Our Florence series takes you to all the city’s highlights from the iconic domed cathedral (the ‘duomo’) to the world-famous art galleries and palazzos. Travel through history and meet Dante, and Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo and the Medici family. Learn about their connection to Florence and discover where you can ‘find’ them in the city today.
The 19 episodes in our City Break Florence series bring you all the background history and culture you need to fully understand this beautiful city. In short, here is all the research you’d do yourself if only you had the time.
Each episode centres around a podcast, available here or on all the usual providers. The blog posts here on the website include a summary of the main information, plus pictures, useful links and ideas for further reading. So, let’s go, or as the Italians say ‘Andiamo’!
Benvenuto a Firenze: welcome to Florence. This Tuscan gem is one of Europe’s most-visited cities and no wonder: world-famous art galleries and many splendid examples of renaissance architecture such as the domed cathedral, the piazzas … Read more
Florentines abroad who are missing their home city are not said to be ‘homesick’, but rather ‘sick for the dome’, so where else to begin our tour of Florence, but inside the Duomo? Known in … Read more
You’ll probably head first to the cathedral itself (the ‘duomo’) but exploring the area around Florence cathedral will allow you to see the other three main attractions in the square. The campanile (bell-tower) and the … Read more
Dante’s Florence? It’s complicated! The poet Dante Alighieri, born in Florence in 1265, is to Italy what Shakespeare is to the UK: he wrote some of his country’s greatest literary works, represents its culture and … Read more
‘In the dust scattered in Santa Croce is written the history of Italian civilisation’, explains the church’s guide book. So yes, Santa Croce, which means Holy Cross, is one of Florence’s most important buildings and … Read more
Santa Maria Novella, the church next door to the railway station which is named after it, has an exotic history and this post recounts one or two highlights before listing the main things to look … Read more
Everywhere in Florence you will hear about the Medici family, who played such an influential role in the city’s politics, art and culture from the 15th to the 18th centuries. This post takes you to … Read more
Another Florentine church? Yes, because San Lorenzo was the Medici family church and is the burial place of many of them, including Cosimo, and also of Donatello, the artist he befriended and sponsored. We start … Read more
There’s so much more to the San Lorenzo district than the church that this area needs a second episode. We visit two stunning buildings connected to the church: the Laurentian Library, with its ancient book … Read more
We visit the Piazza della Signoria, the square from which Florence has been ruled from about 1300, which has been the site of major dramatic incidents from history such as the burning to death of … Read more
The Palazzo Vecchio – also known as the Signoria – dominates the Piazza della Signoria and is one of the most interesting buildings in Florence. It has been a seat of power since the 13th … Read more
This episode takes time out from visiting the sights of Florence to focus on Nicolo Machiavelli whose name, 5 centuries after his death, is still a ‘byword for treachery and self-interest’. The one-time Secretary to … Read more
This episode covers the Palazzo Pitti, the must-see palace on the ‘other’ side of the River Arno, just across the Ponte Vecchio. It’s a chance to run through the later Medici rulers who lived here, … Read more
Amid all the art and culture in Florence, the story of Galileo is a reminder that the city also has a special place in the history of science. This episode includes a brief biography, including … Read more
Perhaps one of Florence’s lesser-known pleasures, the San Marco monastery’s tranquil atmosphere and beautiful frescos are a delight. This post offers a brief history, including its connections to Cosimo de Medici and the ‘mad monk’ … Read more
This episode is all about Florence’s most famous son, Michelangelo. It begins with a short biography, then explains where in Florence you can see his work and which pieces people most want to see. It … Read more
This episode is devoted to the Uffizi, Florence’s world-famous art gallery. First, there is a short history of the gallery and then an overview of its treasures, focussing on a number of highlights by Italian … Read more
Reading History and Travel Writing about Florence can really inform your visit. So, this post looks at three history books and two on art history which we recommend and then moves on to the writings … Read more
This final episode – Literary Florence – focuses on a selection of literary writings connected to the city, beginning with the Tuscan writers Petrarch and Boccacio whose works became the foundation of modern Italian literature. … Read more
Our very first Florence Extra episode with guest Danielle from the Florence-based tour company Ciao Florence who tells us all about the various tours and experiences the company offers in Florence and the surrounding area. … Read more
We interview Helen Farrell, editor of The Florentine, to find out how this publication and website can enhance your knowledge of Florence. She explains their news and listings functions and outlines the wide range of … Read more
Feel Florence – Interview Part 1 The first of a two-part interview with Andrea Giordani from Feel Florence, the city’s official tourism website. The 14th of this month is the central day in a year-long … Read more
Feel Florence – Interview Part 2 Part 2 of our interview with Andrea Giordani from Feel Florence, the city’s official tourism website, in which he takes us on a journey through some of the highlights … Read more
A bonus episode to whet your appetite If you can’t get to Florence right now, there’s nothing to stop you going on a virtual visit and this episode will tell you all about the best … Read more
