Holiday apartment in Florence – discover art, history and gardens

Florence displays its history not only in individual buildings, but across an entire cityscape: the historic centre preserves entire streets, fortified palaces, loggias and fountains from the trading city’s medieval and Renaissance past. This creates a destination where urban impressions, art collections and historic spaces can be combined as different focal points for exploration.

Uffizi Gallery, palaces and major art collections

The Uffizi Gallery is a particular highlight. It occupies the entire first and second floors of a building erected between 1560 and 1580 and designed by Giorgio Vasari. Its painting collection includes works by Giotto, Botticelli, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Caravaggio and other European painters. The Uffizi also houses ancient statues and busts from the Medici collection, including ancient Roman copies of lost Greek sculptures. Anyone choosing a holiday apartment in Florence will find a clear cultural reason here to structure their daily routine around art and history.

Pitti Palace is the largest of Florence’s palaces. Today it houses the treasury of the Grand Dukes, the Palatine Gallery, the Royal and Imperial Apartments, the Gallery of Modern Art, and the Costume and Fashion Museum. Santa Maria del Fiore also sets a striking standard: the church is one of the largest in the world, measuring 153 metres in length, 90 metres in width at the crossing, and 90 metres in height from the floor to the base of the lantern. Its foundation stone was laid on 8 September 1296; after the completion of the dome, it was consecrated by Pope Eugene IV on 25 March 1436.

The Palazzo Vecchio has symbolised Florence’s civic power for more than seven centuries. At the Museo Galileo, the instrument collections are among the most important in the world. The collections document the promotion of scientific research by the Medici dynasty and the Lorraine grand dukes; the museum also presents instruments and memorabilia belonging to Galileo Galilei. The Cappella dei Magi in the Palazzo Medici Riccardi was decorated with frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli in 1459.

Gardens, green spaces and viewpoints

Between art and time spent outdoors, the Giardino di Boboli provides a distinctive highlight: this open-air museum displays sculptures dating from the Roman era through to the 17th century. The Parco delle Cascine is used by locals and tourists as a green space for sport, walks and relaxation. Piazzale Michelangelo can be reached via Viale Galileo, Viale Michelangiolo or from Piazza Poggi via the monumental stairways known as the Rampe del Poggi. When choosing a holiday apartment in Florence, these different destinations allow you to weigh up focused days of culture against time spent in green surroundings.

The surrounding area of Florence is home to the Museo Marino Marini, Strozzi Palace, the Museo di San Marco and the Museo di Palazzo Davanzati. The Giardino degli Orti Oricellari, the Giardino della Fortezza and the Giardino di San Clemente are also nearby. Il Pratone is located in the vicinity of Florence. For planning your accommodation, this provides various thematic points of reference: you can focus on painting, sculpture, historic spaces, gardens or scientific instruments without reducing Florence to just one experience.

For further orientation, you can also choose Settignano, Polcanto, Montespertoli, Certaldo, Impruneta, Bagno A Ripoli, Ostina and Incisa In Val D'Arno.

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