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Our Local Expert Says:

The lobby is just a prelude to the tastefully appointed rooms.

Description:

Carolus Hotel is located on Via 27 Aprile 3 right near Piazza San Marco. It holds 53 rooms with views that are in an area very residential with churches and monuments in Florence.
Carolus Hotel has an ideal location to enjoy city's culture. All rooms are equipped with modern ammenties like free Wi-Fi internet, satellite TV and soundproofed windows. A neo-classic palazzo which dates back to 1865, Carolus Hotel offers guests a warm and charming atmosphere with a location very close to the city center.

Description:

Piazza del Duomo is one of the most famous landmarks in Florence. Truly an architectural piece of beauty, it encompasses the art and history of medieval Italy, through its sheer design. A visit to this city is not complete without visiting the piazza's cathedral 'Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore' whose dome dominates the skyline. It is no wonder that tourists are spellbound and spend hours trying to capture these images for eternity.

Our Local Expert Says:

Check out the Pieta` by Michelangelo and the original Gates of Paradise by Ghiberti!

Description:

Museo dell' Opera del Duomo was established in 1296 to supervise the construction of the Duomo and bell tower. In 1436, the Duomo was finished and the catedral was consecrated in which became a main task of the institution to preserve the monument. In 1891 the museum was renovated to hold all the works of art from over the centuries that were removed from the Duomo and the Baptistery of San Giovanni. What exists inside this museum are all the precious artwork that were taken in to be protected from the elements. The renovation of the museum took place from 1998 to 2000. Some of the most famous works that are currently being renovated and still live on inside these walls is Lorenzo Ghiberti's original bronze panels from the Baptistery's "Gates of Paradise". They are shown under the natural daylight enclosed in a courtyard. Ghiberti spent 27 years of his life in completely this masterpiece.

Description:

Designed by Giotto, the bell tower to the right of Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral was begun by the artist in 1334 but continued by Andrea Pisano (who modified part of the design) following Giotto's death in 1337. Francesco Talenti finally completed it in 1359. Originally the tower was linked to the Duomo via a passageway situated at the level of the first cornice but this was demolished before 1437. Reliefs carved on the side where the passageway once existed are later works by Luca della Robbia; Andrea Pisano's original stone reliefs can be seen in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. The concepts of universal order and redemption are recurrent themes; hexagonal tiles on the tower's lower level (now replaced by copies) portray scenes from daily human life whilst diamond-shaped reliefs on the upper level illustrate more ethereal subjects in the form of the Planets, Virtue, Liberal Arts and the Sacraments. There's no lift, but climbing the 414 steps to the top of the 85m tower is well worth the effort!

Our Local Expert Says:

The main room Cinquecento was designed a welcoming room with frescoes of Florentine victories on the walls.

Description:

The palazzo's construction began in 1299 and it was enlarged repeatedly - in 1343, 1495 and lastly in the 16th century by Vasari and Buontalenti. It has been the symbol and the political centre of the city for centuries. The Great room of the Cinquecento stands out, the work of Cronaca, it was designed as a reception area and decorated with frescoes celebrating Florentine victories against the other Tuscan cities and with sculptures depicting the deeds of Hercules by De Rossi. On the upper floors the Quarters of the elements are noteworthy as are those of Eleanor of Toledo who was the wife of Cosimo I and to whom the little chapel by Bronzino is dedicated. The Gigli room and the Audience room, which has a marble entrance, are sumptuous. On the Mezzanine there is the Loeser collection of painted sculptures. It is recommended that you visit the upper balcony where you can enjoy a fabulous view of Florence. In front of the museum, you'll find a copy of Michelangelo's David.

Description:

This century old restaurant continues to offer traditional Tuscan recipes, in a family style atmosphere.

Our Local Expert Says:

"The jewelry is superb and really expensive on the Ponte Vecchio. Grab your camera and catch the Tuscan Hills alive and rolling beyond the city center."

Description:

You can't miss the most recognizable landmark of Florence, the Ponte Vecchio. Constructed in 1345, the Ponte Vecchio is the oldest bridge still standing in Florence, hence the name. The multicolored structure bridge was first home to butcher shops. As the noble bankers would cross the Arno river to their offices, there was a rancid smell of pigs blood and rotted meat which extremely offended them. In an effort to improve the area, the Medici stepped in and ordered the lower class shopkeepers out and moved goldsmiths and diamond-cutters in. Ponte Vecchio is the only bridge that escaped the bombing by the Germans in WWII. Today, now a pedestrian bridge, the shops shimmer and shine with necklaces, rings and charms of the most expensive kind. Tourists can enjoy an early morning walk over the bridge before the shops open or at sunset where lovers stare at the horizon as musicians sing and be merry.

Our Local Expert Says:

David is the biggest and the most famous spectacle to see in the Accademia.

Description:

The Accademia is most famous for the David by Michelangelo but did you know there are many paintings in the museum to see as well? As you enter, the first long hall is devoted to Michelangelo and, though you pass his Slaves and the entrance to the painting gallery, most people are drawn down to the far end, a room dominated by the most famous sculpture in the world: Michelangelo's David . Michelangelo, only 29 years old, finished in 1504 a Goliath-size David for the city of Florence. Michelangelo's most fascinating works, the four famous nonfiniti ("unfinished") Slaves. These statues symbolize Michelangelo's theory that sculpture is an "art that takes away superfluous material." The wait to see the David can be up to an hour if you don't reserve ahead. I suggest getting there before the museum opens in the morning or an hour or two before closing time. read more

Description:

The Loggia dei Lanzi or Loggia della Signoria is a wide-open gallery of great works of art and sculpture. It brings together the piazza with the Uffizi Gallery flowing down into the Arno River. As the Florentines adored this masterpiece, Michelangelo suggested having loggia encompass the whole Piazza della Signoria. The artist or designer of the Loggia dei Lanzi was Orcagna. He built it between 1376 and 1382 when Benci di Cione and Simone Talenti took over. The name Loggia dei Lanzi came from the years the Grand Duke Cosimo I was in power, it was used to keep his Lanzichenecchi(Italian) or Landsknechts(German). Shortening it to Lanzi, these were German mercenary pikemen. As the Uffizi was nearly complete, the Loggia's roof was constructed as a terrace for the Medici so they could watch ceremonies in the piazza away from the peasants. The Loggia's roof was designed by Bernardo Buontalenti. Today, the sculptures of divine beauty that are located inside are Benvenuto Cellini's Perseus, Giambologna's Rape of the Sabine Woman and the Rape of Polyxena by Pio Fedi. Loggia dei Lanzi is gorgeous at night. Take a stroll after dinner... read more

Description:

The 1580 house where Santi di Tito spent the last years of his life painting is now inhabited by polite, efficient, and very accommodating waiters who will show you to a table in the vaulted-ceiling dining room or on the arbor-shaded patio. Among the delectable antipasti are salmone Scozzese selvatica (wild Scottish salmon) and petto d'oca affumicato e carciofi (thin slices of smoked goose breast on a bed of sliced artichokes drowned in olive oil). The risotto agli asparagi is a bit light on the asparagus but still very creamy and tasty. You can also try the excellent ravioli alla Senese (ricotta and spinach-stuffed pasta in creamy tomato sauce) or tagliolini ai pesci (noodles with fish). To stick with the sea you can order branzino (sea bass simmered in white wine) next or select the paillard di vitella all'ortolana (a grilled veal steak wrapped around cooked vegetables).

Our Local Expert Says:

"A peaceful place for a picnic, a jog or a stroll through the market."

Description:

Cascine park is a favorite with joggers, horse riders and families with young children, especially on Sundays and Tuesday mornings, when it's market day. On the park's east side is an open-air swimming pool (open during the summer months) attached are a bar and restaurant used on the warm summer evenings. The west of the park holds an amphitheater, a popular summertime venue for dance performances and concerts. At the end of the 18th century important buildings such as the Palazzina Reale, currently home to the Faculty of Agriculture of the Università degli Studi di Firenze (Florence University) were added. The park finally became public at the start of the 19th century. The Cascine Park opens daily from 8 am to 6 pm (autumn and winter) and from 7 am to 9 pm (spring and summer).

Our Local Expert Says:

"You can see the hill town Fiesole and end of the Appennine Mountains from the Piazzale."

Description:

The vista which one can see the whole valley of Florence and of the surrounding hills is a must see. The climb up is rewarding, the view is breathtaking. There are buses available to take you to Piazzale Michelangelo. Tourists, tourist groups and tour buses all congregate at this panoramic view. Vendors set up early in the morning with cool beverages for the parched tourists and souvenirs for the eager shoppers. A sunset visit is for the romantics, bringing a wine bottle and gazing at the Florentine sky as it ends another day. There is never a bad time to visit Piazzale Michelangelo, there is always something to see from this height

Our Local Expert Says:

Stop by around 5pm and hear the monks chant in the crypt.

Description:

High atop a hill, its gleaming white-and-green facade visible from the valley below, San Miniato is one of the few ancient churches of Florence to survive the centuries virtually intact. San Miniato was an eastern Christian who settled in Florence and was martyred during Emperor Decius's persecutions in A.D. 250. The legend goes that the decapitated saint picked up his head, walked across the river, climbed up the hillside, and didn't lie down to die until he reached this spot. He and other Christians were buried here, and a shrine was raised on the site as early as the 4th century.

The current building began to take shape in 1013, under the auspices of the powerful Arte di Calimala guild, whose symbol, a bronze eagle clutching a bale of wool, perches atop the facade. The Romanesque facade is a particularly gorgeous bit of white Carrara and green Prato marble inlay. Above the central window is a 13th-century mosaic of Christ Between the Madonna and St. Miniato (a theme repeated in a slightly later mosaic filling the apse inside).

The interior has a few Renaissance additions, but they blend in well with the overall medieval aspect -- an airy, stony space with a raised choir at one end,...

Our Local Expert Says:

A great place to spend an afternoon away from the busy tourist attractions of the historical center, this working monastery is an absolute jewel. Tours may or may not be in English but the monastery speaks for itself.

Description:

Both architecturally and artistically unique, this monastery commissioned in 1342 by Niccolò Acciaioli, viceroy of the Kingdom of Naples, was originally home to Carthusian monks. Today Cistercian monks (who have lived here since 1958) give visitors a guided tour of the complex's treasures. The tour winds its way through the monastery, taking in the Chiostrino dei Monaci e il Capitolo, a cloister featuring Albertinelli's 1506 work, "The Crucifixion." Other architectural works, completed in different periods, make up the Certosa complex. Free admission.

Our Local Expert Says:

This is an absolutely breathtaking cemetery that I would suggest to anyone with the means to get there. It pays tribute to the enormous sacrifice that US forces endured while helping to liberate the Italian peninsula during WW2.

Description:

The Florence American Cemetery and Memorial site consists of 4,402 graves of soldiers who died during the fights from Rome to the Alps. The memorial has two open courts, joined by the Tablets of the Missing upon which are inscribed 1,409 names. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified. At the south end, stands a chapel that is decorated in marble and mosaic.

Description:

Loggia del Mercato Nuovo or Loggia del Porcellino, was built in the middle of the 16th century. Walk a few steps towards the Duomo, you will find Piazza della Repubblica and following the crowds towards the Arno river, the Ponte Vecchio. The stalls used to sell more of silk and luxury goods, but today all you will find is leather bags, coats and tourist souvenirs. The main focus is the Fontana del Porcellino, which was by Pietro Tacca in the 16th century, the original wild boar sits in the Palazzo Pitti. If you rub the nose of the boar it is said you will receive good fortune, after of course leaving a coin in the mouth of the boar as well. Superstition implies that the wish will be granted if the offering tumbles through the grate whence the water flows. Check out the Loggia at night as well. Without the stalls, it is somewhat peaceful.

Our Local Expert Says:

Locals come for the Florentine steak.

Description:

This restaurant, lying close to the Piazza della Libertà in central Florence, caters to a variety of tastes. It offers pizzas as well as an excellent selection of grilled meats - a specialty of the house. Also on offer is a good selection of Tuscan appetizers, hearty bean soups, salads and of course pizzas. The light, fruity wines are predominantly and deliciously Tuscan.

Our Local Expert Says:

The lobby is just a prelude to the tastefully appointed rooms.

Description:

Carolus Hotel is located on Via 27 Aprile 3 right near Piazza San Marco. It holds 53 rooms with views that are in an area very residential with churches and monuments in Florence.
Carolus Hotel has an ideal location to enjoy city's culture. All rooms are equipped with modern ammenties like free Wi-Fi internet, satellite TV and soundproofed windows. A neo-classic palazzo which dates back to 1865, Carolus Hotel offers guests a warm and charming atmosphere with a location very close to the city center.

Description:

Half Scotsman, half Italian, Frederick Stibbert was nothing if not eccentric. A sometime artist, intrepid traveler, voracious accumulator, and even hero in Garibaldi's army, he inherited a vast fortune and this villa from his Italian mother. He connected the house to a nearby villa to create an eclectic museum housing his extraordinary collections, including baroque canvases, fine porcelain, Flemish tapestries, Tuscan crucifixes, and Etruscan artifacts. The museum was partially rearranged in past decades to try and make some sense out of 57 rooms stuffed with over 50,000 items. More recently, however, the city has come to appreciate this rare example of a private 19th-century museum and is busily setting it all back the way Stibbert originally intended.

Stibbert's greatest interest and most fascinating assemblage is of armor -- Etruscan, Lombard, Asian, Roman, 17th-century Florentine, and 15th-century Turkish. The museum has the largest display of Japanese arms and armor in Europe and a new exhibit of porcelain. The high point of the house is a remarkable grand hall filled with an entire cavalcade of mannequins in 16th-century armor (mostly European, but with half a dozen samurai foot...

Our Local Expert Says:

Get a sandwich, or 'panino' at the shop nearby, find a cool spot on the green slope to relax, and take in some fresh air.

Description:

Olmo is outside Florence, but not too far from the city. The green parkland is located in the northern hills near the Vetta le Croci (518m). It is perfect for outdoor pursuits and relaxing walks. Florentines tend to frequent Olmo, especially on Sundays, and there are refreshment stops where you can revive yourself with traditional Tuscan specialities. The Olmo fields are close to a set of crossroads which sends traffic in three directions - to Fiesole, Borgo San Lorenzo (where you can continue your walk), and Florence. It can be reached by going down Via Bolognese and once you have passed Pratolino follow the signs for Olmo.

Our Local Expert Says:

There is a colossal statue by Giambologna from the 16th century. The bearded figure is crouched next to a small pond and is as tall as the surrounding trees. Colossal!

Description:

Nothing remains of the 16th-century Medicean villa built by Francesco I de' Medici. It was surrounded by an immense park, full of decorative buildings, including (towards the end of the 17th century) a repertory theatre ordered by Ferdinando de' Medici. However, with the passage of time, the villa was ruined, and it was demolished. The park was eventually reclaimed by Joseph Frietsch before being handed over to the Demidoff family in 1872. After having bought the Savoy property, they decided to construct a villa, which has remained standing to this day. All that remains of the re-named Medici estate which was famous for its wonderfully evocative scenery are a few building works carried out by Bernardo Buontalenti, who was responsible for the original project commissioned by Francesco I. The park, which now belongs to the Province of Florence, is a venue for cultural shows and exhibitions, and remains open from March until October. It includes a fine collection of sculptures.

Description:

This cafe is only a stone's throw away from the church of Santa Croce. It has won Italy's "Cafe of the Year" award and is very popular due to the service, the beautiful decor and the chance to try an appetizer with a glass of wine.

Our Local Expert Says:

The lobby is just a prelude to the tastefully appointed rooms.

Description:

Carolus Hotel is located on Via 27 Aprile 3 right near Piazza San Marco. It holds 53 rooms with views that are in an area very residential with churches and monuments in Florence.
Carolus Hotel has an ideal location to enjoy city's culture. All rooms are equipped with modern ammenties like free Wi-Fi internet, satellite TV and soundproofed windows. A neo-classic palazzo which dates back to 1865, Carolus Hotel offers guests a warm and charming atmosphere with a location very close to the city center.

Our Local Expert Says:

A whole day could be spent in here if you are an art fan, each room is filled with something to see.

Description:

The Uffizi is one of the world's great museums, and the single best introduction to Renaissance painting, with works by Giotto, Masaccio, Paolo Uccello, Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Perugino, Michelangelo, Raphael Sanzio, Titian, Caravaggio, and the list goes on. The museum is deceptively small. What looks like a small stretch of gallery space can easily gobble up half a day -- many rooms suffer the fate of containing nothing but masterpieces.

Know before you go that the Uffizi regularly shuts down rooms for crowd-control reasons -- especially in summer, when the bulk of the annual 1.5 million visitors stampedes the place. Of the more than 3,100 artworks in the museum's archives, only about 1,700 are on exhibit.

The painting gallery is housed in the structure built to serve as the offices ( uffizi is Florentine dialect for uffici, or "offices") of the Medici, commissioned by Cosimo I from Giorgio Vasari in 1560 -- perhaps his greatest architectural work. The painting gallery was started by Cosimo I as well and is now housed in the second-floor rooms that open off a long hall lined with ancient statues and frescoed with grotesques.

Tips for Seeing the Uffizi -- If you have the...

Our Local Expert Says:

The gardens are expansive and hide many different areas to explore and enjoy.

Description:

Inside this garden lies the Buontalenti grotto (1583-1593). Decorated with mannerist-style scenes from Greek and Roman mythology, the grotto includes copies of Michelangelo's famous "Slave" series, the originals of which were transferred to the Galleria dell'Accademia. In the 17th century, the garden was extended as far as the Porta Romana, adding the Vasca d'Isola (pond) at the centre with a fountain and a statue of Neptune. In the late 18th century, Zanobi del Rosso built the Kaffehaus pavilion.

Description:

Commissioned by grand duke Ferdinando I, this unusual fort (also known as Forte San Giorgio) was built by Buontalenti and Don Giovanni de' Medici at the end of the 16th century to defend the city from enemy attack. It could be reached - and still can be today thanks to restoration work carried out during the 1950's - from the east side of the Boboli gardens. The pathway around the perimeter of the fort gives visitors breathtaking views of Florence's skyline as well as the Tuscan hills beyond and overlooks nearby Palazzina del Belvedere. Built by Bartolomeo Ammannati a few decades before the fortifications, the Palazzina is a popular art exhibition venue. The fort holds temporary exhibitions on a regular basis (for which it charges an admission fee), while access to the lawns surrounding it is usually free.

Description:

The restaurant opened after 3 twenty-something Washington-D.C. natives observed that, while Florence was teeming with Americans, the city lacked an affordable place for Sunday brunch. Thus the first diner in Florence was born in 2004. Packed with study-abroad students longing for a taste of home, the diner serves fresh and delicious pancakes, burgers, homemade muffins and omelets. With only 30 seats, this small bistro fills up fast on Sunday mornings. Also they serve muffins, bagels and Arizona Iced Tea as well. They've imported many of America's goodies to serve to the American students and tourists. The breakfasts are delicious and the burgers are even better than home. The prices are moderate.

Description:

Picture yourself in the beautiful city of Florence and you are exploring it on foot. It is humid and hot but you trudge on. Now wouldn't it have been convenient to be on wheels rather than on jaded soles? With the Segway Human Transporter, a self balancing personal travel device, you can be assured of your comfort even on an excursion. This two wheeled wonder is the first of its kind in Florence.

Description:

This piazza was formed in the Mattonaia quarter of the city, inside the city walls, at the end of the 19th century as a result of the development plan devised by the architect Poggi in the 1870s. Once established, the bourgeoisie then considered the area both residential and desirable! The area then saw the creation of Prince Umberto's theatre - sadly destroyed two decades later. Another building appeared on the piazza at the beginning of the 20th century but today, this remains one of the few green spaces in the city centre. There are amusements for young children including a merry-go-round, slides and a wooden castle in a cordoned-off area; and there are also areas for older children such as a basketball pitch.

Our Local Expert Says:

In the world of astronomy, how could you not want to see how Galileo was able to discover the smallest of stars.

Description:

The mainframe computer and multifunction calculator don't hold a candle to this collection's beautifully engraved intricate mechanical instruments. Galileo and his ilk practiced a science that was an art form of the highest aesthetic order. The cases display such beauties as a mechanical calculator from 1664 -- a gleaming bronze sandwich of engraved disks and dials -- and an architect's compass and plumb disguised as a dagger, complete with sheath.

In the field of astronomy, the museum has the lens with which Galileo discovered four of the moons of Jupiter (which he promptly and prudently named after his Medici patrons) and, alongside telescopes of all sizes and complexity, a tiny "lady's telescope" made of ivory that once came in a box of beauty products. There's also a somewhat grisly room devoted to medicine, with disturbingly realistic wax models of just about everything that can go wrong during childbirth. And what Italian institution would be complete without a holy relic? In this case, it's the middle finger of Galileo's right hand, swiped while he was en route to reinterment in Santa Croce. He was allowed burial in a Christian church only in the 18th century, after he was posthumously...

Description:

This public park was originally conceived as the private park of the neighbouring villa. It was designed by the architect Poggi for the Archinto family in 1839. The villa is now the headquarters of the International University of Arts, and is therefore off limits to the public.

Description:

Located in the Careggi zone, this small restaurant provides genuine, traditional Tuscan food ignoring current fads.

Our Local Expert Says:

The lobby is just a prelude to the tastefully appointed rooms.

Description:

Carolus Hotel is located on Via 27 Aprile 3 right near Piazza San Marco. It holds 53 rooms with views that are in an area very residential with churches and monuments in Florence.
Carolus Hotel has an ideal location to enjoy city's culture. All rooms are equipped with modern ammenties like free Wi-Fi internet, satellite TV and soundproofed windows. A neo-classic palazzo which dates back to 1865, Carolus Hotel offers guests a warm and charming atmosphere with a location very close to the city center.