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Considered one of the most beautiful cities of Italy, Florence is famous for its picturesque scenery, and rich historical and cultural heritage, with numerous museums, galleries and architectural landmarks.
It has also historically been the seat of world-known Italian artists, writers, and other personages such as Amerigo Vespucci, Dante Alighieri, Michelangelo. and Leonardo da Vinci. Their masterpieces and others can be seen until our days throughout the city in churches, cathedrals and galleries.
Florence of our days is an important economic and touristic center of Italy visited by more than 20 million people annually. Vacation in Florence combines in itself exploring historical sites, world's famous art galleries, doing luxury shopping and enjoying local cuisine.
To get the most of your holiday in Florence, plan your trip beforehand and choose attractions you would like to prioritize - keeping in mind that visiting the most popular galleries requires booking tickets in advance.
City of Artists
Despite its rapid industrial development, Florence has managed to keep the unique beauty of the Renaissance. A walk by the old, narrow, cobbled will take you to the Middle Ages. You'll see the place where Dante wrote The Divine Comedy and the workshop where Michelangelo carved the spectacular marble statue of David. Many other artistic masterpieces are on display in the Uffizi Gallery, Gallery of the Academy, and Palazzo Vecchio.
The Uffizi is the most popular museum in Florence. and among the most important in the whole country, occupying an area of 13,000 square meters filled with a large collection of artworks by both Italian and foreign artists of 13th through 19th centuries. Some of the more popular works here are Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Allegory of Spring, Verrocchio's Baptism of Christ, and Michelangelo's Holy Family.
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The prize work of the Gallery of the Academy, more than 200 years old, David, the gargantuan marble statue created by a 29-year-old Michelangelo in 1504. For almost 300 years, the statue stood in the Piazza Vecchia, and only once it suffered from the hands of vandals. It happened in 1991, here in the Gallery, when Italian artists Piero Cannata smashed some left toes with a hammer damage fortunately repaired.
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In Florence the air itself seems literally full of desire to create, and interesting art can be found not only in the prestigious museums and galleries, but on the streets - sidealk vendors, but also right on the very walls, sidewalks, and even road signs. Various amusing images and even some real urban masterpieces pop up in the most unexpected places. So when exploring the city look not only at the grand architectural landmarks, but have a peek into the side streets, too.
Florence Shopping
Florence can hold its own with Milan and Rome as a center of high fashion. Most of the well-known Italian brands such as Ferragamo and Gucci have their own representatives here, and in every district there are luxury clothing boutiques with large and diverse collections that can pleasantly surprise even the most sophisticated fashion connoisseurs. Many local textile factories work directly with the major designers of Milan, Rome and Paris.
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Florence as a shopping destination is mainly suitable for tourists aimed to find stylish luxury-brand fur coats, quality leather goods, haute brand-name clothing with some discounts, antiques, and original jewelry. There are goods in all price ranges, though the selection isn't as big as, say, Milan. The most prestigious boutiques are traditionally located in the city cente - the likes of Armani, Ferragamo, Gucci, and Versace, with sometimes stratospheric price tags. Those looking to save money have the option of browsing various outlets on the outskirts of the city (though sometimes it's tricky to find just the right size and style, as most popular sizes sell out very fast) out very fast.
One such is The Mall, focused primarily on luxury clothing. It's not very big, but manages to gather under one roof many cool brands including Armani, Valentino, Dior, Alexander McQeen, Tod's Valentino, Stella McCartney, Sergio Rossi, and others.
The Sotto Sotto Fashion Outlet is an great place to browse for evening dresses and classic suits. Among the brand represented here are D&G, Alpha Massimo Rebecchi, Versace and Caterina Masoni.
When planning your shopping tour in Florence, notice that most outlets can be located not only far from the center, but at the opposite ends of the city. For instance, Sotto Sotto is 20 km northwest, whereas the Mall is in 35 km to the southeast. If public transport isn't for you, then choose a rental vehicle. Nowadays, compact and economy cars can have affordable rates especially if you book online in advance.
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In conclusion, it should be mentioned that Florence is not only a cradle of art and popular shopping center, but also a bastion of traditional Florentine and other Italian cuisine. Locals are rightly proud of their restaurants and trattorias, super-Tuscan and Chianti vintages. Lunch or dinner in one of the local restaurants located at the banks of the river Arno is an excellent way to spend a memorable evening.
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