Florence travel guide

The great Tuscan city of Florence is one of the world’s most fascinating cities, and that is no exaggeration. Central to the renaissance, the changing of the guard in which art came alive, Florence is home to some of the most exciting museums and galleries anywhere, and is an art and architecture lovers delight. Tuscany is a place replete with many fine cities of this type, and it pays to rent a car in Florence to get around. This way you can plan your trip more efficiently, and enjoy this glorious region of Italy in your own time, and at your own pace.

What to see in Florence: where does on start? There really is so much going on here that it is impossible to list everything, but suffice to say nobody will leave Florence disappointed. Perhaps the first recommendation is the Uffizi gallery. The stunning collection housed here includes some of the most important works of art in existence, with work by Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Giotto and others, and is recognised as one of the finest museums of its type. It really is a must-see destination, and as such can be extremely busy in the high season.

If architecture is your thing then Florence will delight you, not least the stunning Ponte Vecchio, the famous bridge across the Arno river in the centre of the city. This wonderful and unique medieval bridge, dating from the 1300’s, delightfully supports a range of quaint shops and is one of the most iconic structures in Tuscany. No visit to Florence is complete without a walk across the Ponte Vecchio.

Piazzas and Churches

Many of the fine piazzas in Florence have monuments and statues by great artists such as Michelangelo, and the traditional cafes that are found in these wonderful squares are great places to take a break and enjoy a coffee. With towering ancient buildings all around you, Florence really is like taking a step back in time, and offers a tourist experience that cannot be matched elsewhere.

Florence is also famous for its many old churches, in particular the spectacular cathedral, the Duomo. Dominating the city skyline for many centuries, this quite spectacular building is another must-see location when visiting Florence, and is free to enter. The magnificent dome is an iconic sight, and visitors may climb to the top and take in the fantastic views across the city. It really is a quite stunning building, and is a highlight of any tour of Florence.

As with most Italian cities there are many fine restaurants in Florence offering the very best in local cuisine. Furthermore, a selection of friendly and welcoming bars, excellent shops and many more museums and galleries make this a great city to visit. By hiring a car you can use Florence as a base and tour the other great cities and towns in Tuscany, and with the airport a few miles from the city and easy to reach by road, travelling by car makes great sense in this part of the world.