Hotels - Florence, an Introduction

By Liam Gerken

Situated on the banks of the Arno River, just below the foothills of the Apennines is the city of Florence. The city is the capital of the Tuscany region of Italy and is considered one of the most elegant cities in the world, both rich in art and cosmopolitan style.

During the hot summer months thousands of tourists choose to flock to the city for these very reasons, which can make it somewhat overwhelming and even unpleasant for those wishing to take the city in at their own pace. For the more serious tourist or art lover, Florence is best experienced during the quieter and cooler months of spring or autumn.

At the heart of Florence lie the bustling piazzas (open city squares) of de Duomo and Della Signoria. Dominating de Duomo is Florence's cathedral, the Duomo, which is best viewed from Brunelleshci's 15th century cupola.

Secondly is piazza Della Signoria, which, with a copy of Michelangelo's David and also Donatello's Marzocco is easily the city's showpiece piazza. Not far from here you will find the Uffizi Gallery, which not only is one of the oldest gallery's in the world, but is also home to world's best collection of Renaissance art.

If you wish to view the original David, then you can do so by heading over to the Galleria dell' Accademia, in the San Marco area. You know you're there when you reach the never ending queue. Considering it's been roughly 504 years since Michelangelo took to the massive section of marble and created David, he is still in magnificent condition.

Venturing south of the river you will find the district of Oltarno, which is home to many of Florence's modern artists. During the summer months a visit to the lush Boboli gardens is sure not to disappoint, with its inviting hidden pathways and fine fountains stepped into a hilly landscape.

With the wealth of sites to see in Florence, a single visit isn't likely to suffice as one should always go for quality over quantity. Scattered throughout the city is a huge variety of hotels, which compared to other European, can appear a little pricey at first glance.

Therefore it is usually a good idea to search for cheap hotels prior to setting off, this way you can ensure you are getting the best deal on hotels in Italy. The internet is an excellent way to source hotels.

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