Florence, one of the beautiful cities in
the world is situated in the heart of Tuscany, a ravishing province of hills
and mountains. It is the Renaissance capital of the world, with famous sons
like Leonardo, Dante, Machiavelli and Michelangelo and is a sight not to be
missed.
Florence is a city of confining beautiful churches, monasteries, museums,
galleries and palaces. Uffizi Galleries, one of the best art museums in the
world, the cathedral with the baptistry, the Santo Spirito church and the
Ponte Vecchio are a marvell to the eyes.
Florence city is famous for the art galleries it has and the splendid
museums it owns.
Fact File
Country : Italy
Population : 374,500
Area : 2000 sq miles
Languages : Italian , German, French, Slovene
Climate : Winters are cold and windy December-February days are
short and cold. Average high temperatures are in the 40s and low
temperatures in the 30s and July and August are the hottest months in
Florence- high average temperature is almost 90 F
Official Currency : Euro; 1 Euro = 52.443 Indian Rupee = 1.2047 US $
= 0.678141 GBP(subject to change)
Location : Florence is situated in the heart of Tuscany, a ravishing
province of hills and mountains.
Getting There 
By
Air : The city has two airports - Amerigo Vespucci is a few kilometres
north-west of the city centre and Galileo Galilei Intl airport, Pisa (for
international flights), is about 75km (46mi) west of the city.
Airlines that fly to the ‘Amerigo Vespucci airport’ in Florence
include Alitalia, Air France, Austrian, Lufthansa, Swiss, Air Littoral,
Carpatair, SN Brussels Airlines and Meridiana. Direct flights are usually
available from other European cities.
‘Amerigo Vespucci International Airport’ (Aeroporto di Firenze),
Florence, airport is 4km (2.4 miles) north of the city (travel time –
20 minutes )
Buses and taxis are available to the city.
Train : Italy has an excellent train system connecting the entire
country. High-speed train connections are available from other major cities,
including Milan, Rome and Venice. The ‘Santa Maria Novella train
station’ is located in the center of Florence. Taxis are readily
available at the train station.
Getting Around
By Road : There are various ways to get around the city namely
buses, rental cars and taxis.
Accommodation
The city has some of the very good hotels to ensure a comfortable and
convenient stay for the tourists. Mentioned below are some of the hotels in
the city:
5 star hotels in the city:
hotel Grand Villa Medici
hotel Westn Excelsior Florence
Hotel J & J
4 star hotels in the city:
Hotel Montebello Splendid
Plaza hotel Lucchesi
Hotel Grand
3 star hotels inthe city:
Best Western Grand hotel Adriatio
Best Western Vivahotel Fleming
Hotel Previledge
Major
Tourist Attractions
Piazza Della Signoria : this is the central square of the city,
built in an odd L-shape before the Palazzo Vecchio. The square is proud of
an impressive statuary – an equestrian depiction of Cosimo de Medici by
Giambologna, replicas of Donatello’s Marzocco and Judith Beheading
Holofernes, one of many replicas of Michelangelo’s David and the
restored original Perseus slaying Medusa by Cellini.
Palazzo Vecchio : built in the form of a fortress, with a high tower
it was the seat of power in the city for many centuries, including the
Medici years.
Duomo : the cathedral was built over a period of 600 years, starting
from the 13th Century. Its conspicuous dome and lantern atop it is the work
of Brunelleschi.
Uffizi : this is a known Italy’s art gallery and has a
collection strong in Italian Renaissance and Baroque art.
The Accademia : the original David by Michelangelo was moved here in
1873 to protect it from the elements. Besides this other sculptures include
the unfinished slaves.
Ponte Vecchio : this bridge with shops lining both sides of it was
first built in 1345 and spans the Arno River. Goldsmiths and silversmiths
occupy the shops here.
