Florence Online - Travel Guide to Florence

Florence knew the period of greatest splendor of the XIV and the XVI century under the Medici dynasty and gave a great contribution to the development of the Renaissance, a cultural movement, art and literature that has changed the thinking and customs of all Italy. That is why Florence is known worldwide as the 'cradle of the Renaissance': here were born, lived and worked many of the greatest artists from this movement. And 'thanks to their work that every year hundreds of thousands of tourists choose this wonderful city to spend their holidays. If you decide to visit the city and wants to see major art it offers requires at least 2 days. 

Walking through the old town (declared World Heritage by 'UNESCO in 1982) you can visit museums, squares, libraries, academies, gardens and parks, monuments, churches and palaces. A journey that will take you back in time 500 years. 
In this section you will also find a virtual tour and a map of Florence that will guide you to discover the beauties of the Tuscan capital. In addition, for those who stay in Florence for more than 2 or 3 days we have prepared itineraries and excursions to schedule a visit to a beautiful countries or medieval villages located near the city. 

Knowing 
Florence is a city of Roman origin and lies on the banks of 'Arno. Experienced a period of great economic, political and artistic age in the Medieval and Renaissance periods. The city is also a place where tourists are known to many of these monuments: the Campanile di Giotto, the Baptistery, Santa Maria del Fiore and the Palazzo Pitti. The most important industrial activities include: craft and trade. 
The lily as a symbol of Florence was chosen in the second half of the twelfth century. Florentia in fact could only be represented by a flower and the most popular flowers in heraldry were pink, and, specifically, the lily. The lily of Florence was originally gonfalon white on red background, was mutated in red on a white background in the Guelphs 1266, as a sign of victory over the Ghibellines, the botanical name of the lily is Iris florentina. The iris does not appear at random in the emblem of the city because it grows abundantly in the fields that surround it. 
The mythology tells that the lily was born from a drop of milk fell from the bosom of Juno while breastfeeding the little Hercules, the meaning of this flower is, therefore, that of purity and chastity. 
The abundance and beauty of the flowers caused the Florentines to finissero fond all'Iris and associate it to their city life, that the iris and the lily is the emblem of Florence also certify his name Botanical Iris Florentina . Red on white or white on red, as the dominant political party, it was always the only valid symbol of the city and its sign Florence conquered freedom and honor. The iris, in fact, has a history much older, the Egyptians will have numerous varieties cultivated on the banks of the Nile and the Greeks admired it copies most beautiful and colorful among rocks and stones of the temples. It was indeed their imagination to see the petals varied and changing the messenger of gods, Iris, who dissolved the multicolored scarf, dall'Olimpo slipping down sull'arcobaleno. 
In this section of Florence Online: status of the city, its history, photos, historical photos, the 'flood and events annually. Also at your disposal, we created a section useful information that will allow you to better organize your visit to Florence. You'll find the essential things to bring with you and the contact details of key institutions and centers for any emergency situation. 

Hotel Firenze 
In the section to sleep in Florence, we selected the best accommodations in Florence and the province divided by type. For all this structure there are opportunities to send a reservation request free no obligation directly to the owner, will receive an email confirming availability with the relevant price of your stay within 24 hours. 
From the left column you can select the b & b hotels, rural houses, the residences, the apartments, the holiday homes and hostels. 
You'll also be able to conduct the research facilities, not only by type but also by selecting the area (Hill, Countryside, Old Florence, ...) or area (Chianti, Outskirts, ...). 
Finally you can see the last minute or make a reservation online. 

Entertainment 
Florence is not just art and museums. In town the fun never ends and the local animate life right after dinner and continue through the night by hosting young and old from all over the world. It 'can have fun and spend pleasant evenings with friends, on any day of the week (especially weekends). 
For lovers of the night Florence offers a choice: discos, pubs, disco pubs, cafes, bars. The main areas of the 'movida' are certainly those of Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella and the Duomo. Who wants to spend an evening spicy may choose in the various night clubs in both center on the outskirts. 
For those who prefer other types of entertainment in the city are often organized events and events of all kinds. 
Of course there are also many theaters and cinemas. Florentine theatrical tradition has always been considerable, it is sufficient to name the famous Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in a city that also attracts celebrities. 
The films range from the Florentine and equipped modern multiplex to the small independent cinema. Between June and September, are open spaces and cinema under the stars, which reproduce the winter hits along with new films of the season. 
Florence is also famous worldwide for its wines produced in the surrounding hills, walking through the streets of the old town you can taste the local wines in various wine shops and wine bars. You can finally enjoy an aperitif made in accordance with best practice and a good coffee in any of the squares of the city. 

Eat 
The Tuscan cuisine is famous for its simple dishes prepared with great skill. 
In the past, the difficult living conditions imposed on the population of Tuscany to prefer the use of poor foods like bread without salt, which is present even today with thousands of shapes and flavors in all parts of Tuscany there are several types of bread, from the strand to the wheel from the buns toasted, crushed by the oil with the rosemary bread, until the loaf with raisins. 
Just the bread is one of the main ingredients of the most popular recipes such as Tuscan panzanella (made with bread soaked in water, crumbled with vegetables), the pappa col pomodoro (bread with plantains, garlic, parsley, basil, salt, oil and tomatoes), ribollita (born from the tradition that ribollita and heated the leftovers of the soup already cooked the day before). 
Florence is famous for the beefsteak, ribollita, tripe, the bomboloni, crushed with the grapes, the rags, the lampredotto, beans all'uccelletto. 
Tuscany is famous for being among the areas where you can taste the best dishes from across Italy. 
This section presents a broad list of clubs where you can taste the Florentine and Tuscan specialties and taste the delicious wines of Chianti, such as restaurants, taverns, bars, pizzerias and wine bars in Florence province. 
Tuscany is also very famous for its wines and looked all over the world. 
Brunello di Montalcino, Nobile di Montepulciano, Chianti classico, Barco Reale di Carmignano, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, Morellino di Scansano, Pomino, Montescudaio white, red Montescudaio are just some of the names of wines produced in Tuscany. The region has a wealth of great vineyards around the hills and visit the cellars to the public at any time of year. 
Tuscany evokes an image of great beauty, a unique place full of historical treasures, cultural and natural. A land that time has been evoked by poets and writers. A territory with colors, smells and tastes unique. 
Tuscany is rich in castles and medieval towns, palaces, villas, churches, works of art and monasteries are full of charm and history. Tuscany is characterized by a varied landscape, green hills, sea, mountains and relaxing spas. 
Precisely for these features many tourists every year choose routes in lands of Tuscany in search of tradition and taste, winery after winery, the great red wines from Tuscany. Among the popular can designate the area of Chianti, the Val d'Orcia, Montepulciano, San Gimignano, Montalcino and the Maremma area of Tuscany. 
Wines delicious Tuscan dishes, traditional dishes, seafood specialties, international dishes ... You choose. 

Moving 
Located in the heart of Tuscany, Central Italy, Florence is easily reached by car, train, bus and plane. A few kilometers from the city center is in fact this' s airport Amerigo Vespucci (Peretola area). There are no shortcuts Direct International in Florence, in any case the airport covers many European routes and often with cheap flights. Peretola is about 5 km from the town and is well connected by taxis and shuttle buses. 
Moreover Airport Pisa is only 50km from Florence and is connected to stations ferriviarie Santa Maria Novella (the central station of the Tuscan capital) by a special train. 
E 'also easily reachable by train from all over Italy and from the outside. There are many stations in Florence. The most important are: Rifredi Florence, Firenze Santa Maria Novella and Florence Campo di Marte. 
For those who love or want to travel by car, you can reach easily by the A1 or A11 (linked in turn to the CISA). In the center there are many parkings where you can pay to leave their car. If you arrive by train or air and you want to rent a car you can do it in one of agenvolmente car rentals. 
The historic center is approximately 4 square kilometers, the entire town of about 100 kmq Inside of the center (given the small size) you can move around easily on foot, by bicycle, by bus or use one of many taxi in every corner of the city. 
For more information on how to reach the city visiting the pages in this section of the site: how to reach Florence. 

Stores 
The Italy among the major world leaders in the manufacture, design, fashion and is therefore very easy to find some souvenirs .. 
Florence is famous for the 'crafts and jewelry for his hand with experience and following the tradition from which hundreds of years characterized the Florentine goldsmiths. Many visitors are interested in watches, bracelets and rings in gold or silver sold on the Ponte Vecchio in its small shops. If you are interested in a charm or souvenir shops these is appropriate. There must also be said that finding gioiielli precious gold cheap on the old bridge is something that is almost impossible. 
The road to the crafts is Via Maggio: some of the furniture and objects d'art dating from the 16th century. In Via dei Tornabuoni find clothes shops of the highest quality. The best clothing shops, shoe style, but very expensive . Here you will find the best signatures from Armani, Gucci, Versace, Coveri and Ferragamo. Purchases "chic" can be done in the nearby Via della Vigna Nuova. 
In section shops in Florence you will find the main shops of the province of Florence, divided by category. 

Schools 
Without doubt, when we plan a trip to Florence we do first of all to admire its beauty, its monuments and atmosphere that seems to have stopped in time. 
But many tourists arriving in the city of the Renaissance arts to learn that hundreds of years characterized Florence and Tuscany. Over time craftsmen have succeeded, generation after generation, processing of gold and ceramics, the art of painting drawing and sculpture. Florence is also a museum with works of art by the greatest artists, sculptors, painters and craftsmen Fiorentini. 
Precisely for this reason they are born many schools attended by both Italian and foreigners from all over the world. Thus were born the art schools specializing in training of Visual Arts, courses in design, photography courses, art courses, courses drawing and painting, in fresco and workshops. 
Very common are also the schools with Italian language courses with specialized experts and instructors available much frequented mainly by students who come to Florence for their studies. 
There are also many dance schools with specialized courses in dance and dance of every kind and type: 'Tango Argentino', 'Smooth', 'Modern Dance', etc.. 
In this section of Florence Online-lists are then reported to colleges, middle, and information elementer sull'università. 

Artisti Toscani 
Florence has become the city of art that all the world knows, thanks to the work of major artists over the years have built large monuments, churches and sculptures. The big names of the Renaissance are almost all coming from Tuscany and especially Florence was the center of the art. Artists such as Donatello, Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, Giotto, Galileo Galilei, Dante, Botticelli, and Masaccio are just some of the artists who made their mark in monuments and works of the fifteenth century Florentine. 
A trip back in time to admire the beauty of this ... 

Events 
When you visit any place in the world we are always interested to know the events and events that are celebrated during our stay. Besides being a fun event helps all to understand and experience the customs of the place and through these experiences we to understand the history and traditions that are hundreds of years handed down from generation to generation. The Christmas in Florence is one of the most beautiful and exciting to visit the city thanks to the many initiatives oraganizzate in the capital as the famous markets of Christmas. Also spend New Year in Florence has a particular taste, for the squares, at every street corner, in theaters, discos, you can find thousands of people dance and celebrate until the morning. Another great opportunity to spend a couple of days in this city is the bridge, 8 December or bridge dell'immacolata, so we prepared a 2-day itinerary that will guide you to discover the capital. Certainly not to be missed is the Easter in Florence in this period is very pleasant to walk through the streets of the old breathing history, art and the first hot spring, in this period, moreover, each year makes a historical representation of the Outbreak of the wagon. 
In this section of the website are the most important events and the most interesting events. 
The breakdown in type of event allows you to quickly find the best view of events in Florence and Tuscany. In the left column you can find various links, clicking on the link of your interest visualizzarai list of events of interest to you. The exhibitions, fairs, fairs, festivals, flea markets, the concerts and other events. 



Site Map 
Our portal is full of useful information and is updated every day, why can not immediately find all the information you need. In the section of the site map find a map showing all the pages of Florence Online divided by category. You will find what you're looking for in less tempopossibile and with minimal effort. 
There is also the possibility to search within Florence Online entering the keywords you are looking for. To search the site visit the search section. 



Contacts 
If you want to contact us for any reason, please visit the contacts section you will find our telephone numbers and our email addresses. 
We made a collection of useful links and interesting for anyone planning a trip for pleasure or work in the city of the Renaissance, and we listed it in the links page. 
If you are an owner of a hotel, B & B, Residence, Restaurant, Tavern, (...) and you want a personal site visit the section Realizzazione siti internet. 
If you are an owner of a facility already affiliated with us you can access your private area, change the data structure and key las minute deals in just a few simple clicks: Affiliate. Acora If you are not affiliated with us, you can enter your property Inserimento Hotel. Look for a link on your site to www.firenze-online.com you can take the code and / or banner page Link to Florence Online. 

Florence, the city of the Renaissance 
The foundation of the city dates back to the Etruscan period, was born around 200 BC as a colony of the then most important town of Fiesole. During the period of the Roman Empire (Florentia) became a Roman colony used for the control of the Via Flaminia, but the real cultural, linguistic, social, political and art took place in fourteenth and fifteenth century. In this period Florence has strongly influenced the progress of Italian culture through great periods of glory such as Humanism and the Renaissance. The figure most important literary born, raised and lived in the capital of Tuscany is without doubt Dante Alighieri. 
The city is located in central Italy in a wide valley surrounded by hills and mountains, is the capital of the Region of Tuscany and has a population of about 400,000 inhabitants. The Arno river crosses the city from the historic center of the city and passes by the old bridge, creating a truly impressive, especially at sunset. In just 30 minutes walk you can cross the old town, in the heart of the city are located the main tourist attractions and is therefore not necessary to have a car or public transport services. There are more than 400 bed and breakfast, hostels and hotels in Florence well distributed throughout the territory, even if you arrive in a city without knowing where to stay most probably within a couple of hours you have found accommodation. In any case, however, especially at peak times, it is advisable to book in advance so you can choose the first type of hotel that makes its own needs, without having to walk much more than once on the ground. There are accommodations for every budget, you will find facilities ranging from small budget hotels to get to the luxury hotel with every comfort. 
Florence has always been considered the cradle of art and the Renaissance in Italy, thanks to the work of great artists like Leonardo, Caravaggio, Michelangelo, Raphael manages to offer tourists a unique and still as strong appearance of a city the late Middle Ages. 
Reaching the city is very easy by any means of transport because of good rail and road links exist and due to the presence of the Amerigo Vespucci. From the capital of Tuscany, you can go hiking routes according to details of one or more days, and visit beautiful cities such as Rome, Siena, Pisa, Lucca, the Versilia and Viareggio, Montecatini, the Chianti region, Perugia, and many other tourist destinations very pleasing. 
The climate is fairly temperate but also very variable, with fairly cold winters and summers hot and dry. The best time to visit Florence is without doubt the spring from March to June and from September to October, when the days are cool and sunny, when you can walk to the historic center of the city fully breathing the atmosphere that only this wonderful city can to report. For this reason, the spring is the period with increased influx of tourists. During the summer it's quite hot, and many Florentines moving from town to cooler places like the campaign or the surrounding hills. If you decide to visit the city you may want to switch at least one day in the sweet hills of Chianti and Fiesole; here, in addition to taste the delicacies typical of the area (such as steak and Chianti Gallo Nero) you will be able to regenerate and make the full of energy. During the winter the temperature is fairly mild, a visit during the winter is quite recommended. 
Crafts Fiorentino is famous throughout the world, especially the working of a traditional and very ancient. Even today we can see the old bridge (the only remaining intact after the bombing of the Second World War) the shops of goldsmiths Florentine who maintain unaltered their appearance and often still use the material with the techniques of the past. 
Florence, after Rome, is the most important artistic cities of Italy, just for this every year, more than 11 million tourists from all over the world visit the city. Among the main attractions is undoubtedly one of the greatest museums in the world, the Galleria degli Uffizi. 
Our guide will take you to discover the capital of Tuscany, you will find information to better organize your vacation and to discover every hidden corner of the city. 

Who can better describe Florence and give you advice if not the people who live there and who love her?