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As you take this tour with us we assure you that we will take you on a historical and culturally rich journey into the heart of Florence. During the travel we will take you through back alleys and little known local streets and alleyways to provide you with an authentic and original flavour of the hidden treasures of this marvelous city. We will take you to meet the artisans close up. They form an integral part of keeping the traditions of Florence alive and well.
Our guide will meet you at your hotel or the designated meeting point and you will begin this fascinating trip into the delights of Florence by walking through the Piazza Santa Maria Novella where you will explore one of the oldest churches in Florence whose treasures include frescoes by the masters of Gothic and early renaissance.
From the piazza we will continue our travel till we reach one of the oldest pharmacies in Italy, where you can purchase exclusive, natural hand made products made by nuns. The pharmacy is housed in an ornate building with high ceilings and frescoes. All the wares offered are tastefully displayed in glass cabinets. After this interesting shopping expedition we will take to a characteristic Florentine book binding shop.
We now proceed for a stroll along the river Arno towards Pont Vecchio which is the most famous bridge in Florence. It was originally the site of shops of butchers and tanners. The Medicis replaced these shops with those of jewelers. You can also get a fantastic view of the city and many unique photo opportunities along the way.
We will now walk along the Lugarno where there are many showrooms displaying marble sculptures, mosaic tabletops, handcrafted leather goods and textiles. We will wander through Florence’s exclusive street which is lined with international boutiques each one of which is exclusive and showcases the importance of Florence as an important centre of the fashion world both for buyers and sellers alike.
Our next stop is the historical Palazzo Strozzi which is an excellent example of civil architecture in rusticated stone. We now will proceed through archways into the Piazza della Republica. This square is full of art and history and has been the central meeting point of the city. This is the best place to experience café culture and do some “people watching” if you have the time or you can always come back for a leisurely visit.
As we continue our trip in the centre of the city the Duomo, the dome of the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore looms majestically before you. Many Italian artists were involved in building it through the centuries. You will learn more about the Baptistery with its golden doors, the origins of the beautifully coloured marble and the other treasures within when explore it.
Now we will take a break for lunch at a place of your choice or if you wish we can book a traditional lunch at a trattoria. You will have about an hour to enjoy the gastronomic delights of Florence.
After that delicious lunch we will head back towards the river and walk into Piazza della Signora. Here you will see copies of many famous sculptures including the Michelangelo’s David. The massive Tuscan Gothic Palazzo Vecchio overlooks the square. Although most of this imposing palace houses a museum it still houses the office of the Mayor of Florence and is the seat of the City Council. The square also has the famous Neptune fountain. We now proceed towards the Uffizzi, the most famous art gallery in Florence with its innumerable masterpieces, and then go to Pont Vecchio from here we will go visiting a family run picturesque olive shop and then go to the “Oltrarno.”
The artisan workshops in Oltrarno are the most lively and traditional part of old Florence. You will get the opportunity to browse through shops making handmade paper, masks for the carnival, iron merchants, mosaic shops and various other craft shops. Your tour for the day ends at Pitti Palace, one of the various homes of the Medici. It has been converted to a museum and has a wonderful collection of handmade jewelry, ceramics, gold and other artifacts. The palace has an imposing façade as well as palatial interiors lined with many frescoes and paintings by Correggio, Raphael, Titian and Rubens. From here you can explore the Boboli Gardens though we recommend you come back another day as there is so much to see and you are always welcome to join us in our “Villas and Garden Tours” which cover these attractions in a more detailed time frame and in greater depth and detail.
Enquiry
Fill the registration form and enquire about the Artistic Florence Trip for your convenient dates. Alternatively you can enquire about this travel tour by email info@excursionsintuscany.com.
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