Florence

Founded in the 13th century and later expanded by Michelozzo for Cosimo the Elder, this convent and art gallery showcases beautiful devotional frescoes intended to adorn the monks’ cells. By the third floor you could also find a colonnaded public hall serving as the library, built in 1441 and the first of its kind during the Renaissance.

Housed inside a palazzo built for Princess Maria Maddalena de’ Medici in 1620, the Museo Archeologico is divided into three marvelous collections: The topographical museum of Etruria, the Etrusco-Helletian-Roman Antiquarium, and the Egyptian collection. There are also a number of gems, glass pieces, Greek objects, and numismatics to induce much awe among its visitors.

A former medieval grain market built in 1337, Orsanmichele is a Gothic church decorated by the sculptures of Donatello, Lorenzo Ghiberti, and Verrocchio among others.

Palazzo Strozzi only has three floors, but each of these exceeds the height of a typical palazzo. A handy example of great civil architecture and deriving much inspiration from the Palazzo Medici, this beautiful building known for its rusticated stone exterior is the home base of groups such as the Instituto Nazionale di Studi sul Rinascimento and the Gabinetto Vieusseux, along with temporary exhibitions.

The busiest food market in the bustling city, Mercato Centrale is a sprawling two-storey cast-iron-and-glass building. Meats and fish, hams and cheese, olive oils, vegetables and flowers are sold in this understatedly busy part of town.

The San Marco Museum occupies the oldest part of a Dominican monastery rebuilt by Michelozzo during the decade from 1436 to 1446 by appointment of Cosimo de' Medici the Elder.
Michelozzo attempted to use as much as possible the walls of the old building to create a monastery whose rooms and layout are in line with completely modern criteria of functionality, still recognisable today.
Overall, the building is a monumental complex with all the sobriety and elegance typical of Florentine Renaissance architecture.

Considered the best art gallery Italy has to offer, the Uffizi houses an extensive Medici art collection, which is deemed unparalleled anywhere else. Take the paintings of Micheangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, and Caravaggio, along with Flemish, French, German, and Dutch masterpieces.

Perhaps Florence’s most stark city symbol, the Duomo is the city’s tallest building and Europe’s fourth largest church. The Baptistry, on the other hand, dates back to the 4th century and is considered one of the city’s oldest existing buildings. Another star feature here is the 85 meter-high Campanile, an architectural marvel made of white, green and pink Tuscan marble.

Works of art from the Duomo (cathedral), Campanile and the Battistero—including Michelangelo’s Pieta—are found in this recently-renovated museum found just behind the Duomo.

Piazza della Signoria has been the center of Florence’s political life since the latter part of the 15th century. It has always served as the venue of public meetings. Thanks to history, the square has since established itself as a popular promenade for Florentines and tourists alike.

Aside from Michaelangelo’s celebrated sculpture David, The Academy of Fine Arts—established in 1563 and started sheltering an impressive art collection in 1784 for its students—houses an important collection of 15th- to 16th-century Florentine artists such as Filippino Lippi, Fra Bartolomeo, and Bronzino among others.

The parish church of the Medici Family, the Basilica of San Lorenzo is viewed as one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture. One of the largest churches found in Florence, it also serves as burial ground for all the principal Medici family members from Cosimo il Vecchio to Cosimo III.

The oldest surviving bridge in the city and the only one dating back to the Roman period, Ponte Vecchio has withstood the terror of World War II, and continues to be one of Florence’s most glorious city landmarks.

The 1322-completed “Old Palace,” which was remodeled for Duke Cosimo in 1540 but retained much medieval flavor in its architecture, showcases many among Florence’s artistic triumphs: Michelangelo’s Victory statue, Donatello’s Judith and Holofernes, circa 1455, and the Cappella di Eleonora painted by Bronzino, among others.

Housed in a fortress-like structure that was the old town hall, the Bargello trails the Uffizi as the top museum in the grandiose city. It features the finest of Italy’s Renaissance sculpture and an assortment of applied arts that is a class of its own.