Florence is much more than a museum machine
Find out why Florence is the perfect Italian getaway destination.The Tuscan province of Florence in Northern Italy, steeped in divine artistic heritage, is a hop, skip and jump from London Gatwick. Catch a flight with Meridiana Airlines after breakfast and you can be soaking up the Florentine sunshine by lunchtime.
Some of the must see sights in this small but perfectly formed city include the Duomo, Europe’s fourth largest cathedral that houses several artistic masterpieces behind its white, green and pink façade.
Unsurprisingly, Florence has an abundance of museums packed into its few square kilometres. The Galleria dell’Accademia is a jewel amongst them, home to Michelangelo’s ‘David’. The Uffizi Gallery is also one not to be missed, displaying the Renaissance masters' finest work in the best possible setting. To avoid the long queues it’s advisable to reserve tickets online.
The Medici family were the rich patrons who supported the growth of the arts in this city, whilst ensuring buildings were a spectacular display of greatness and beauty. Whilst this city has retained it’s beauty and stature for centuries, there is more to do here than visit museums and art galleries, genuinely impressive as they are.
Each summer, the city’s Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello is home to one of the 18 races of the Italian Moto GP, a hugely competitive and exhilarating racing event, challenging riders to speeds of up to 300 km/h.
The festival of Saint John is another event that pulls in the crowds, celebrated in June every year with parades, dances, dressing up, fireworks and boat races. This all centres around an historic football match, lest we forget we are in Italy of course.
