A Weekend in Florence

Be it the first time or a return visit to Florence, it all starts from Piazza della Signoria, an architectural gem, a symbolic site, and open-air museum: here, each stone celebrates the legend of the de’ Medici family. And if they could speak – but in a certain sense they indeed do – these stones would narrate the bloody clashes between the pro-Papal Guelphs and the pro-Emperor Ghibellines during the 1200s, the flames of people burned at the stake, especially Savonarola in the 1400s, as well as the Dark Ages and the splendor, magnificence, and grace of the Renaissance. Our eyes are immediately attracted to the famous asymmetrical tower and the austere 14^th-century façade of Palazzo Vecchio, the Medici family’s former residence, where visitors can admire Vasari’s frescoes in the Salone del Cinquecento, which can be reached through a delightful decorated courtyard and an imposing staircase. In front of the palace there is a copy of Michelangelo’s masterpiece, David, the original of which can be found at the Galleria dell’Accademia. The other important buildings that adorn the square are the elegant Loggia dei Lanzi, where official ceremonies and important reunions took place, the medieval Tribunale della Mercanzia, and Palazzo Uguccioni.

After crossing a long passageway that leads to the Arno River, you’ll reach the Galleria degli Uffizi, designed by Vasari for Francesco I de’ Medici, and considered one of the most prestigious museums in the world. Inside you’ll find painting masterpieces by Giotto, Cimabue, Masaccio, Beato Angelico, Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo, and Botticelli. Visitors should visit the Uffizi calmly, without haste, savoring not only the masterpieces on display but also the views from the windows, especially along the Vasari Corridor, once used by the Medici court to cross the city undisturbed and today a privileged stage from which to admire the Arno and the evocative Ponte Vecchio, from an extraordinary perspective.

And, if you need time and space to rest and reflect upon the many sights of many such masterpieces, take a stroll to the river and, perhaps, through Porta San Miniato, after a refreshing glass of good Chianti and some unforgettable Tuscan crostini, heading towards the hills to enjoy a peaceful street that, amidst low walls and ivy, boasts of magnificent churches and aristocratic villas.

If, instead, you prefer to visit the second heart of the city, you must go to Piazza Duomo, or San Giovanni, which, artistically and historically speaking, is just as important as Piazza della Signoria. The sight will take your breath away: the splendid marble, the great Baptistery (its doors alone, especially the one by Ghiberti, are a treasure), and the marvelous Duomo, completed after 600 years of work, with that engineering masterpiece – Brunelleschi’s Dome, frescoed on the inside by Vasari. Among the naves of the Duomo, your gaze will rise to admire the windows by Donatello, Ghiberti, and Paolo Uccello, and the mechanical clock painted by Paolo Uccello. Then there’s Giotto’s Bell Tower, with its incredible multicolored marble, tiles, windows, and breathtaking view from the top, 85 meters above the square!