Visit to the Renaissance City of Florence

6:01 PM

Instead of visiting Florence as a cruise stop, we decided to take a day trip from Rome. This allowed us to spend more time to explore and was not in a rush to get back to the ship. 



One of my favourite cities in Italy, I love how packed it is with beautiful art and architecture. I enjoy walking on its cobblestone streets and finding little gems along the way. 




A visit to Florence starts with one of the cities iconic structures - the Duomo di Firenze. 


Cathedralle di Santa Maria del Fiore




A UNESCO World Heritage site, the beautiful cathedral complex of the Duomo di Firenze is a must visit. Completed in the 15th century this was once the largest church in Europe. It is dedicated to the Santa Maria del Fiori or the Virgin of the Flower



Entrance to the cathedral is free and can be accessed on the right side of the facade (side of the bell tower). 




Among the principal monuments of the complex and an architectural highlight must see is the dome. 

 The dome is still the largest masonry dome in the world and more impressively built without any scaffolding. Designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, the architectural icon found an innovative design and strategy to build the dome. 





Marble panels, pink & green 




As you look up, you will see the frescoes of “The Last Judgement of Christ”  















You can climb up 463 steps to get a closer look at the dome. You’ll need to book your ticket to reserve your slot.


You can also go to the basement.   








The Baptistry of San Giovanni is the home of Ghiberti’s intricately carved bronze doors. 


The octagonal structure with it’s white carrara & green prata marble. 


Tickets to only the Baptistry is only available on the 1st Tuesday of the month. On the rest of the month, you’ll need to purchase the combined ticket with entrance to the museum. 


Cathedral complex: Piazza del Duomo, including the Baptistry & Giotto’s campanilla. 



Bell Tower 


 At 84.7 meters tall, Giotto’s bell tower clad with white, red, and green marble. 

There are 3 levels of the bell tower you can visit. You reach the projecting terrace after 414 steps up.

 

 



With limited time, we were only able to visit the cathedral and go up the bell tower. If you want to explore the other sights, I would allot half a day to have enough time. Take note of the slots you book for each area so you can plan your route. 






There are no elevators and you’ll need to climb stairs to get to the top of the tower or the dome. The bell tower for instance has a small staircase which both ascending and descending visitors use. This makes climbing up and down a little difficult and is not advisable if you have a problem with confined spaces. 

But the view is beautiful once you get to the top. 


View of the Baptistry in 2014 from the Bell Tower




View of the lower floor of the Bell tower


Panoramic view of Florence




WEBSITE:  www.duomo.firenze.it

ENTRANCE FEE: 

ADULT

REDUCED (7-14 years old)

CHILD ( 0-6 years old)

Cathedral

Free

Free

Free

Brunelleschi’s Dome (463 steps)

€20

€10

Free

Baptistry (Single ticket only available 1st Tuesday of the month)

€5

€3

Free

Combined Ticket of Baptistry & Museum (except on the 1st Tuesday of the Month)

€10

€5

Free

Duomo Terraces (150 steps)

€25

€10

Free

Giotto’s Bell Tower  (414 steps)

€15

€7

Free

Prices as of Sept 2020





Booking Mandatory except for Cathedral. Slots are 45 mins and there are about 50 tickets per slot. Please check their website for the updated prices, hours of operation, and availability for your date of visit. 


HOURS OF OPERATION: (Check HERE for exact hours on the date of your visit.)

Cathedral: 10:15 AM-4:00 PM

Dome: 8:15 AM-7:30 PM; 

Bell Tower: 8:15AM -7:30 PM  


Basilica di San Lorenzo


Situated near the city’s main market district, The Basilica di San Lorenzo is the parish and burial place of the principal members of the Medici family. Designed also by Filippo Brunelleschi, it was completed after his death. 








The tourist entrance left side door of facade.



WEBSITE: 

ENTRANCE FEE: € 7.00  

HOURS OF OPERATION:  

Monday/Friday/Saturday 10:00 AM -5:30 PM 

Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM 

Sundays : closed 

 

Right behind the church, is the Mercato di San Lorenzo. If your in the search for good leather products, souvenirs or food. There is an indoor market called Mercato Centrale where you can find really good food to bring home or head to the 2nd floor to have a meal. 









BASILICA DI SANTA CROCE (Basilica of the Holy Cross) 






The Basilica di Santa Croce or the Basilica of the Holy cross is the principal Franciscan church in Florence. Legend has it that it was founded by St. Francis himself. 

















It is also the final resting place of noble Italians such as Michelangelo, Niccolo Machiavelli and Galileo Galilei to name a few. As such it is also known as the temple of Italian Glories. 













This Gothic Renaissance and Gothic Revival basilica features 16 chapels and 44 beautiful stained glass windows. 




There are many tombstones on the floor of the church. 








About 800 meters from the Duomo, they also have an official app to make your visit easier. You can also book your tickets in advance.

 


WEBSITE: www.santacroceopera.it

Entrance Fee: You can book tickets here: ticks.santa

ENTRANCE FEE: € 8 Adult / Reduced Price: (12-17 years old) € 6.00 / Child (0-11 years old) residents of the city of Florence, disabled and their escorts : free 

HOURS OF OPERATION: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 11AM-5PM ; Sunday and religious festivities 1:00 -5:00 PM 

CLOSED: Jan 1, Easter, June 13, Oct 14, Dec 25 & 26 




Piazza della Signoria & UFFIZI


Halfway between the Duomo and the Arno river, you can find the Piazza della Signoria. The most important and popular museum in Florence, the Uffizi houses many masterpieces. You can find Botticelli’s “the Birth of Venus”, Da Vinci’s “the Annunciation, and works of Michelangelo and Raphael. 







If you’re planning on visiting the Uffizi or Academia, it’s best to book tickets in advance to skip the lines and ensure you’re able to visit on the day of your preference. 


Loggia della Signoria features several bronze and marble statues. 






"Medici Lions”
 






 

Also near the Uffizi, is the Gucci Museum where you can learn more about the designer brand and see many of its iconic collection. 


Pallazo Vecchio

 







PONTE VECCHIO






On the Arno River, the Ponte Vecchio is the city’s most famous bridge. The medieval bridge now is home to many jewelry stores. It’s a good place to see Italian handcrafted jewelry. The current bridge is since 1345. 









Other sights while exploring the city






















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