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| ABOUT FLORENCE |
| Florence (Firenze), is the capital of the region
of Tuscany, on Italy's north-west coast. Florence is the city that
gave birth to the Renaissance and many visitors come here to trace
the development of this extraordinary outpouring of artistic talent
in the 15th century. The city is world famous for Gothic and Renaissance
buildings, art galleries and museums, and parks. In addition, it is
an important commercial, transportation, and manufacturing center.
It is a market for wine, olive oil, vegetables, fruits, and flowers,
and it lies on the railroad and main highway linking northern Italy
and Rome. Manufactures include motorcycles, automotive parts, agricultural
machinery, chemicals, fertilizers, plastics, and precision instruments.
Florentine handicraft industries are traditional and famous, producing
silverwork, jewelry (especially gold and cameos), straw work, leather
goods, glass, pottery, wood carvings, furniture, and embroidery. The cultural and historical impact of Florence is overwhelming. Close up, however, the city is one of Italy's most atmospheric and pleasant, retaining a strong resemblance to the small late-medieval centre that contributed so much to the cultural and political development of Europe. Unfortunately, it can be one of Italy's most clogged tourist traps, with up to 2000 tourist buses arriving daily in the peak season. Where Rome is a historical hot-pot, Florence is like stepping back into a Fiat and Vespa-filled Renaissance: the shop-lined Ponte Vecchio, the trademark Duomo, the gem-filled Uffizi Gallery, the turreted Piazza della Signoria and the Medici Chapels. Thankfully, these unforgettables are all within walking distance of each other. Novella, although the Duomo is pretty hard to miss. The city has two airports - Amerigo Vespucci is a few kilometres north-west of the city centre, and Galileo Galilei (for international flights) is about 75km (46mi) west of the city. You can walk from one end of the city centre to the other in about 30 minutes. Florence has hundreds of hotels, hostels and private rooms, and more than 150 budget hotels; even so, it's best to book ahead. Hotels and pensions are concentrated near the train station and in the old section of the city, from the Duomo to the river. Tuscany is known for its fine culinary traditions - in particular, its olive oil, meat dishes and classic Chianti. Atmospheric trattorie abound, and there are clusters of lovely little eateries south of the Arno and near the central market in San Lorenzo. |
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