for lovers; however, the truth tells a much sadder tale. The bridge, in fact was built to convey magistrates to the courts and prisoners to their fates. However, the Baroque bridge, designed by Antonio Contino, still has a very romantic air to it, and remains an important historical landmark in Venice today.
Contact Information: Riva degli Schiovani, 30124 Venezia, Italy
This market sells fruit, vegetables, groceries and fish. Full of local color, a browse through the stalls is a must, even if you have nothing to buy. Prices are lower than in the shops and the fish is always extremely fresh.
This island has belonged to Franciscan monks since the 13th Century. It takes its name from St Francis, who arrived on the island at the beginning of the 13th Century, and stayed there for about a month. Some frescoes depicting the visit of St Francis can be admired here, but the best thing about the island is its peaceful atmosphere and the park. The island can only be reached by private boat, which can be taken from Burano or by arrangement with the monks. Tours of the San Francesco del Deserto are provided by the monks.
Contact Information: Isola di San Francesco del Deserto, 30100 Venezia, Italy +39 041 528 6863
It may not be Venice's most central park, but the Parco delle Rimembranze is probably one of the nicest green areas in the city, especially when it comes to kids outdoors. Located in Sant'Elena, the more modern Eastern part of Castello sistieri and home of the Biennale d'Arte, this park offers plenty of children's play areas and a roller-skating rink. And, for even more fun outdoors, you could head to the nearby Stadio Penza and watch a soccer game. Admission: Free.
Contact Information: Via Sant'Elena, 30170 Venezia, Italy
Located next to the Basilica di San Marco, the Palazzo Ducale has been the symbol of Venice's political life and public administration for hundreds of years. The building has been continuously evolving into its present form since 1340, even though its foundations date back to the early Middle Ages (10th Century). Considered a masterpiece of the Gothic style, it has been destroyed many times, most notably during the fire of 1106. It was rebuilt by Barbarossa in 1177 and modified over the time by the different Dogi reigning in Venice. More than a palace, the Palazzo Ducale is an extensive infrastructure, comprising the apartments of the doge (often used as an exhibition space), the government quarters and the palace of justice. When visiting the palace, many parts are worth the detour. In the Museo dell'Opera, you will see the remaining pieces of the building's medieval façades as well as a collection of sculptures dating from the 14th and 15th Centuries. Before heading towards the Doge's apartments, you will enter the magnificent courtyard. Take some time to walk alongside the Loggias to enjoy the various angles of the Palazzo. In addition to the Institutional Chambers and the Prisons, take some time to see the great collection of weapons and armaments in the Armoury. The hours of operation may vary according to the months, so please visit the website for further details.
Contact Information: Sestiere San Marco 1, 30124 Venezia, Italy +39 041 271 5911
Venice's main attractions are swamped with tourists in the late summer, but there are plenty of places to go to in order to avoid the crowds. Take a boat trip to the islands from Fondamente Nove or San Zaccharia and make sure you spend some time wandering around Torcello. This peaceful and green place was established between the 5th and 6th Centuries and boasts of the oldest building in the laguna. The Cathedral of Santa Maria Dell'Assunta was founded in 639 CE and contains some intriguing mosaics.
Contact Information: Via Torcello, 30038 Venezia, Italy
At the beginning of the 18th Century, Armenian monks arrived in Venice. These monks fled from the Moorish country after the Turkish invasion. The Serenissima (Venetians) gave them an island, which was used as a lepers' colony in other times. Under the guidance of Pietro Mechitar, the monks founded a religious order and monastery for the Mechitarists, and a library that became a cultural centre for the Armenian Diaspora. Fortunate enough to be spared by Napoleon, they continued in their work of cultural rescue. They established a typography in Armenian characters and collected the most ancient manuscripts that they could find. Guided tours are also available. Visit the website for detailed information.
Contact Information: Isola San Lazzaro degli Armeni , 30132 Venezia, Italy +39 041 526 0104
In this little town located on an island of the Venetian laguna, the houses are painted in varied bright colors, giving a picturesque and cheerful character to the setting, which kids always love. Burano is famous for its lacemaking, a skill that has developed here since the 16th Century; various shops offer lacemaking demonstrations. To admire more of this craft, head to the Museo del Merletto which displays all kinds of amazing lacework: tablecloths, fans, collars and shawls. To get there via vaporetto take line LN from the Fondamente Nove. The trip takes approximately 40-50 minutes and makes one stop on Murano.
This island in the Venetian laguna is famous for the glassware it produces. Don't miss the opportunity to see glass-blowers at work; it certainly requires extreme skill to take a lump of glass and turn it into glassware. Most glass workshops and factories can be visited free of charge, and more glassware can be admired at the Museo Vetrario, which displays the history of Venetian glass through the course of time. Nearly all the shops on the island cater to the glass trade. Take advantage of the lean crowds during the off-season winter months. To get there via vaporetto, take either line 41, 42 or DM from Fondamente Nuove or 71 & 72 from San Zaccaria or Piazzale Roma.
Contact Information: Isola di Murano, 30141 Venezia, Italy
Constructed over a period of 20 years in the middle of the 18th Century, the architects of this building were Gerolamo Frigimelica and Francesco Maria Preti. The stable buildings are magnificent. The enormous house is set in dense parkland. It is home to one of Giambattista Tiepolo's most well-known frescoes, The Glories of the Pisani House. The Villa Pisani was one of Napoleon's residences and was also the scene of talks between Mussolini and Hitler.
Started in the 9th Century, Basilica di San Marco's architecture shows an eastern and Byzantine influence: note the golden altarpiece and the 13th and 14th-century mosaics that illustrate the cycles of the Bible. The magnificent domes date from the 12th Century. The Basilica houses the Marciano Museum, which contains the original bronze horses, copies of which are now on the terrace. Other great artworks are located in the Pala d'Oro, along with masterpieces of Gothic gold-smithing, located just behind the altar.
Contact Information: San Marco 328, 30124 Venezia, Italy +39 041 522 5697/+39 041 270 8311
Encompassing the Biblioteca Laurenziana and the Cappelle Medicee, this basilica is a testimony to the political power and patronage of the Medici family. Its origins date back to 393 when St. Ambrose consecrated it in memory of the martyrdom of St. Lawrence. Adorned with fabulous artwork, including the marble Altar of the Sacrament carved by Desiderio da Settignano, the basilica features major artists of the period, including Donatello, Verrocchio, Filippo Lippi and Brunelleschi. This church contains the tombs of many members of the Medici family as well as that of one of their favorite artists, Donatello. Check website for timings.
Contact Information: piazza di San Lorenzo, 50123 Florence, Italy +39 055 21 6634
The construction of the Basilica of Santa Croce began in 1294. Giotto's frescoes in the chapels at the head of the transept are considered to be some of the finest examples of 14th century painting, while the 19th-century architect Niccolò Matas is responsible for the church's distinctive green and white marble façade. The church contains the tombs of the intellectual, artistic and religious figures from Italy's past, including Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Gioacchino Rossini, Galileo and Ugo Foscolo. Although exiled from Florence and buried in Ravenna, Dante, father of the Italian language, is honored with a cenotaph.
Although the Baptistery's precise origins remain unclear, its foundations are known to date back to Roman times. The central doors are stunning works of art, depicting scenes from the Old and New Testament and they have been called The Gates of Paradise. Lorenzo Ghiberti who worked on them from 1403 to 1424 designed these ornate doors. Inside, the octagonal structure is richly decorated with Roman columns and gilded column heads. The floor's marble inlay features Islamic-style patterns and the apse is decorated with 13th-century mosaics. Coppo di Marcovaldo and Cimabue were among those involved in the cupola's decorative mosaic work.
Contact Information: via della Canonica 1, 50122 Florence, Italy +39 055 230 2885
In this workshop, old carding machines work rustic wool and shuttle looms slowly work, giving fabrics a beautifully soft quality which has almost been forgotten in this modern age. Expert hands finish and enhance all the products with flowers, hem stitching, embroidery and lace. This is an age-old experience which has been passed down with great competence and passion.
In the street off Via Tornabuoni, the Cartoleria il Parione sells beautiful and luxurious hand-decorated Florentine paper. It also offers accessories such as writing sets, diaries, photo albums, all kinds of notebooks, Christmas cards and much more, including interesting and unique miniature editions of all kinds of books. This is a perfect spot for an absorbing browse.
Acquired by the artist in 1508, Casa Buonarroti was enlarged and restructured by his grandson, creating a sumptuous building which stands as a true monument to Michelangelo and to his work. The main episodes of the artist's life are illustrated in the magnificent rooms and two famous works of his youth stand out: the Battle of the Centaurs and the Madonna of the Scala. In the galleria, there is a collection of works which are in the planning stage, amongst them the fortifications of Florence and the frontage of San Lorenzo. Temporary exhibitions are also organized. Check website for timings.
Whilst exploring the green Tuscan countryside around Florence, there are two places near to Settignano that can be visited by prior arrangement. Coming from Olmo, taking the road from Vincigliata that cuts through dense woodland, one arrives at the old medieval castle of Vincigliata, completely reconstructed in the 19th century in neo-Gothic style. A little further on, one finds the gate of Villa I Tatti which is part of Harvard University's Florence Campus. The villa's last proprietor, Bernard Berenson, brought fame to the villa by building up a considerable collection of Italian art in accordance with his own cultural tastes.
Contact Information: via di Vincigliata 21, 50014 Fiesole, Italy +39 055 59 9556
No doubt inspired by his trip to Venice in 1444, Andrea del Castagno probably painted the Last Supper in the refectory of the former Convent of Sant'Apollonia on his return. The top part of the fresco depicts three scenes from the Passion of Christ: the Crucifixion, Entombment and Resurrection. Now a museum,(opened at the end of the 19th century) the former convent also exhibits other work by the same artist.
Contact Information: via 27 Aprile 1, 50129 Florence, Italy +39 055 238 8607
This is one of the most well known chains of Grandi Magazzini in Italy. Coin offers all sorts of excellent quality items including fashion for men, women, and children, accessories, gifts, perfumes, and a whole floor dedicated to the home where you can find all a huge variety of products, from household articles to furniture.
Contact Information: via dei Calzaiuoli 56r, 50122 Florence, Italy +39 055 280 531
Dreoni Giocattoli sells a vast assortment of toys, furry animals and dolls. There is also a well stocked range of wooden or colorful model kits as well as models of all kinds. Not only kids, but adults as well are always fascinated in this spacious wonderland in Florence.
The Memorial is a beautiful spot amidst wooded slopes, near the Greve River and approximately 5 miles from the historic center. Green courts with white crosses, on either side of a pylon, consist of 4,398 graves of soldiers who died for their country. The names soldiers is written upon the Tablets of the Missing, which serves as a reminder of sacrifice and loyalty. A staff member is on site at all times to answer questions and assist relatives to the graves. Achievements of the American Armed Forces in this region can be viewed in the north atrium of the memorial.
Contact Information: via Cassia, 50023 Impruneta, Italy
The Medici family reserved rooms for their prestigious collection during use of the gallery as magistrate's court in the 1700s. Made up of 40 rooms, the gallery contains works by Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, Caravaggio and Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera. Note the collection of Flemish, French, Dutch and German masters. The corridors, ceilings with splendid frescoes, are lined with Roman and 16th-century sculptures. By reservation, the Vasari Corridor above the Ponte Vecchio offers a link between Pitti Palace and Palazzo Vecchio. The Galleria houses 700 paintings including well-known self-portraits.
The Accademia Gallery is perhaps best-known for Michelangelo's David, removed after four centuries from Piazza Signoria, now exhibited in a specially constructed hall. Other works by Michelangelo include some of his Slave series and his sculpture of San Matteo. Also featured is an impressive collection of paintings from the 13th to 16th Centuries. Among the gallery's most important works: a Sienese school Crucifix from the 13th Century, 24 panels by Taddeo Gaddi representing scenes from the life of Christ and St Francis and Giovanni da Milano's Pietà.
The Giardino Torrigiani extends from Viale Petrarca, with the old Arnolfi walls on each side, to Piazza Torquato Tasso. The gardens were designed in the 19th century by Luigi Cambrai-Digny but were finished by Baccani, who also designed the neo-Gothic style tower. Pio Fedi executed the group of neo-classical sculptures for Pietro Torrigiani. Please note that the garden is private and is only open on rare occasions.
Contact Information: via dei Serragli 144, 50124 Florence, Italy +39 055 22 4527
Inside this garden lies the Buontalenti grotto (1583-1593). Decorated with Mannerist-style scenes from Greek and Roman mythology, the grotto includes copies of Michelangelo's famous Slave series, the originals of which were transferred to the Galleria dell'Accademia. In the 17th Century, the garden was extended as far as the Porta Romana, adding the Vasca d'Isola (pond) at the centre with a fountain and a statue of Neptune. In the late 18th century, Zanobi del Rosso built the Kaffehaus pavilion. Admission: EUR 6 and includes entry to the Museo delle Porcellane, Galleria del Costume, Museo degli Argenti and the Museo e Galleria Mozzi Bardini.
There isn't only excellent cheese to be found in this small but very well stocked shop. There are many other delicacies from first class salamis and hams to various types of bread, pasta and oil, from pre-prepared delicacies such as first courses and side dishes to frozen food and a large number of different sweets and biscuits, as well as more specialised products such as soya sauce and puffed rice.
Contact Information: via dei Tavolini 11r, 50122 Florence, Italy +39 055 216 140
Also called the Loggia della Signoria, the Loggia was named the Loggia dei Lanzi when the Duke Alessandro de' Medici made it the camp of the Lanzichenecchi after the fall of the Florentine Republic. It was the Signoria which commissioned a great Loggia for public use in 1350. The job was started by Orcagna, but continued and finished by Benci di Cione and Francesco Talenti only in 1382. Made in Serena stone with acute pointed arches and bricks decorated by sculptures designed by Agnolo Gaddi, this taste for a clasical style is what characterises Florentine art of the time. Benvenuto Cellini's famous Perseus was installed under the Loggia, and in the central arch Giambologna's marble Rape of the Sabine Women, which can be found next to Hercules with Nessus also in marble. The other statues at the back near to the walls came from the Medici villa in Rome.
Contact Information: piazza della Signoria, 50122 Florence, Italy
Entering this shop seems like a jump into the past; it is like being swept into a fairy tale or a late 19th century novel. It's a classic shop for clothes, where you can find everything, from cots to baby clothes.
This market is mainly directed towards visitors to the city. It owes its name to its proximity to the famous statue of the wild boar known as the "Porcellino" and features an array of bags, souvenirs and products made of Florentine straw.
The world-renowned David, sculpted by Michelangelo between 1500 and 1504, is considered, along with the Pietà, the masterpiece of its creator who was only 26 years old at that time. Made out of an irregular block of marble, the statue portrays the biblical hero David before entering his battle against Goliath. It symbolizes the youth and strengh and is known to represent the power of the Florentine Republic. Originally, the statue stood in front of the entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio. For a better preservation, it has been removed from outdoors and is now displayed at the Galleria dell'Accademia. A copy of the statue remains on the Piazza della Signoria.
This is actually not Dante's house, it was built in 1910 to commemorate the poet who did live in this area. The house holds a museum of Dante relics (including various editions of the Divine Comedy), and some of the rooms are used for temporary exhibitions.
Contact Information: via Santa Margherita 1, 50122 Florence, Italy +39 055 21 9416
The museum, which can found in the deconsecrated church of San Pancrazio, contains around 180 works of art by Marino Marini, one of the major sculptors of the 20th century. There are sculptures, pictures, drawings and etchings which have been donated by the artist and his wife Marina. At the center of the exhibition there is the Equestrian group of Aja(1957). Marino believed that light was important to understand his work and this has been taken into account in the museum environment.
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Contact Information: via della Spada 1, 50123 Florence, Italy +39 055 219 432
In the second half of the 19th century Federico Stibbert amassed a rich and varied collection of art in his villa on the Montughi hill. Passed on to the city of Florence in 1906, it consists of around 60 rooms of paintings, furniture and porcelain from around the world. The collection reflects Stibbert's passion for weapons and armor: an impressive variety of rare pieces document equipment and armaments from the 15th to the 17th century. The European armor stands out, but there are also Oriental, Persian, Indian, Islamic and Indonesian examples. The most impressive room is called the Cavalcade in which there are displays of numerous horses with riders in full dress.
The building which contains the Bargello dates back to 1255. In the 16th century, it became the residence of the Bargello (head of police) and doubled as a prison. Then halfway through the 19th century it was given to the National museum. A visit begins with the splendid courtyard and the ground floor room where some of Michelangelo's masterpieces are exhibited, including the bust of Brutus and the David-Apollo statue. There are several of the early works of Donatello on the first floor, amongst them statues of David in marble and of St George and David in bronze. Also here are terracottas, glazed by Luca della Robbia, of the Virgin Mary with Child. The museum bought some minor decorative art including ivories from the Roman and the Byzantine periods, medieval enamels, German and French goldsmith's art and Renaissance jewelery.
Contact Information: via del Proconsolo 4, 50122 Florence, Italy +39 055 238 8606
Museo dell'Opera del Duomo has been totally renovated and is located behind the Duomo. The museum shelters many works of art from the Duomo (cathedral), Campanile (bell tower) and Battistero (Baptistery), such as the statue of Boniface VIII, the work of Arnolfo di Cambo, or Donatello's Saint John and Magdalene. The furnishings are also important, for example, the silver altar from the Battistero and the restored panels of the "Gates of Paradise".
Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce is located in rooms of the Convent of Santa Croce. You can see frescoes by Taddeo Gaddi and Orcagna which were rediscovered under the 16th century plaster. The most important piece is the large gilded bronze of San Lodovio di Tolosa which was made by Donatello in 1423. In the other rooms there are terracottas made by the Robbia family, the remains of the 14th century windows, and works by Bronzino, Vasari and other artists.
The Medici Chapels are historical labors that are as grand in their own way as are the pyramids of Egypt. Started in 1605, these shrines were under construction for centuries. 85 years earlier, Michelangelo was tasked to design and build the New Sacristy from one of the Medici cardinals Giulio de' Medici, dedicated to the memory of Giuliano (Duke of Nemours) and Lorenzo (Duke of Urbino). The bodies of several other Medici family members are interred in the Cappelle Medicee, most notably Lorenzo the Magnificent, Giuliano de' Medici and all of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany. Typical of a spiritual leader, he was obsessed with the here-after and the creation of these intricate chapels testifies to that. Of artistic note, are the actual charcoal sketches by Michelangelo's own hand.
Contact Information: piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini, 50123 Florence, Italy +39 055 238 8602
Museo di San Marco is situated in an old Dominican monastery, restored and enlarged by Michelozzo, under the wishes of Cosimo the Old of the Medici family. A visit is divided between the perfectly conserved 15th Century monastery and the museum which dedicates itself to Angelico. There is the famous Crucifixion which was painted in the Great room of the Capital and amongst the tableaux there are the early works of Angelico, notably the altar frontal with Universal Judgment and the Deposition. The museum also has a fresco of the Last Supper which was painted by Ghirlandaio at the end of the 15th Century. It is possible to visit the simple cell where Savonarola lived and where Cosimo il Vecchio retired to meditate. In the cells there are masterpieces like the Annunciation, the Transfiguration and the Crowning of the Virgin. In the library there are a series of finely drawn manuscripts, which were written inside the convent. Underneath the convent, there are precious relics, which were saved from 19th century destruction, as well as a fascinating collection of bells.
Contact Information: piazza San Marco 3, 50121 Florence, Italy +39 055 238 8608
The Church was built in the middle of the thirteenth century and largely reconstructed during the Baroque period. Entering behind the third altar, notice the fresco by Sandro Botticelli of St. Augustine in His Study (1480) and, in the same partition, the second chapel. This belongs to the Vespucci family and contains frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio as well as other frescoes in which one can recognize members of the same family, probably including Amerigo Vespucci. From the cloister next to the church it is possible to enter the Refectory where there is the exemplary fresco by Dominico Ghirlandaio of Last Supper. This church is also the burial site of the great Renaissance artist, Sandro Botticelli. Admission: Free.
Compared to other religious buildings from the same period, this fourteenth-century church is somewhat unusual in design. Rectangular in shape, with two naves, it does look more like a grain store, which was in fact how it started out when first built by Francesco Talenti, Neri di Fioravente and Benci di Cione. After the previous grain store built in 1290 by Arnolfo di Cambio was destroyed, its replacement had to be built on a larger scale, enabling it to contain a marketplace. Arches were later closed off and the structure acquired two floors that were used for shops. At the end of the 15th century the building was converted into a church and became a powerful symbol for the city guilds, which met the cost of decorating the niches situated along the outside walls. For this they commissioned several of the most talented artists of the day to produce magnificent pieces of artwork, including Lorenzo Ghiberti, Donatello, Giambologna, Luca della Robbia and Verrochio. Of particular note are the copies of Donatello's statue of San Giorgio and bas-relief, whose originals are now in the Bargello museum.
Contact Information: via dei Calzaiuoli 15, 50122 Florence, Italy +39 055 2 3320
This building was constructed between 1444 and 1460 by Michelozzo Michelozzi on the orders of Cosimo il Vecchio. It represents the prototype of the Florentine Renaissance style, characterized by mullioned windows of every size. Halfway through the 17th century it was sold to the Marchesi Riccardi family who enlarged it, adding the gallery which has Baroque frescoes by Luca Giordano. The Riccardi family held onto the palazzo until 1814 when it became the site of the Ministry of the Interior and, from 1871, the Prefecture. Inside there is a beautifully porticoed courtyard where there are many Roman remains gathered as well as various sculptures. The Chapel which was designed by Michelozzi is also noteworthy. There you will find frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli which show the journey of the Magi to Bethlehem (1459). Within them, there are various famous people of the period including Lorenzo the Magnificient and Galeazzo Maria Sforza. Go early - only 8 guests permitted in at once!
Halfway through the 15th Century Luca Pitti entrusted Brunelleschi with a large building project in the Boboli hills. Work began in 1457 but was only completed after the middle of the 16th Century by the Medici brought it from Pitti who went bankrupt in the process of trying to outdo the palatial splendor the Medici. The building was enlarged, the interior decorated luxuriously and the Boboli hills were landscaped into gardens. It then became the residence of the Lorena family who constructed, in the 18th Century, two lateral wings with porticoes which came round either side of the central piazza. It was the residence of Vittorio Emanuele II when Florence was the capital from 1865 to 1871. In 1919 it became state property and visitors were permitted entry to the Royal Apartments, the Galleria Palatina, the Museo degli Argenti, the Galleria d'Arte Moderna, the Galleria del Costume, the Museo delle Porcellane, the Museo delle Carrozze (closed for restoration) and the Giardino di Boboli. Temporary exhibitions are shown in the White Room.
The Palazzo's construction began in 1299 and it was enlarged repeatedly - in 1343, 1495 and lastly in the 16th century by Giorgio Vasari and Buontalenti. It has been the symbol and the political center of the city for centuries. The Great room of the Cinquecento stands out: it was designed as a reception area and decorated with frescoes celebrating Florentine victories against the other Tuscan cities and with sculptures depicting the deeds of Hercules by De Rossi. On the upper floors the Quarters of the elements are noteworthy as are those of Eleonora of Toledo who was the wife of Cosimo I and to whom the little chapel by Bronzino is dedicated. The Sala dei Gigli and the Sala dell'Audienza, which has a marble entrance, are sumptuous. On the Mezzanine there is the Loeser collection of painted sculptures. It is recommended that you visit the upper balcony where you can enjoy a fabulous view of Florence. In front of the museum, you'll find a copy of Michelangelo's David.
Renowned for its panoramic views of Florence and the Arno valley, this terrace is a popular spot with locals and tourists. Created as part of major restructuring of the city walls, Giuseppe Poggi's sumptuous terrace is typically 19th century. In 1871, Poggi designed a monument base dedicated to Michelangelo. The monument itself was to be composed of copies of Michelangelo's works, including David and the Medici chapel sculptures from San Lorenzo. When the terrace was finished, Poggi designed the hillside building, now a restaurant, as a museum for Michelangelo's works.
Contact Information: piazzale di Michelangelo, 50125 Florence, Italy
Pineider was established in 1774 and to this day, still provides new, innovative stationery items such as personalized cards, writing instruments and leather accessories. This shop is ideal for those who love quality and style.
Best known of all Florence's treasures, this glorious bridge was the only one of six spared by the retreating Germans on 4 August 1944. Over the centuries flooding unfortunately took its toll; few traces of the 10th-century bridge remain. Today's bridge, built in 1345, was filled with butcher's shops which would routinely discard the carcasses into the Arno causing quite a stench. Grand Duke Fernandino I issued an edict to replace the butchers with goldsmiths to eradicate the smell and gentrify royalty's route to Palazzo Pitti, reached via the Vasari Corridor that passes over the bridge. Also, do not padlock anything to the statue of Benvenuto Cellini, often practiced by lovers who padlock a lock to the gate of the statue and toss the key into the river - otherwise face a fine of EUR 50!
This was the heart of the Ferragamo empire from 1927. It stretched from Europe to Japan, from America to Australia. Salvatore Ferragamo is a name which is famous around the world for shoes of originality, comfort and absolute quality and for his other equally world-class men and women's fashionwear and accessories. For those who love the simplicity of elegance, this is definitely a shop which should not be skipped in the gorgeous Palazzo Spini-Feroni. Also not to be missed is the Ferragamo Shoe Museum for those who admire the footwear of the rich and famous.
Contact Information: via de' Tornabuoni 4r, 50123 Florence, Italy +39 055 29 2123
At the end of the tenth century this was the home of the Benedictines. It was renovated in the Gothic period but it was only in the eighteenth century, with architect Foggini, that substantial modifications were made. The Miracle chapel was built in the fifteenth century and contains a relic, inside a marble tabernacle by Mino da Fiesole (1481-83). The miraculous story of this goblet is illustrated in the frescoes by Cosimo Rosselli (c.1486). Many of the famous works of art which once adorned the walls of the church are now kept in the Uffizi gallery, however the splendid altars of the renaissance are still in place.
This is one of two tourist information offices located near the Piazza Santa Croce. Here you will find notices with addresses of hotels, opening hours of various museums, information on historic monuments, transport timetables (trains, planes and so on), as well as leaflets which show the opening hours of private institutions which can be visited.
This is an exceptional example of an Italian-style garden, carefully tended by the Capponi family, who came into possession of it in the seventeenth century. The family completely renovated this old country home which had previously belonged (in the 15th century) to the father of the celebrated sculptor, Rossellino. In the twentieth century the garden was enriched with fountains and statues under the careful guidance of skilled gardeners, at a time when the villa belonged to a princess. Restoration works were also carried out to repair Second World War damage. This private villa only allows visitors to its external gardens, including on Sundays and Bank Holidays by prior arrangement.
Contact Information: via del Rossellino 72, 50135 Florence, Italy +39 055 69 7205
This 14th-century building was commissioned by Cosimo il Vecchio. Originally owned by the Lippi family, it passed to the Medici family in the 15th Century and the villa saw both the birth of Lorenzo the Magnificent and his death in 1492, as well as the death of his grandfather, Cosimo il Vecchio. The latter declared it his favorite residence and made it the head of the Neo-Platonic Academy. Lorenzo the Magnificent liked to surround himself with prominent scholars of philosophy such as Marsilio Ficino, Angelo Poliziano, Pico della Mirandola and other members of the Academy. Cosimo, meanwhile, transferred his library and some of his collections here, accommodating Ficino in a nearby house. The many alterations during the Medici and Lorenzo periods as well as the many interventions of various owners over the last two centuries have, unfortunately, not left a trace of the original gardens which were an important aspect of the estate. Free visits are available upon requests made to the current proprietor: l'Azienda Ospedaliera di Firenze who have transferred their offices there.
