Florence, the capital of Tuscany in northern Italy, is one of Europe’s most visited cities. Declared a World Heritage site in the early 1980′s, the city is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance and once housed the rulers of the Italian Kingdom. The city’s long association with art and literature is what attracts most visitors, looking to rent an apartment in Florence, allowing them easy access to its historical centre and incomparable collections of art.
Long ruled over by the powerful Medici family, Florence enjoyed economic prosperity during the 14th to 16th centuries, when the rich and powerful commissioned many of its artistic and architectural masterpieces. Today art lovers from across the globe come, not just to marvel at city’s museums and the work of Da Vinci, Machiavelli and Michelangelo, but architectural wonders including the Duomo Cathedral and Giotto’s Campanile tower. Many visitors decide on a apartment in the centre of Florence to really submerge themselves in its cultural heritage and opt to make the centro storrico their base.
The city is dominated by its famous marbled cathedral and a walking tour of the old town will offers glimpses of it round every corner. The Duomo is top of everybody’s ‘To See’ list and climbing it offers unparalleled views of the rich architectural heritage contained within Florence’s medieval city walls. With literally hundreds of historic churches, palaces and piazza’s to explore, it can be difficult planning your trip, but a visit to the Uffizi is for most an artistic highlight they will never forget. Home to some of the greatest Renaissance art in the world, including woks by Botticelli and Titian, the museum sits in the Piazella degli Uffizi close to the River Arno.
The entire region is famous for great food, with a cuisine which grew from its peasant past and is very much based around meat. Renting an apartment in Florence will give you the chance to enjoy a great selection of restaurants. Most serve fantastic antipasti and you’ll be drawn to the best by the smell of charcoal, as chefs prepare the city’s signature dish Bistecca alla Fiorentina, grilled beef served rare. Florence also has some great shopping and many of Italy’s top designers have opened stores in recent years, while the Ponte Vecchio houses some very exclusive goldsmiths and the area known as Oltano offers the work of countless local artisans.
Regular visitors often choose to rent a cottage in Lucca, with its ancient defensive walls, or one of the other nearby towns a short drive from Florence, giving them a chance to explore the Tuscan countryside, with its incomparable array of cultural and artistic attractions.
Time stands still in the old town and with so many low-key charms complimenting the dazzling mix of culture and art, you could spend days simply sitting in Florence’s classically Mediterranean piazzas or strolling its maze of streets, taking in its elegant charms and never setting foot in a museum.