Travel in Florence
Discover Florence and its four quarters: interesting things to see
BRIEF HISTORY
Florence has had a long and eventful history, being a Roman city, Florence is the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance (or the "Florentine Renaissance), and being considered, economically, and culturally one of the most important cities in Europe and the world for around 250 years - from the 1300s to the 1500s.
Florentines reinvented money - in the form of the gold florin - which was the engine that drove Europe out of the "Dark Ages" a term invented by Petrarch, a Florentine. They financed the development of industry all over Europe - from Britain to Bruges, to Lyon, to Hungary. They financed the English kings during the Hundred Years War. They financed the papacy, including the construction of Avignon and the reconstruction of Rome when the papacy returned from the "Babylonian captivity".
And that is just a smidgen of what went on in this city, which never had a population above 60,000 from the first attack of the plague, in 1348, until long, long after it became unimportant.
The Medici, one of history's most important noble families who revolutionised high culture and the arts. Forget all the art for which they paid. They taught first the other Italians how to conduct state-craft, and then they taught the rest of the Europeans. Just to cite one example: Catherine de Medici (1519–1589), married Henry II of France (reigned 1547–1559). After he died, Catherine ruled France as regent for her young sons and was instrumental in turning France into Europe’s first nation-state. She brought the Renaissance into France, introducing everything from the chateaux of the Loire to the fork. She also was to 16th and 17th century European royalty what Queen Victoria was to the 19th and 20th centuries. Her children included three kings of France, Francis II (ruled 1559-1560), Charles IX (ruled 1560-1574) and Henry III (ruled 1574-1589). Her children-in-law included a fourth king of France, Henry IV (ruled 1589-1610), plus Elizabeth of Hapsburg, Philip II of Spain (of Armada fame), and Mary, Queen of Scots.
FLORENTIA
Florence was originally established by Julius Caesar in 59 BC as a settlement for his veteran soldiers. It was named Florentia and built in the style of an army camp with the main streets, the cardo and the decumanus, intersecting at the present Piazza della Repubblica. Situated at the Via Cassia, the main route between Rome and the north, and within the fertile valley of the Arno, the settlement quickly became an important commercial centre. The Emperor Diocletian is said to have made Florentia the seat of a bishopric around the beginning of the 4th century AD, but this seems impossible in that Diocletian was a notable persecutor of Christians. Florence is often called the "Jewel of the Renaissance".
Discover Florence and its four quarters
The traditional subdivision of Florence into four quarters dates from the fourteenth century (that today compose the old town):
Santa Maria Novella
San Giovanni
Santa Croce
Santo Spirito
THE MARZOCCO
The Marzocco was such a powerful symbol of the Florentine Republic that the republican Florentine troops in the Siege of Florence (1529–1530) were known as marzoccheschi, "sons of the Marzocco", and pro-Medici besiegers of the city in 1530 held a funeral and ritually buried a representation of it, with bells tolling.
ART WORKS
Florence has a legendary artistic heritage. Cimabue and Giotto, the fathers of Italian painting, lived in Florence as well as Arnolfo and Andrea Pisano, renewers of architecture and sculpture; Brunelleschi, Donatello and Masaccio, forefathers of the Renaissance, Ghiberti and the Della Robbias, Filippo Lippi and Angelico; Botticelli, Paolo Uccello and the universal genius of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
Their works, together with those of many other generations of artists, are gathered in the several museums of the town: the Uffizi Gallery, the Palatina gallery with the paintings of the "Golden Ages", the Bargello with the sculptures of the Renaissance, the museum of San Marco with Fra Angelico's works, the Academy, the chapels of the Medicis, Buonarroti' s house with the sculptures of Michelangelo, the following museums: Bardini, Horne, Stibbert, Romano, Corsini, The Gallery of Modern Art, the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, the museum of Silverware and the museum of Precious Stones
VISIT FLORENCE:
The four historical districts of Florence are Santa Maria Novella, San Giovanni, Santa Croce, Santo Spirito.
SANTA MARIA NOVELLA
The vast Piazza della Repubblica, which is at the heart of Florence's Santa Maria Novella Quarter, is a good place to start your day off with an espresso and a pasta (pastry) . Although these days frequented almost solely by tourists, its four large caffès - Donnini, Gilli, Giubbe Rosse and Pazzkowski – were a veritable institution in the early 19th century, when they were patronized by the top writers, artists and intellectuals. But impressive as this piazza is, it’s a little disheartening to remember that its construction (under the snobbish orders of Florence’s 19th-century bourgeoisie) annihilated some of the most atmospheric medieval quarters in town, including the site of the ancient Roman forum. Fortunately, public uproar staved off further destruction. The local town planners did not understand the protest, as the inscription on the arch above.
What to see in Santa Maria Novella Quarter of Florence:
Piazza Santa Maria Novella
Chiesa di Santa Maria Novella
Near Piazza Repubblica
Museo di Palazzo Davanzati
Chiesa di Santa Trinità and Ponte Santa Trinità
Piazza d’Ognissanti: Chiesa di San Salvatore a Ognissanti
The Corridoio Vasariano
Ponte Vecchio and Il Porcellino
SAN GIOVANNI
In San Giovanni quarter you can see a lot of monuments by walking, without covering a large distance .
In fact there is a so big concentration of monuments and art works that you can stand for hours without going very far
What to see in San Giovanni quarter of Florence:
San Giovanni quarter:
Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore
Campanile di Giotto
Battistero di San Giovanni
Loggia del Bigallo Palazzo Pazzi
Palazzo del Bargello
Badia Fiorentina Palazzo Strozzi
Santa Trinità
Palazzo Davanzati
Mercato Nuovo
Ponte Vecchio
Palazzo Medici-Ricciardi
Piazza San Lorenzo
Biblioteca Medicea-Laurenziana
Cappelle Medicee
Piazza San Marco
Galleria dell&rsquo
Accademia
Piazza della SS. Annunziata.
SANTA CROCE
What to see in Santa Croce Quarter of Florence:
Piazza della Signoria
Palazzo Vecchio
Loggia della Signoria
The Uffizi
Sant&rsquo
Ambrogio
Campo di Marte
Santa Croce
Ponte delle Grazie
Palazzo Peruzzi
Casa Buonarroti (Michelangelo&rsquo
s birthplace)
Piazza dei Ciompi.
SANTO SPIRITO
The district of Santo Spirito in Oltrarno, the picturesque neighborhood populated by craftsmen, restorers and antique dealers, gets its name from the Church of Santo Spirito. Designed by Brunelleschi and begun in 1444, it is one of the most beautiful examples of Renaissance architecture.
What to see in Santo Spirito Quarter of Florence:
Palazzo Pitti
Galleria Palatina
Appartamenti Reali
Giardino di Boboli
Santa Felicita
Via de&rsquo
Bardi
Forte di Belvedere
Museo Bardini
Piazza Santo Spirito
Lungarno Guicciardini
Cappella Brancacci
San Miniato al Monte.
Firenze: discover the surroundings
Accommodations in the area
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- Firenze (Florence)
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5 km from Firenze
Marignolle relais & charme
The charming Marignolle Relais & Charme, nestled the hills of Florence, is the ideal solution for those who want a place of excellence and relaxation and love peace and privacy without the amenities of a luxury hotel.
Booking ONLINE
Marignolle Relais & Charme is especially appreciated by travelers looking for style and tradition by offering deluxe rooms or junior suites in a refined, with superior comforts and impeccable services that make this relais an excellence of Florence. -
- Greve in Chianti (Florence)
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26 km from Firenze
Villa Chianti 7 beds
Villa Chianti is a private villa for rent in Chianti area with pool and garden that can accommodate up to 7 people.
Availability request
An oasis of peace and tranquility with views of the Chianti valleys not far from the main tourist attractions of Tuscany. -
- Bagno a Ripoli (Florence)
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26 km from Firenze
Villa Valdarno 12 beds
Villa Valdarno is a typical Tuscan farmhouse located in a secluded and peaceful area in the heart of the Tuscan countryside, among vineyards and olive groves, and enjoys a privileged panoramic view of the Florentine Valdarno.
Availability request
The ideal solution for groups of friends or acquaintances who wish to spend their holidays in Tuscany with the comforts of a detached villa with swimming pool and large garden. -
- San Gimignano (Siena)
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36 km from Firenze
Agriturismo la Lucciolaia
In the vicinity of the medieval centre of San Gimignano, nestled in the rolling hills of the gorgeous Tuscan countryside, Agriturismo La Lucciolaia is perfectly located for exploring Tuscany's most prized art towns.
Availability request
This ancient farmhouse has been recently renovated and divided into eleven double rooms and two Suites, where the magic atmosphere of past times is perfectly blended with modern comforts. -
- San Gimignano (Siena)
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36 km from Firenze
Agriturismo Cesani
Azienda Agricola Biologica Cesani is an organic farm nestled in the rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside, in the tiny country hamlet of Pancole, 6 km to the medieval town of San Gimignano.
Availability request
Azienda Agricola Biologica Cesani is an organic farm nestled in the rolling hills of the Tuscan countryside, in the tiny country hamlet of Pancole, 6 km to the medieval town of San Gimignano. -
- San Gimignano (Siena)
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39 km from Firenze
Agriturismo Villa il Palagetto
Agriturismo Villa il Palagetto located in the vicinity of the medieval centre of San Gimignano, nestled in the rolling hills of the gorgeous Tuscan countryside.
Availability request
Provides comfortable accommodation in 6 double bedrooms and two Suites -
- Colle Val D'Elsa (Siena)
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44 km from Firenze
La Pieve
La Pieve, charming farmhouse located on the hills of Val d'Elsa, between Volterra and San Gimignano, along the Via Francigena, in the heart of the Tuscan countryside, with its luxuriant nature and rich history.
Availability request
Framed by olive trees and a wood, it fosters a direct dialogue with nature in complete relaxation where they contemplate and enjoy the stillness in private and unique spaces. -
- Siena (Siena)
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50 km from Firenze
Agriturismo Marciano
Agriturimo Marciano : an exlusive opportunity, two holidays at the place of only one. stay in the country and life downtown. Marciano is located near the walls of the Middle Age town of Siena.
Availability request
Five confortable double rooms and a suite with a beautiful sight on the Siena Duomo -
- Lucca (Lucca)
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57 km from Firenze
Historic Villa Lucca 12 beds pool
Historic villa 14 km from the center of Lucca immersed in the green of the Tuscan vineyards and olive groves, it has a private swimming pool and a large park.
Availability request
Set on 350 square meters in a dominant position offers a unique view of the hills of Tuscany. -
- Massarosa (Lucca)
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73 km from Firenze
Stone Farmhouse Massarosa 8 beds pool
Stone farmhouse in typical Tuscan style skilfully and elegantly renovated in a dominant position on the hills of Massarosa with spectacular views that reach the sea of Tuscany. The farmhouse has a swimming pool with whirlpool.
Availability request
Perfect solution for those that search the real authentic Tuscany staying in the hills but not far from the Versilia sea. -
- Camaiore (Lucca)
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75 km from Firenze
Charming villa Tuscany coast 14 beds pool
Eighteenth-century villa located in a picturesque area of the Tuscan hills at the foot of the Apuan Alps, the villa has a park with swimming pool and tennis court.
Availability request
The spacious suites of the villa embellished with charming details and enhanced by modern comforts will make your stay an unforgettable experience. -
- Camaiore (Lucca)
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76 km from Firenze
Villa Camaiore Hills 10 beds pool
Villa located 3 km from the center of Camaiore in a quiet and sunny position 10 km from Tuscan sea.
Availability request
Ideal for those looking for a villa accommodation on the hills of Versilia a few miles from Tuscan sea. -
- Camaiore (Lucca)
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76 km from Firenze
Villa Pieve di Camaiore 8 beds pool
Luxury and charming villa with swimming pool for rent surrounded by the green hills of Camaiore not far from the sea of the Tuscan coast.
Availability request
The villa is ideal for those looking for an oasis of absolute peace and relaxation guaranteed by the elevated position and the external fence in style. -
- Camaiore (Lucca)
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76 km from Firenze
Villa Prato di Sopra Camaiore 10 beds pool
This villa is really some thing special, perched on the top of a hill the views are endlessly breath taking.
Availability request
This villa is really some thing special, perched on the top of a hill the views are endlessly breath taking. -
- Camaiore (Lucca)
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76 km from Firenze
Villa Camaiore Hills 7 beds pool
Wonderful villa with swimming pool surrounded by greenery, tranquility and privacy of the Pieve di Camaiore about 10 km from the sea of the Tuscan coast.
Availability request
The villa has all the comforts necessary to ensure an unforgettable stay in Tuscany and is the ideal solution for small groups up to 7 people who want to stay in the countryside but not far from the sea of Versilia.
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