Florence Travel and Holiday Guide

Piazzale Michelangelo is situated just above the hill of Florence and just south of the Arno Valley where it has a beautiful view of the city. This is of one hundred four meters and three hundred forty one feet above sea level. This was built in between the years 1865 and 1870 and designed by Giuseppe Poggi where it is of a 19^th century terrace. This was designed in honor of Michelangelo and also built a hillside structure as a museum but now a restaurant. This piazza is situated right in the square of the monument of the 1875 Michelangelo’s work of art the Times of the Day, which represents the Day, Dawn, Dusk and Night; you can also see this at the famous Medici tombs in San Lorenzo. And you will find here the prominent bronze replica statue of David which and also one of Michelangelo’s famous works. Also you will find the Basilica of San Miniato al Monte also on the hill and behind this Piazzale Michelangelo.

Once you are in the piazza, it has the view all over of Florence and you will directly see some of the famous landmarks that Florence are famous for. The one that you will see identify immediately once you are here is the Duomo, the Santa Maria del Fiore which has this massive dome trademark for a cathedral and to its left is the Baptistery and the dome of the New Sacristy of San Lorenzo. You will also identify the tallest structure in Florence, the Palazzo Vecchio. You will also be able to see the tower and spire of Santa Maria Novella.

Piazzale Michelangelo can be reached by climbing the hill, by the sightseeing bus or even your car. Here in the Piazzale Michelangelo you will be able to enjoy the view of Florence since you will most likely to find here parking lots.

The Pharmacy of Santa Maria Novella is located just at the main railway of Florence; this was called Novella which means new in English because this was built on the site of the Santa Maria delle Vigne which was an oratory from the 9^th century. This is one of the great basilicas in this city and this is of by the Dominican Order. The building began its construction in the 13^th century and was finished in the 1360. This church was designed by the friars, Sisto Fiorentino and Ristoro da Campi. The façade was only completed between 1456-1470 which was designed by Leone Battista Alberto and was commissioned by Giovanni di Paolo Rucellai. This basilica houses the Gothic and Renaissance works of some of the famous frescoes that are here, you can find these art works at the chapterhouse. These frescoes also where financed by the prominent families in Florence that also ensured them that they be buried in the consecrated grounds of the church. You will also find in one of the wall painting the name of Giovanni Rucellai. In the interior of the basilica you will find the Greek and Roman inspired Corinthian columns. The stained windows that they have here are from the 14^th and 15^th century, the Madonna and Child and St. John are from the 15^th century and that they were designed by Filippino Lippi. And also from the 14^th century is the work of Andrea Bonaiuti, the picture of the Coronation of Mary which you can see at one of the façade of the basilica.

On the right side of the basilica you will find the Strozzi Chapel, this you will find here the frescoes of St. Philip and St. James. You can also find at the back of its altar the tomb of Filippo Strozzi. On the left side, you will find the famous crucifix that date sback from 13^th century and this is one of the works of Brunelleschi. You will also find other chapels such as the Cappella Strozzi di Mantova, Della Pura Chapel, Rucellai Chapel, Bardi Chapel and the Spanish Chapel.

Museo Stibbert is not a regular museum that you will see in every country, this is a museum that is of collection of amours and weaponry from different countries in the world and these collections date back from the 15^th and 17^th century. Most of these collections are from the Medieval Times. This museum was donated by Federico Stibbert in 1906 to this city. He was an artist, a traveler and a hero in an army, the Garibaldi’s army. This was used to be a villa that he has inherited from his mother; this is located on the hill of Montughi. This villa has sixty rooms with more than fifty thousands items that are of paintings, porcelains, furniture, Etruscan artifacts and many more from all over the world. This is an example of a 19^th century museum where it houses most of weaponry. This reflects the Stibbert’s love for weapons and armory. He has the collections from the Estruscan, Asian, and Florentine in the 17^th century and the Turkish in the 15^th century and so on. One of the largest impressive display that he have here is the Japanese arms and of the Europeans. Here they have a column of mannequins of those who are in the 16^th century armory and it also has a display of samurai soldiers. He also has armor pieces that are of Persian, Indian, Indonesian armors and have a wide collection of porcelains.

Museo Stibbert is open from ten in the morning until two in the afternoon, this is from Mondays to Wednesdays and open from ten in the morning until six in the evening, this is from Fridays to Sundays. They are closed during Thursdays. To get here you have to pass through a neighborhood which of residential, but you can always ride a taxi going there. This is also an ideal place for you children to see and visit.

Florence has so much to offer when it comes to its night life, you just have to choose from which among these night scenes that you would want to experience when you are in this city. There are the theaters which you can head out to if you wan to watch plays, opera or ballet shows. Or you can try one of their clubs or bars whether it’s for the lesbians or gays or better yet try being at their cafes or one of its wine bars where you can taste an authentic Florentine culture and mingle with the locals.

The theaters which offer a variety of performing arts or shows that you can watch are the Teatro Metastasio, this is one of Florence finest theaters where it caters recitals and many more. There is also the Teatro Verdi where they have ballet and opera shows and this is usually during the months of January to April. While in the Orchestra della Toscana have classical shows in the months of December to May. They also have orchestral concerts or church concerts which you can watch at the Santa Maria de Ricci. They also have bars and clubs here that are for the gay and the lesbians, these are the Crisco Bar, Tabasco Bar, this is the first of Italy’s first gay club and you can catch the mixed gay and lesbian party at the Flamingo Bar. You can also check out some of its clubs at Pisana, the Universale where the main floor is a pizzeria and a restaurant at the balcony and when its 11 in the evening, the main floor becomes a dance floor. You can also go to Full Up, you will find this at della Vigna Vecchia, a disco and a piano bar or better yet meet different kinds of people at Space Electronic club at Palazzuolo, they have a diversity of people here from tourists to students to people who are under thirty years old. You can also check out some of its traditional wine bars also La Mescita, Antico Noe and the traditional wine shop at Oltrarno, the La Fiaschetteria.

There are numerous of festivals that are being held here in Florence and mostly every month they do celebrate these festivals and some of these festivals have been celebrated more than you could imagine, some have been already a tradition also. Here are some of the festivals that the Florentine’s celebrate.

There is this festival in Florence that has been a tradition already; this is the Festival of the Cricket. This is being held on the Ascension Day at the Parco delle Cascine, this has been a ritual from the pagans, this cricket is believed to be serenading the women by their lovers and they are placed mostly in the front of the door. Every June 24 at the Piazza Santa Croce, there is the Costume Football Game. This is an event that has been that is being played by the Roman “Florentia’ , this has been the sport back in the days that the sons of the noble families in Florence would be honored by playing this rude game. These days before this event will start; there is a demonstration that is being held at the square of Santa Croce. And also on this day, every 24^th of June, the city of Florence is also celebration the Festa Di San Giovanni, the Feast Day of Saint John which is the city’s patron saint. There processions that are being organized and every ten in the evening, there would be fireworks display at the Piazzale Michelangelo.

The Florentine’s give importance to culture and arts; they have this Maggio Musicale Fiorentino that is being held in the months of May to June at the Teatro Comunale. This festival is being celebrated date back from the thirties, here international directors, artists, painters and many more participates in this said event. There is also the Fiesole Summer Festival that is held in the months of June to September being held at a town in Florence, this is in Fiesole which they showcase musical and theatrical shows.

This is one of the finest late Gothic structures that you will find in Italy. This Duomo is also called the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. The cathedral was built on the site of the previous cathedral Santa Reparata. In 1296, the construction for this cathedral began and it was by Arnulfo di Cambio. The bell tower also was designed by the artist Giotto in 1334. This is situated at della Canonica. The dome of this Cathedral is its trademark and that has made this popular because of this main structure. The octagonal dome was only built in the 15^th century by Filippo Brunelleschi who was a sculptor and a goldsmith who also happens to make other statues in the cathedral. The cathedral was of Gothic style and was mixed by Roman-like designs such as the dome. They started to build the dome in 1420 up to 1436. The dome is of forty two meters wide, the dome has two layers which the fist layer protects the dome from the weather. The interior of the dome is of Gothic style, you can see the forty four stained windows which depicts all the saints from the Old to the New Testaments, above the dome has the image of Christa and Mary. These works of arts are from the renowned artists like Donatello, Lorenzo Ghiberti and many more. Also you can see above the works of Gaddo Gaddi in the form of the Christ Crowning Mary as Queen above the clock of the stained glass window. Donatello’s famous stained glass work is the Coronation of the Virgin which you can see in the dome.

The cathedral has also its modern façade that has been built in 1867-1887 by Emilio de Fabris also he revived the Gothic style structure but was then destroyed in 16^th century. There is also a museum in the cathedral which is called the Museo dell’Opera Del Duomo, this still has the statues of the former façade and also some manuscripts of the cathedral. Most of the decorations of the cathedral have been lost through time and some have put in the museum.

Basilica di San Miniato al Monte is situated at the top of the highest part in Florence, the Monte Alle Croci, which is overlooking the city of Florence and also the Piazzale Michelangelo. This is one of the most beautiful churches in Italy that is of Roman-like structure. This is said to be built in the name of St. Miniato or Minias. He was said to be an Armenian prince, who was a soldier and was serving a Roman emperor, Emperor Decius. He became a hermit and his being a Christian was being denounced when he became a hermit. He was then beheaded in front of the emperor and was said to have picked his head and walked towards the cave of Monte Alle Croci where he died, this is where this churched has been built.

This was built in 1018 by Bishop Hildebrand. The most famous of this basilica is its marbled façade where it has this mixture of the color green and white. There is a crypt inside the church which it has the bones of St. Minias and it is the oldest section of the church. The pulpit or the platform was made in 1207 and the apse has a mosaic design that dates back from 1297. The sacristy has a decoration of a life cycle of St. Benedict that is of a fresco, this was in 1387.

The Basilica di San Miniato al Monte is open daily, Mondays to Sundays from eight in the morning to twelve noon and then resumes at two thirty in the afternoon up to six in the evening. The monks that stay here in the basilica have their own shop and they sell here their locally produced liquors, tisanes, which is an herbal tea and honey. On the left of the basilica you will find a chapel, Cappella del Cardinale Portogallo and to the right you will find the Bishop’s Place that has been a convent, hospital and a residence for the priests and a place for the Jesuit. You can find this basilica just right up the Monte Alle Croci.

Florence, Italy is one of the most romantic cities in the world and it is also one of the most beautiful cities in Italy. This is located on the northern part of Italy. This was used to be a capital of Italy in 1865 up to 1870.This is the city in Italy where most of the famous personalities that has influenced the arts, literature, science, philosophy and many more that has been a great contribution to the world. Some of these famous personalities that are from Florence are these famous painters and sculptors, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Masaccio and Donatello and Lorenzo Ghiberti, respectively. Michelangelo Bounarotti is also one of the famous sculptors from Florence who is famous for his work at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Other personalities that are from Florence and that also have a biggest contribution in the field of literature are Giovanni Boccaccio and Niccolo Machiavelli and many more.

During the Renaissance period, Florence was the center of rediscovering the art, literature, science, theology and many more. It is also here in Florence that the Neoplatonism started, this is where the appreciation of arts and literature were rediscovered. Florence has been declared by UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites, the Historic Center of Florence. Most of the museums, galleries and architectural structures that you will see are from the Renaissance period. The famous landmarks that you will find here in Florence are the famous cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore also known as the Duomo and also the bridge, Ponte Vecchio that has withstand the war in World War II and remained intact up to this day. You can also find the famous mausoleum of the most powerful family in Florence during the 15^th century to the 18^th century, the Medici Family Mausoleum.

The best months to visit Florence when its weather is good are during the months of April to June and on the months of September and October.