Baptistery

Cost: €4
The little Baptistery, Battistero, beside the Cathedral in central Florence, is probably the city's oldest building. Built around the 11th century, on the site of a Roman temple, it is where Dante was baptised. The carved bronze doors are stunning.... Continue reading

Basilica San Lorenzo

Cost: Not Specified
Consecrated in 1393, the Basilica San Lorenzo was the Medici family's parish church. The huge Renaissance interior contains many family tombs as well as the Laurentian Library, designed by Michelangelo in 1520 to house their manuscript collection. ... Continue reading

Casa Buonarroti

Cost: €6.50
Michelangelo bought Casa Buonarroti, near the Basilica of Santa Croce, in 1508 and lived there until 1515. The attractive 17th-century building, enlarged and beautified by his great-nephew, contains original masterpieces by Michelangelo, including ... Continue reading

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

Cost: Free
Florence's Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Duomo, was begun in 1296 and still today dominates the city centre, topped by Brunelleschi's iconic dome. The vast interior features frescoes, including one of the famed English mercenary, Sir John... Continue reading

Certosa del Galluzzo

Cost: Donations for guided tour
The Certosa del Galluzzo is a tranquil monastery outside Florence, in the village of Galluzzo. It dates back to 1342. A guided tour shows visitors sights such as the cloisters, the monks' cells and the refectory.... Continue reading

Fontana del Porcellino

Cost: Free
The gleaming snout of the Fontana del Porcellino, a bronze boar in the city centre, is testament to the fact that it is rubbed hundreds of times a day. According to legend, giving it a rub ensures a return visit.... Continue reading

Leonardo's Machines

Cost: €6; concessions €5
Leonardo's Machines is a series of exhibitions on Da Vinci's ingenious creations, including this permanent one at the historic Caffè Michelangiolo in the heart of Florence. From flying machines to hydraulic models, there are several objects to exp... Continue reading

Palatine Gallery

Cost: €4.25-€8.50
The Palatine Gallery, housed in the historic Palazzo Pitti, showcases a series of masterpieces by 16th- and 17th-century artists. Visit to admire such luminaries as Raphael (11 of his most famous works), Titian, Caravaggio, Rubens and Pietro da Cor... Continue reading

Palazzo Vecchio

Cost: €6; including Cappella Brancacci €8
Originally named after the ruling body of the Republic of Florence, today the huge Palazzo della Signoria is known as Palazzo Vecchio and is Florence's Town Hall. Its masterpieces include Michelangelo's statue of Victory and Donatello's Judith and ... Continue reading

Piazza della Signoria

Cost: Free
Bustling Piazza della Signoria square, in the centre of Florence, is dominated by the striking medieval Palazzo Vecchio and is home to some fine classical sculptures. Have a coffee or aperitivo while joining the Italians in a spot of people-watchin... Continue reading

Pitti Palace

Cost: €6-€8.50, concessions €3-€4.25; during exhibitions €12, concessions €6
Former residence of the powerful Medici rulers, Pitti Palace sits south of the River Arno. Today it houses the Palatine Gallery, with its astonishingly lavish Royal Apartments, the Gallery of Modern Art and the Porcelain Museum, among many other at... Continue reading

Ponte Vecchio

Cost: Free
The medieval Ponte Vecchio spanning the River Arno is Florence's oldest bridge and one of the city's most photographed sights. Dating back to the 14th century, it's lined with goldsmiths' shops and contains a hidden corridor used by the Medici. Th... Continue reading

San Miniato al Monte

Cost: Free
Perched on a hill in the Oltrarno district, south of the Arno, the church of San Miniato al Monte dates back to the 13th century. It's a steep climb, but worth it for the colourful marble facade and fine frescoes. The marble intarsias represent th... Continue reading

Santa Maria Novella

Cost: €3.50; concessions €2.50
Boasting an elaborate marble facade, Florence's Santa Maria Novella church was designed by two monks in 1246 and completed in 1360 by Fra Iacopo Talenti. It contains works by Giotto, Brunelleschi, Ghiberti and Masaccio, to name but a few.... Continue reading

Silver Museum

Cost: €7; concessions €3.50 (€10 & €5 during exhibitions)
The Palazzo Pitti's Silver Museum is a repository of the treasures of the Florentine Renaissance aristocracy. It houses a vast collection of jewelled reliquaries, vases made of solid amethyst and many other opulent items.... Continue reading