SANTA MARIA DEL FIORE

The majestic religious centre of Florence but also its largest and most representative monument that identifies the city from every distance. After a visit to Florence everyone will have impressed in their eyes the unmistakable image of Brunelleschi’s dome. But the Duomo is much more, Its the place where Florence grew great in the eyes of its rivals and the place that gives life to the Renaissance sculpture and which develops the architectural talent of Arnolfo and Brunelleschi but also of Giotto. Here was staged the “Conspiracy of the Pazzi” and here the Florentines had buried their dearest saint, San Zanobi and it’s here they wanted to remember those worlords who made Florence great and respected.

SANTA CROCE

The “Florentine Pantheon”Is where some of the greatestItalians of all time are buried or remembered with a plaque or a monument like the one of Dante for example. Here in fact you will find the the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei, Machiavelli and many others. The second largest Florentine church in size it is also famous for the most ancient cenacle in Florence and for the “crucifix” of Cimabue, symbolically showing the destruction caused by the flood of ’66.

SANTA MARIA NOVELLA

Is another of the major churches of the city S. Maria Novella is also amongst the most beautiful, thanks to the magnificent Renaissance façade and its frescoes, the most famous of which are undoubtedly the “Trinity of Masaccio” and the “Cappella Maggiore” of Ghirlandaio. You can also find masterpieces unknown to a lot of people such as the wooden-sculpture crucifix by Brunelleschi and a painted crucifix by Giotto.

SAN MINIATO

A gem on the crown of Florence and perhaps the highest, geographically at least. It is located on the hill that the Florentines called Mons Florentinum and it is an authentic surprise, full of artistic beauty and rich architecturally and decoratively its one of the greatest examples of the “Florentine Romanesque period”.

SANTO SPIRITO

Is amongst the largest of Florentine churches, Built in an unlikely green urban landscape, Santo Spirito also gives its name to an entire neighborhood and in it’s where the whole Oltrarno area finds its symbol. Here is were you will find the best preserved private-family-chapels of the Renaissance period and in the Sacristy you will discover an unexpected masterpiece of the Michelangelo that he did as a young teenager

SS.ANNUNZIATA

Is a church held very dear to the Florentines because of an image of the miraculousVirgin consideredto be the main reason for the daily pilgrimage that takes place here. In its cloyster it hosts a beautiful gallery of manierists florentine painters amongst which Andrea del Sarto, Rosso and Pontormo stand out. It was home to the Confraternity of San Luca, the association of artists who gave life to the Academy of Design.

CARMINE

Is simple and not a very large church. Thow its a fundamental step in the history of florentine modern painting since in its Brancacci Chapel is the highest masterpiece of Masaccio who had a short but largly intense career. ,?

SANTA TRINITA

Is situated in the elegant Via Tornabuoni, home of theVallombrosani order. It offers you an incredible series of frescoes amongst which Ghirlandaio surely finds a place of excellence. The Sassetti Chapel is one of the most beautiful examples of the late Renaissance art and also one of the best preserved. In this church you can still admire the famous “miraculous cross dear to the order and to San Giovanni Gualberto ( who was the founder).

SAN LORENZO

This is the church held most dearly by the Medici family who had it rebuilt to its current form, It contains the cripts of some of the most powerfull members of the family. Here you can find the tombs of the greatest florentine dynasty: Cosimo the Elder, Lorenzo the Magnificent and Cosimo I. There is also one of the last works of the great Donatello, a bronze pulpit representing the stories of the crucifixion.

PITTI

the largest, most elegant palace in the city, It was a Medici residence as well as a”royal” residence at the time that Florence was the capital of Italy. It houses the most important museums and temporary exhibitions.

OLD PALACE (PALAZZO VECCHIO)

Centre of the government since the ‘300 its one of the icons of Florence. All the greatest Florentines have walked through its entrance. Currently there is also a museum and it is used for important ceremonies and awards held in the fabulous “Salone dei 500”. The famous “Vasarian Corridor” starts from this building.

BARGELLO

Formerly government palace before the Old Palace (Palazza Vecchio) was built. It was latter transorfmed into the”Bargello”, the title name of the head of the “police” and therefore also a prison. It was brought back to its original importance and restored to give life to the first “national museum” in the occasion of the 600th anniversary of the birth of Dante (1265-1865) whom we can see one of his very first portraits in this very palace. It is currently the most important exhibition of Florentine Renaissance sculpture.

STROZZI

It was createdand built by the Strozzi family who ironically hardly ever lived there and could not complete it because of the long time struggle with the Medici family (the family who went on to dominate Florence for 300 years).
It is the most beautiful example of a private Renaissance residence and home to important temporary exhibitions.

UFFIZI

Is the home of the famous Galleria whose very name “gallery” found its origin here. Here you will find world class masterpieces such as the Venus and La Primavera by Botticelli, La Maestà di Giotto, The Venus of Urbino by Titian, Bacchus and the Sacrifice of Isaac by Caravaggio.

DAVANZATI

Typical fourteenth-century residence, this palace represents a unique building-museum that opens a window to the past. Here you can see how a wealthy Florentine families lived in the ‘300. You can admire the beautiful Sala dei Pappagalli, the Madornale Hall and the inner courtyard and its charming frescoes that represent husband and a wife love story.