Florence Things to Do

This villa was named "La Ferdinanda" after Ferdinando I, who commissioned the work carried out by Bernardo Buontalenti between 1594-98. It was used by the Medici Grand Dukes primarily for hunts that were organized on the extens... more

Commissioned by grand duke Ferdinando I, this unusual fort (also known as Forte San Giorgio) was built by Buontalenti and Don Giovanni de' Medici at the end of the 16th century to defend the city from enemy attack. It could be... more

This palazzo is the model described in the refined 15th-century text by Giovan Battista Alberti, De re aedificatoria. It was built in the Piazza of the same name where a Loggia with three wide arcades was built for Giovanni di... more

This palazzo is modeled on the most successful 15th-century palazzi. It was built in 1490 by Giuliano da Sangallo and remains today one of the most important examples of its period. Giuliano did not succeed in finishing the pro... more

The creation of the Giardino dei Semplici or Botanical Gardens (Orto Botanico), was ordered by Cosimo I de'Medici in the mid 16th century and planned by Niccolo Tribolo. It was one of the first of its kind in the world. The Gar... more

This 16th-century palazzo was one of the first examples of "Roman style" architecture which was brought to Florence by Baccio d'Agnolo. While the prevalent Florentine style of the time involved façades with rustication and plas... more

The Loggia is also known as the Loggia di San Matteo is to be found on the corner of Piazza San Marco, just before the turning off to via Ricasoli. The portico was part of the hospital dedicated to San Matteo inaugurated at the... more

Originally the "Comunale," this stadium was inaugurated in 1931 and changed its name to Artemio Franchi in 1991 in honor and memory of the former FIGC (Italian Football Association) President. The stadium can hold over 47,000... more

La Volta di San Pierino is the starting point of this shopping walk in the lively Santa Croce area dotted both with specialty food shops (selling cheese, ice creams or chocolate) and restaurants, pizzerie, trattorie. Further on... more

Giardino Botanico Tropicale, managed by the Istituto Agronomica per l'Oltremare, is a beautiful botanical garden having a splendid variety of tropical plants. Opened in 1904, the garden has around 300 species of tropical plants... more