Another Top 5 Attractions of Florence

Guest post by Katie Greenaway

Florence has many upon many of famous attractions.  Living in the city of wonderment, a plethora of churches with souls and posti (places) that you can only see in Florence, this time I will highlight the places that aren’t as well-known.  Enjoy!

1. Museo Stibbert – Fredrick Stibbert inherited this villa and grand fortune from his Italian mother.  Half Scottish, half Italian, Stibbert collected many artifacts from Flemish tapestries to Tuscan crucifixes.  He connected the nearby villa to construct a museum to exhibit all his findings and prized possessions.  The museum has been rearranged in the past decades.  With 57 rooms containing over 50,000 items, the city has been trying to make an example of the rare type of museum, returning it back the way Stibbert had created it in the first place.

1. Piazza della Signoria – At the end of Via dei Calzaiuoli, Piazza della Signoria welcomes you into it’s arms.  This 13th century piazza houses the Palazzo Vecchio, Uffizi Gallery, and the replica of the David by Michelangelo.  Daily tourist groups travel to and fro, capturing photos of every inch of Piazza della Signoria.  As a common meeting place for locals, there is much history jammed into this L-shaped meeting point.  The Fountain of Neptune sits right in front of the very spot Girolamo Savonrola was burned at the stake for burning some of Florence’s best art and literature.  Thus after the Palazzo Vecchio was constructed it grew as the political center for Florence.  Enjoy a late afternoon beer or a evening walk through this mesmerizing Piazza della Signoria.
2. Mercato Sant’ Ambrogio – Mercato Sant’ Ambrogio is a hidden gem of Florence.  The mornings bring the fresh fruit and vegetables stands surrounding the market and paired with the scent of fresh flowers that awaken the senses.  Mercato Sant’ Ambrogio is opened for business from 7am to 2pm every day except Sunday.  Walking into the market, built in 1860’s, you will find the market explode with sounds of dishes clattering from one of the many restaurants, the chit-chat of Italian banter and of course the smells.  Meat, cheese, fresh herbs, you name it you can smell it.  Although Mercato Sant’ Ambrogio isn’t as big and glorified as the Mercato Centrale, it is all about your preference.

1. Giardino dell’Orticoltura – Giardino dell’Orticoltura was built by Giacomo Roster in 1879 for the Società Toscana di Orticoltura (the Tuscan Horticultural Society).  Marquis Pietro Torrigiani, the chief of the Georgofili Academia, founded the Tuscan society of Horticultural in 1859.  Since then, the Florentines come to admire the flowers and plants grown during the month of April and May where there are exhibitions.  The grounds surrounding the pavilion are very serene with a playground for the children on a fall day.

1. Santa Trinita Church – Santa Trinita located near the Ponte Santa Trinita was founded in 1092.  Santa Trinita has 20 chapels and most notably Sassetti Chapel.  Domenico Ghirlandaio created the frescoes dedicated to the life of St. Francis in the Sassetti Chapel.  Many of the noble people of Florence were buried among the stones in Santa Trinita being on the richest street of Florence, Via Tornabuoni.  Santa Trinita meaning “Holy Trinity” is spelled without the accent in the Florentine dialect.  The stress is on the first vowel of trìnita instead of the last which is the common way.  Having the most gorgeous frescoes all around the church and chapels, it is hard not to be impressed with the works of the greats.

Katie Greenaway is a freelance travel writer and is theLocal Expert of Florence for Nile Guide where she also provides the secrets of Florence on her blog.  She writes about her life in Florence on her personal blog Olio di Oliva e Sogni di Vino and contributes to MNUI Travel Insurance with travel articles.

About The Author

Cecil Lee

The author is an avid traveler and photography hobbyist who loves to share with others his travel and photo-taking experience in many popular tourist destinations around Europe, Asia and Australasia. Read the exciting stories with many photos captured on his journeys.