Very few cities on the planet have had such a huge impact on world history and culture as Florence. The history of this city is rich in the brightest events. It was once the center of an independent republic. The walls of his palaces remember the Medici dukes. Such famous geniuses as Dante, Donatello, Machiavelli were born in this city; in one of the surrounding villages, Leonardo da Vinci was born. It was in this city that the beginning of the Renaissance, which replaced the Middle Ages, was laid.
Currently, the city is one of the tourist and economic centers of Italy. Its area is about one hundred square kilometers. Its population is a little less than four hundred thousand inhabitants.
The city is full of attractions - monuments of history and architecture. Going here on vacation, do not expect to visit all tourist places in a couple of days - it is simply impossible. More precisely, in such a short period of time you can only very quickly get acquainted with most of the sights, while all of them are worth careful and unhurried inspection.
But for those who want to spend only a few days in the city, and for those who wish to stay in it much longer, the same question is important: where is it better to stay in Florence? In this text, we will give many answers to this question, talking about different areas of the city and listing hotels, guest houses and apartments.
City districts
During the Renaissance, the city was divided into four districts. Since then, the area of its territory has practically not increased, but the administrative-territorial division has changed: now it is divided into six districts:
- Historical Center;
- Santa Croce;
- San Lorenzo;
- Coverciano;
- Oltrarno;
- Tornabuoni.
In which of these areas is it better to stay? The answer to this question depends on what exactly you expect from the vacation, what are your plans and addictions. Each of these areas has a number of advantages.
It should be noted that there is no division into the center and outskirts in the city. Strange as it may sound, each of the urban areas can be called central. All of them are full of interesting sights and tourist spots. All of them are deservedly popular among the guests of the city.
None of the six districts can be called dangerous: in each of them you can walk along the streets at any time of the day. And at the same time, pickpockets should not be forgotten in each of the named areas. Alas, there are a lot of them in the old Italian city and they are real "virtuosos". They especially love to hunt in places of a large concentration of tourists - that is, not far from attractions. But do not worry too much about this: if you do not store valuables and documents in places easily accessible to pickpockets, then a visit to the "Cradle of the Renaissance" (as Florence is often called) will not bring you any unpleasant surprises.
Now let's talk in more detail about the features of each of the six named areas.
Historical Center
Here you will see a huge number of architectural and historical sights: they are here literally at every step. You can list them and talk about them for a very long time. Among them, for example, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. It was built in the 15th century and is the most famous urban structure of that period. More precisely, the temple was founded at the end of the 13th century, but its construction was completed only in the 30s of the 15th century. Construction work continued for almost a century and a half. The construction of this cathedral was an unprecedented, grandiose, incredibly difficult project for its time - this is one of the reasons for the "long-term construction". In addition, construction was interrupted several times; in particular, at the beginning of the XIV century, the work was stopped due to the death of the architect, and in the 40s of the named century they were interrupted by the plague epidemic. The walls of the building are clad in green, pink and white marble. Pay special attention to the dome of the temple: it is one of the symbols of the city.
Speaking about the attractions of the area, it is also necessary to mention the Baptistery of St. John, the Accademia Gallery, Palazzo Medici Ricardi, the Museum of San Marco. It is worth taking a few hours to explore each of these attractions. And this is not all the architectural and historical monuments that you can see here.
By the way, the phrase "historical center" is rather arbitrary when it comes to the districts of the ancient Italian city. In fact, it will suit any of the six areas of Florence.
This area is distinguished not only by an abundance of attractions, but also by a fairly large number of restaurants. True, the prices in them can hardly be called democratic. There are also many hotels, most of which are among the most expensive hotels in the city. There are so many hotels here that it is sometimes very difficult to make a choice due to the abundance of offers. We will name just a few of them.
San Lorenzo
The area is considered a favorite destination for traders and painters. If you are fond of shopping, the area will seem like a real fairy tale to you. It will also be appreciated by lovers of gastronomic tourism: it is here that those who are interested in learning what real Tuscan cuisine come to. The market is considered one of the attractions of the area. It was founded back in the 19th century. Here you can not only feel the local flavor, but also buy delicious and fresh products (vegetables, groceries, and so on).
There are, of course, architectural sights on the territory of the district. This is, for example, the Temple of San Lorenzo. It is one of the main local attractions and gave the name to the entire area. It is one of the largest temples in the region. In the old building you will see the tomb where the representatives of the noble family who once ruled the city are buried.
There is also a wide choice of hotels in this area: there are no less of them than in the historical center of the city.
Santa Croce
Santa Croce is the quarter of palaces. Luxurious ancient palaces are located here literally every few meters. Among them, for example, the Antella Palace, built in the Middle Ages. In the 16th century, an upper floor was added to the building. When exploring the attraction, pay special attention to the facade. However, most likely, it would have attracted your attention without our advice: the facade is so magnificent, so colorful that it is simply impossible not to admire it.
Also among the local attractions is the ancient temple that gave the name to the area.
If you want to live surrounded by magnificent architectural monuments and at the same time save some money, you better stay in this area, rather than in the historical center. Rates in hotels and restaurants here are somewhat lower than in the first of the listed areas of the city.
Oltrarno
This area is located on the picturesque bank of the river. There is no such abundance of palaces and basilicas, as in other urban areas, but here you can explore the magnificent park complexes. A walk through the Boboli Gardens (the most famous local park) will certainly make a huge impression on you and will be remembered for years to come.
The alleys of the park are decorated with beautiful statues, fountains gush among the greenery. Grottoes and colonnades, marble nymphs and garden temples are all part of an amazing park complex founded in the 16th century. For a long time, only representatives of the local nobility could walk here, the situation changed in the 60s of the 18th century. Since then, everyone can visit the garden. It is currently an open-air museum.
But the list of local attractions is not limited to parks. As in any other area of the city, there are many old buildings here. The most famous of them is the Pitti Palace.
Some cite artisan shops and restaurants as local attractions. Here you can not only eat delicious food and buy an original souvenir, but also feel the unique atmosphere of the city, its amazing spirit.
Coverciano
The area of Coverciano will be appreciated not only by lovers of architectural and historical monuments, but also by football fans. Here you can see ancient temples and visit the Italian Football Hall of Fame. It provides training and licensing of football team coaches. It is not for nothing that this area is often called the place where Italian history is in close contact with the modern life of the country. Thanks to this, there is a distinctive atmosphere that distinguishes Coverciano from the other five urban areas. Staying here, you can simultaneously feel the spirit of the past centuries and the pulse of modern city life.
Tornabuoni
Tornabuoni is the smallest area of the city. Strictly speaking, this is not even quite a district. Rather, it is a quarter located around the palace of the same name. Here, as in any other area of the city, you will see many interesting historical and architectural sights.
In addition, there are many shops. Many of them are the most expensive in the city. You can go shopping here - but only if you have no desire to make your trip as economical as possible. The area is especially famous for its jewelry stores and numerous luxury boutiques. Thanks to the latter, it has gained fame as the most fashionable area of the city. If you are into everything that is related to fashion, you should stop here.
