Florence
Travel Advice for Seniors: Florence
No trip to Italy is complete without a stop in Florence, besides Rome, one of my favorite places. For an art lover, Florence is one of the top destinations in the world. Sculpture fills ever corner and the jaw-dropping artwork in the Accademia and Uffizi leave you stunned.
Florence was our second destination on our ten-day small group tour of Venice-Florence-Rome. Note that in the article below, some were activities were included on the tour and others were activities we arranged ourselves.
Mom and I are big art buffs and prioritize art galleries and museums on our trips. We were very excited about visiting the world-class museums in Florence and they were worth every moment of anticipation!
The Duomo, or Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is the centerpiece of Florence and a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. The Duomo, designed by Brunelleschi, besides having the world’s largest masonry vault, also features works by masters like Michelangelo, Donatello, and Giotto. Also centrally located, Palazzo della Signoria is a symbol of the power of the Medicis, a banking dynasty that amassed a great deal of power over three centuries. Their patronage also attracted a great many artists and cemented Florence’s role in the Renaissance.
The Basilica of Santa Croce is the largest Franciscan Basilica in the world. Amid many frescos by Giotto are burial sites for well-known Florentines including Michelangelo, Dante and Galileo to name a few.
Second day highlight is the Accademia! Galleria dell ’Accademia di Firenze is one of the major museums in Florence and home of Michelangelo’s Masterpiece sculpture, David, as well as several other Michelangelo pieces, priceless altar pieces and many other works of art. The David is actually surprisingly large…it’s seventeen feet tall. Large enough to get a good view despite the swarm of tourists around it.
We also visited one of my favorites, the Capelle Medici, extension to the Basilica of San Lorenzo. The Capelle features stellar works by Michelangelo, namely Day and Night, Dawn and Dusk. Their technical detail, inherent beauty and elegance will leave you speechless.
Third day highlight is the Uffizi, one of the ten greatest museums in the world, The Uffizi includes a vast collection of Renaissance paintings by renowned artists such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Sandro Botticelli. Don’t miss Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, Annunciation by da Vinci or Madonna of the Goldfinch by Raphael and those are just a few of the incredible pieces housed here.
Finally a stop past the Piazza della Repubblica to the Ponte Vecchio to see one of the most famous bridges in the world and symbol of Florence. Ponte Vecchio has many shops of leather goods if you are souveniring. A final must-see is the Piazza della Signoria with it’s replicas of several major sculptures all gathered in a beautiful piazza for your viewing pleasure.
Our time in Florence is never enough to let all of the art and ambience sink in, but onward to Roma!
Where we stayed:
How we got there: Bus ride from Venice to Florence.This was part of a 10-day small group tour through Italy, starting in Venice with a stop at Florence and ending in Rome.
General Accessibility Information: Major tourist sites, newer hotels, transportation and most major cities are accessible. Older buildings and some historic sites may be less accessible. Call in advance to verify and make specialty arrangements. See our sections on specialty apps and accessible travel for more on accessibility assistance.
