Florence

The Duomo

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The Uffizi Gallery

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San Lorenzo Market

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Mercato Centrale

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Basilica of San Lorenzo

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Luxury Outlets

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Fortezza da Basso

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Piazza della Signoria

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Ponte Vecchio

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Palazzo Pitti

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Church of San Miniato al Monte

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Piazzale Michelangelo

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The Duomo

The Duomo is just a 7-minute walk from us… The metropolitan cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore , commonly known as the Duomo of Florence , is the principal church of Florence, the symbol of the city and one of the most famous in Italy. When it was completed in the fifteenth century, it was the largest church in the world, and can still boast the absolute primacy of the largest masonry dome. It stands on the foundations of the ancient cathedral of Florence, the church of Santa Reparata.  The layout of the Cathedral is composed of a basilica body with three naves welded to an enormous triconch rotunda that supports the immense dome designed by Brunelleschi , the largest masonry dome ever built. Inside you can see the largest surface ever decorated with frescoes : 3600 m² , executed between 1572 – 1579 by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari . At the base of the marble lantern , there is a panoramic terrace over the city located 91 meters above the ground. The facade of the Cathedral in polychrome marble is from the modern era, dating back to 1887 and designed by Emilio de Fabris , and is an important example of neo-Gothic style in Italy.

The Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi Gallery is a 15-minute walk from us. The gallery is a prominent Renaissance art museum located adjacent to the Piazza della Signoria in the historic center of Florence, the capital of the region of Tuscany, Italy. One of the most important Italian museums and the most visited, it is also one of the largest and best-known in the world and holds a collection of priceless works, particularly from the period of the Italian Renaissance. Amongst others, ‘The Birth of Venus’ by Sandro Botticelli are exhibited here… After the ruling House of Medici died out, their art collections were given to the city of Florence under the famous Patto di famiglia negotiated by Anna Maria Luisa, the last Medici heiress. The Uffizi is one of the first modern museums. The gallery had been open to visitors by request since the sixteenth century, and in 1769 it was officially opened to the public, formally becoming a museum in 1865.

San Lorenzo Market

The famous San Lorenzo market with its garment, footwear and food stands is very close by, and in the area are many small and characteristic restaurants that the Florentines themselves love to frequent.  3 min. walk.  The San Lorenzo Market is an outdoor market full of stalls selling leather, clothing and souvenirs. It runs from the Church of San Lorenzo along Via Ariento all the way to Via Nazionale.

Mercato Centrale

The famous Mercato Centrale is the central market in Florence, famous for artisan food, situated about two blocks away from the main railway terminal. This historic food market is open from nine in the morning to midnight and known also for its amazing Gourmet Food Court.

Basilica of San Lorenzo

Just five minutes from the Relais & Maison Grand Tour is the Basilica of San Lorenzo with the Medici Chapel.  The Medici Chapels form part of a monumental complex developed over almost two centuries in close connection with the adjoining church of San Lorenzo, considered the “official” church of the Medici family who lived in the neighbouring palace on Via Larga, also known as the Medici-Riccardi Palace.  After completing the architectural works in 1524, Michelangelo worked until 1533 on the sculptures and the sarcophagi that were to be featured on the chapel walls. The only ones actually completed were the statues of Lorenzo, the Duke of Urbino; Giuliano, the Duke of Nemours; the four statues of the allegories of Day and Night, and Dawn and Dusk; and the group representing the Madonna and Child; which are flanked by statues of Saints Cosma and Damian (protectors of the Medici), executed respectively by Montorsoli and Baccio da Montelupo, both of whom were pupils of Michelangelo.

Luxury Outlets

The location of our Relais is also ideal for our guests that love to shop and wish to get to know and explore Italian high fashion: the boutiques of Armani, Prada, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Pucci, and Stefano Ricci, just 15 minutes away.Florence is known for amazing Gold, Silver & Art, antiques, Leather, as well as perfumes, ceramics and artistic paper products, and of course Food and Wine.For the more experienced shopper, Florence offers also bus connections to various Outlet malls like “The Mall” and “Barberino Outlet” and the Leccio Outlet.

Fortezza da Basso

The Fortezza da Basso – renowned for the Pitti fashion shows – is only a 10-minute walk away. Often viewed as the convention center of Florence and in the winter season the site of Christmas markets and an ice-skating rink. Fortezza da Basso is a fort inserted in the fourteenth century walls of Florence. Its official name is the Fortress of Saint John the Baptist. In modern times it is home to numerous conferences, concerts and national and international exhibitions, such as Pitti Immagine. Its total area is nearly 100,000 square meters.

Piazza della Signoria

the magnificent Piazza della Signoria, located immediately next to the Uffizi Gallery. The place to see the famous Neptune fountain, numerous outdoor statues in the Loggia dei Lanzi, and Florence’s symbol of strength and tradition, the Marzocco lion. Piazza della Signoria is one of the main squares of Florence, the seat of civil power and location of much of the city’s social life. It is located in the central part of medieval Florence right in front of Palazzo Vecchio, the governmental seat of the city.

Ponte Vecchio

The Ponte Vecchio offers a romantic and suggestive point of view over the city and the Arno river. Today the location of many jewellery stores tucked away in the crevices of this amazing bridge that survived many attacks of the past and houses also sections of the famous Vasari Corridor, built in 1564 by Giorgio Vasari.  It is a covered walk way, almost a kilometre in length, an overhead passageway that starts out from the West Corridor of the Uffizi Gallery, heads towards the Arno and then, raised up by huge arches, follows the river as far as the Ponte Vecchio, which it crosses by passing on top of the shops. The meat market on the bridge was at this time transferred elsewhere and replaced (from 1593) with the goldsmiths who continue to work there today.  On the other side of the Arno, the corridor passes through the interior of the church of Santa Felicita, along the tops of the houses and the gardens of the Guicciardini family until it finally reaches the Boboli gardens (one of the exits is by Buontalenti’s Grotto) and the apartments in the Pitti Palace.

Palazzo Pitti

After crossing into Oltrarno on the other side of the river, you reach Palazzo Pitti, the last private residence of the Medici family and the adjoining Boboli Gardens, located next to the Carmelite Church and the Brancacci Chapel. Palazzo Pitti is an imposing palace in Florence just a short distance from the Ponte Vecchio.  The original structure of the building dates to 1458, as the urban residence of the banker Luca Pitti.  The palace was then purchased by the Medici family in 1549 and became the main residence of the Grand Dukes of Tuscany.   Inside it houses an important group of museums: the Palatine Gallery , arranged according to the criteria of eighteenth-century painting , with masterpieces by Raphael and Titian ; the Royal Apartments , the apartment of the Duchess of Aosta, and the quarters of the Prince of Naples (usually not open to tourists); the Gallery of Modern Art (with works by the Macchiaioli ), and other specialized museums: the Treasury of the Grand Dukes, dedicated to applied art; the Museum of Fashion and Costume, the largest Italian museum dedicated to fashion; the Porcelain Museum and the Carriage Museum. The palace is completed by the Boboli Gardens, one of the best examples in the world of an Italian garden.

Church of San Miniato al Monte

You cannot leave Florence without having visited the “Oltrarno” neighborhood, full of places with a popular flavor and many small artistic and historical realities strongly connected to the fabric of the city, where you will have the opportunity to meet the real Florentines. Two examples of extremely significant places of art such as the Church of Santa Felicita and the Church of San Miniato al Monte at Piazzale Michelangelo will enrich your visit to Florence in a unique and unforgettable way.  

The Church of San Miniato al Monte: reaching Piazzale Michelangelo by walk is a wonderful experience, however if you like greater comfort we recommend taking a taxi, and from there, a few steps from the Piazzale, at the top of a stupendous staircase, in Via delle Porte Sante 34, you will find the Church of San Miniato al Monte, one of the most beautiful churches in Florence, with a façade made of  Prato and Carrara marble, with gold mosaics from the 12th century, can be seen even from the Arno river on the other side. The interior is entirely frescoed and the 11th century crypt can be visited. Gregorian chants can also be heard every afternoon, during the celebration of Vespers, both in the summer and winter.

Piazzale Michelangelo

Piazzale Michelangelo…most fabulous lookout point in Florence, laying out the city right in front of you from an elevated viewpoint. About 15 min by foot from the Ponte Vecchio. Featuring a large bronze copy of Michelangelo’s David , which gazes toward the hills beyond the city limits, next to copies of the four allegories from the Medici Chapels of San Lorenzo .  Placed in the center flanked by vendors, stands and endless views of the valley & city below.   It is also a sought after spot to view the sunset in the evenings and to take in some music while reminiscing about your day.    The square was built in honor of the Renaissance master, it offers a unique view of the city, and is a privileged point in the historic center to admire the panorama of the entire city of Florence and the Arno.  Piazzale Michelangelo was created by the architect Giuseppe Poggi in 1869, when the Tuscan capital, Florence, was the capital of Italy. 

It was built as part of an urban renewal project and named in honor of the Renaissance master.  Intended to become a monument to Michelangelo, with the neoclassical loggia bringing together all of Florence’s statues by the great artist in one exhibition space. The museum was never built, and the loggia now houses a restaurant and café.