Florence: Places to Explore

The heart of Florence, stretching from the Piazza del Duomo south to the Arno, is as dense with artistic treasures as anyplace in the world. Its churches, medieval towers, Renaissance palaces, and world-class... Read more

A walk through the Oltrarno (literally "the other side of the Arno") takes in two very different aspects of Florence: the splendor of the Medici, manifest in the riches of the mammoth Palazzo Pitti and... Read more

A sculptor, painter, architect, and even a poet, Florentine native son Michelangelo was a consummate genius, and some of his finest creations remain in his hometown. The Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana... Read more

The Santa Croce quarter, on the southeast fringe of the historic center, was built up in the Middle Ages outside the second set of medieval city walls. The centerpiece of the neighborhood was the basilica... Read more

Piazza Santa Maria Novella, near the train station, suffered from a degree of squalor until a restoration several years in the making and completed in spring 2009, gave it a boost. It's now a gorgeous... Read more