Basilica di Santa Trinità

Florence

　　Built in Gothic style and later given a mannerist facade, this 14th-century church shelters some of the city's finest frescoes. Right of the main altar, paintings (1483–85) by Ghirlandaio depict the life of St Francis of Assisi through portraits of illustrious Florentines of the time in Cappella Sassetti, (pop €0.50...

Basilica di San Miniato al Monte

Florence

　　Five minutes' walk uphill from Piazzale Michelangelo is this wonderful Romanesque church, dedicated to St Minius, an early-Christian martyr in Florence said to have flown to this spot after his death down in the town (or, if you want to believe an alternative version, walked up the hill with his...

Loggia dei Lanzi

Florence

　　What makes Piazza della Signoria so utterly gorgeous is its wealth of fountains and statues, climaxing with this 14th-century loggia where works such as Giambologna's Rape of the Sabine Women, Benvenuto Cellini's bronze Perseus (1554) and Agnolo Gaddi's Seven Virtues (1384–89) are displayed. The loggia is named for the Lanzichenecchi...

Mercato Centrale

Florence

　　Wander the maze of stalls crammed with fresh produce at Florence's oldest and largest food market, on the ground floor of an iron-and-glass structure designed by architect Giuseppe Mengoni in 1874. Head to the 1st floor's buzzing, thoroughly contemporary food hall with dedicated cookery school and artisan stalls cooking steaks,...

Clet

Florence

　　Should you notice something gone awry with street signs in Oltrarno – on a No Entry sign, a tiny black figure stealthily sneaking away with the white bar for example – you can be sure it is the work of French-born Clet Abraham, one of Florence's most popular street artists....

Mercato delle Pulci

Florence

　　Historically at home (alongside the city's fish market) on Piazza dei Ciompi since 1900, Florence's antiques and flea market can now be found opposite Santa Croce's Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio. Peruse its racing-green stalls for a piece of Old Tuscany to take home. 　　On the last Sunday of each month stalls...

Mercato Nuovo

Florence

　　Tourist kitsch and cheap leather in Florence's 16th-century market place. ...

Giardino di Boboli

Florence

　　Behind Palazzo Pitti, the fountain- and sculpture-adorned Boboli Gardens – slowly but surely being restored to their former pristine glory thanks to a €2 million investment by Florence's homegrown fashion house Gucci – were laid out in the mid-16th century to a design by architect Niccolò Pericoli. At the upper,...

Ponte Santa Trinità

Florence

　　Composed of three elliptical arches of the utmost elegance – the first of their kind ever used in bridge construction – Ponte Santa Trinità was designed in the 1560s by Ammannati, though its arches, reminiscent of the tombs in Cappelle Medicee, have led some to suspect Michelangelo’s hand. Destroyed by...

Chiesa di Santa Felicità

Florence

　　Possibly founded by Syrian merchants as early as the 2nd century, the current church is largely a Renaissance construction. Its most extraordinary feature is Brunelleschi’s small Cappella Barbadori, which is adorned with frescoes by Jacopo Pontormo (1494–1557) of the Annunciation and a Deposition from the Cross, in garish reds, pinks...

Fontana di Nettuno

Florence

　　Recently restored thanks to a €1.5-million investment by Florentine fashion house Salvatore Ferragamo, Ammannati's monumental fountain is impossible to miss. With its pin-headed bronze satyrs and divinities frolicking at its edges, it has long been mocked as 'il biancone' (the big white thing), not to mention a waste of good...

Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio

Florence

　　Indoor and outdoor food market with an intimate, local flavour. ...

Chiesa e Museo di Orsanmichele

Florence

　　This unusual and inspirational church, with a Gothic tabernacle by Andrea Orcagna, was created when the arcades of an old grain market (1290) were walled in and two storeys added during the 14th century. Its exterior is decorated with niches and tabernacles bearing statues representing the patron saints of Florence's...

Caffè Rivoire

Florence

　　This golden oldie with an unbeatable people-watching terrace has produced some of the city's most exquisite chocolate since 1872 (sadly only available in winter). Black-jacketed barmen with ties set the formal tone. Save several euros by joining the local Florentine crowd standing at the bar rather than sitting down at...

Manifattura Tabacchi

Florence

　　An exciting work in progress, this ex-industrial plant near Parco delle Cascine hosts some of the city's edgiest contemporary art events and happenings. The complex – a stunning example of Rationalist architecture – was built between 1933 and 1940 as a tobacco-processing plant and cigarette factory, operational until 2001. Today...

Via de' Tornabuoni

Florence

　　Renaissance palaces and Italian fashion houses border Via de' Tornabuoni, the city's most expensive shopping strip. Named after a Florentine noble family (which died out in the 17th century), it is referred to as the 'Salotto di Firenze' (Florence's Drawing Room). At its northern end is Palazzo Antinori (1461–69), owned...

Trattoria Le Mossacce

Florence

　　Strung with legs of ham and garlic garlands, this old-world trattoria lives up to its vintage promise of a warm benvenuto (welcome) and fabulous home cooking every Tuscan nonna would approve of. A family address, it has been the pride and joy of the Fantoni-Mannucci family for the last 50-odd...

Ditta Artigianale

Florence

　　With industrial decor and laid-back vibe, this ingenious coffee roastery is a perfect place to hang at any time of day. The creation of three-times Italian barista champion Francesco Sanapo, it's famed for its first-class coffee and outstanding gin cocktails. If you're yearning for a flat white, cold-brew tonic or...

Procacci

Florence

　　The last remaining bastion of genteel old Florence on Via de' Tornabuoni, this tiny cafe was born in 1885 as a delicatessen serving truffles in its repertoire of tasty morsels. Bite-sized panini tartufati (truffle-pâté rolls) remain the thing to order, best accompanied by a glass of prosecco (sparkling wine). ...

Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana

Florence

　　Beyond the Basilica di San Lorenzo ticket office lie peaceful cloisters framing a garden with orange trees. Stairs lead up the loggia to the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, commissioned by Giulio de' Medici (Pope Clement VII) in 1524 to house the extensive Medici library (started by Cosimo the Elder and greatly...

Museo degli Innocenti

Florence

　　Shortly after its founding in 1421, Brunelleschi designed the loggia for Florence's Ospedale degli Innocenti, a foundling hospital and Europe's first orphanage, built by the wealthy silk-weavers' guild to care for unwanted children. Inside, a highly emotive, state-of-the-art museum explores its history, climaxing with a sensational collection of frescoes and...

SoprArno Suites

Florence

　　This boutique gem, tucked in a quaint Oltrarno courtyard, creates an intimate home-from-home vibe while making each guest feel special. Thirteen designer rooms are exquisitely dressed in vintage objets d'art and collectibles – the passion of Florentine owner Matteo and his talented Florence-born, British-raised wife, Betty Soldi (a calligrapher and...

Essenziale

Florence

　　There's no finer showcase for modern Tuscan cuisine than this loft-style restaurant in a 19th-century warehouse. Preparing dishes at the kitchen bar in rolled-up shirt sleeves and navy butcher's apron is dazzling young chef Simone Cipriani. Order one of his tasting menus to sample the full range of his inventive,...

AdAstra

Florence

　　There is no other address quite like it in Florence. Seductively at home in a 16th-century palazzo overlooking Europe's largest private walled garden, this uberchic guesthouse rocks. A creation of the talented British-Italian duo behind SoprArno Suites, AdAstra sports 14 beautiful rooms adorned with Betty Soldi's calligraphy, Matteo's vintage collectibles,...

iO Osteria Personale

Florence

　　Persuade everyone at your table to order the tasting menu to avoid the torture of picking just one dish – everything on the menu at this fabulously contemporary and creative osteria (casual tavern) is to die for. Pontedera-born chef Nicolò Baretti uses only seasonal products, natural ingredients and traditional flavours...

Corridoio Vasariano

Florence

　　This 1km-long covered passageway, currently closed for restoration work, connects Palazzo Vecchio with the Uffizi and Palazzo Pitti. Vasari designed it in 1565 to allow the Medici to wander between their palaces in privacy and comfort. When the €10-million renovation is complete in 2021, visitors will follow in Medici footsteps...

Il Teatro del Sale

Florence

　　Florentine chef Fabio Picchi is one of Florence's living treasures who steals the Sant'Ambrogio show with this eccentric, good-value, members-only club (everyone welcome, membership €7) inside an old theatre. He cooks up brunch and dinner, culminating at 9.30pm in a live performance of drama, music or comedy arranged by his...

Piazza della Signoria

Florence

　　The hub of local life since the 13th century, Florentines flock here to meet friends and chat over early-evening aperitivi (predinner drinks) at historic cafes. Presiding over everything is Palazzo Vecchio, Florence's city hall, and the 14th-century Loggia dei Lanzi, an open-air gallery showcasing Renaissance sculptures, including Giambologna's Rape of...

Museo del Bargello

Florence

　　It was behind the stark walls of Palazzo del Bargello, Florence's earliest public building, that the podestà (governing magistrate) meted out justice from the 13th century until 1502. Today the building safeguards Italy's most comprehensive collection of Tuscan Renaissance sculpture, with some of Michelangelo's best early works and several by...

Piazzale Michelangelo

Florence

　　Turn your back on the bevy of ticky-tacky souvenir stalls flogging David statues and boxer shorts and take in the spectacular city panorama from this vast square, pierced by one of Florence's two David copies. Sunset here is particularly dramatic. It's a 10-minute uphill walk along the serpentine road, paths...

Trippaio Sergio Pollini

Florence

　　For a fast munch-on-the-move follow Florentines to this trippaio (mobile tripe stand) for a tripe panino (sandwich). Think cow's stomach chopped up, boiled, sliced, bunged between bread and doused in salsa verde (pea-green sauce of smashed parsley, garlic, capers and anchovies). A bastion of good old-fashioned Florentine tradition, this trippaio...

Student Hotel

Florence

　　Designed for anyone with a fun 'student-for-life' spirit, this hostel-hotel hybrid embodies 21st-century living – in a historic palazzo from 1864. Sharp interior design throws in a shiny grand piano for guests to tinkle on, co-working spaces, break-out zones and bags of communal space. Rooms, shared kitchens, and the 360-degree...

Ciblèo

Florence

　　Iconic Florentine chef Fabio Picchi draws on his past experience working in Japan to give Tuscan staples an oriental twist – chopsticks provided – at this intimate fusion eatery, across the street from Sant'Ambrogio's covered food market. Snag one of eight stools at the bar or a table (reservations recommended),...

Osteria I Buongustai

Florence

　　Run with breathtaking speed and grace by Laura and Lucia, 'The Gourmand' is unmissable. Lunchtimes heave with locals and savvy students who flock here to fill up on tasty Tuscan home cooking at a snip of other restaurant prices. The place is brilliantly no frills – watch women in hair...

Palazzo Strozzi

Florence

　　This 15th-century Renaissance mansion was built for wealthy merchant Filippo Strozzi, one of the Medici's major political and commercial rivals. Today it hosts exciting art exhibitions spanning all periods and genres – its contemporary art events are particularly sensational. There's always a buzz about the place, with fashionable Florentines milling...

Trattoria Mario

Florence

　　Arrive by noon to ensure a spot at this noisy, busy, brilliant trattoria – a legend that retains its soul (and allure with locals) despite being in every guidebook. Charming Fabio, whose grandfather opened the place in 1953, is front of house while big brother Romeo and nephew Francesco cook...

Caffè degli Artigiani

Florence

　　Sitting on one of Florence's most atmospheric little piazzas, this quaintly countrified cafe pulls in local artisans in need of an espresso hit or nip of brandy. In the back room, which seems to have been plucked from a Provençal farmhouse, enjoy piadine (flat bread stuffed with various fillings; €6.50...

Museo delle Cappelle Medicee

Florence

　　Nowhere is Medici conceit expressed so explicitly as in the Medici Chapels. Adorned with granite, marble, semiprecious stones and some of Michelangelo's most beautiful sculptures, it is the burial place of 49 dynasty members. Francesco I lies in the dark, imposing Cappella dei Principi (Chapel of Princes) alongside Ferdinando I...

Forte di Belvedere

Florence

　　Forte di Belvedere is a rambling fort designed by Bernardo Buontalenti for Grand Duke Ferdinando I at the end of the 16th century. From the massive bulwark, soldiers kept watch on four fronts – as much for internal security as to protect the Palazzo Pitti against foreign attack. Today the...

Galleria dell'Accademia

Florence

　　A queue marks the door to this gallery, built to house one of the Renaissance's most iconic masterpieces, Michelangelo's David. But the world's most famous statue is worth the wait. The subtle detail – the veins in his sinewy arms, the leg muscles, the change in expression as you move...

Cupola del Brunelleschi

Florence

　　A Renaissance masterpiece, the duomo's cupola – 91m high and 45.5m wide – was built between 1420 and 1436. Filippo Brunelleschi, taking inspiration from the Pantheon in Rome, designed a distinctive octagonal form of inner and outer concentric domes that rests on the drum of the cathedral rather than the...

Museo dell’Opera del Duomo

Florence

　　This awe-inspiring story of how the duomo and its cupola came to life is told in this well-executed museum. Among its sacred and liturgical treasures are the baptistry's original doors: the gloriously golden, 16m-tall gilded bronze Porta del Paradiso (Doors of Paradise; 1425–52) designed by Ghiberti for the eastern entrance;...

Duomo

Florence

　　Florence's duomo is the city's most iconic landmark. Capped by Filippo Brunelleschi's red-tiled cupola, it's a staggering construction whose breathtaking pink, white and green marble facade and graceful campanile dominate the Renaissance cityscape. Sienese architect Arnolfo di Cambio began work on it in 1296, but construction took almost 150 years...

Museo di San Marco

Florence

　　At the heart of Florence's university area sits Chiesa di San Marco and an adjoining 15th-century Dominican monastery where both gifted painter Fra' Angelico (c 1395–1455) and the sharp-tongued Savonarola piously served God. Today the monastery, aka one of Florence's most spiritually uplifting museums, showcases the work of Fra' Angelico....

Palazzo Vecchio

Florence

　　This fortress palace, with its crenellations and 94m-high tower, was designed by Arnolfo di Cambio between 1298 and 1314 for the signoria (city government). Today it is home to the mayor's office and the municipal council. From the top of the Torre d'Arnolfo (tower), you can revel in unforgettable views....