Florence and Tuscany with Venice

6 nights

Price for 2 persons

Based on charming 3 star hotels with all private amenities from Euro 2,795

 

Land Only

Prices subject to change based on time of year and hotel availability

 

Your custom itinerary includes:

v      Stay at charming, unique hotels, villas or country inns, centrally located with breakfast;

3 nights in Venice at a charming villa hotel, breakfast included.

·         3 star options: KETTE, ALA, SANTA CHIARA or similar

2 nights in Florence at a charming villa hotel, breakfast included.

o        3 star options:  TORNABUONI BEACCI, GUELFO BIANCO or similar

1 last night in Venice to fly out

§         Bottle of champagne upon arrival

§         Florence by night walking tour with Dinner at a Tuscan Restaurant:  You will be picked up directly at your hotel at about 7:30 pm and the evening will start with a dinner (included in the price) in the historic center in a typical Florentine restaurant, followed by an wonderful walk (about two hours), discovering some of the most suggestive and interesting corners  of the city. The tour ends in Piazza della Repubblica at the famous “Caffe’ Concerto” with a snack included. 

§         All reservations, restaurant recommendations, customized itinerary to design your special trip;

§         Ticket reservations to the Uffizi Gallery in Florence;

·         Special half-day walking tour of the Secret Venice: Your guide will pick you up at your hotel and take you to corners of Venice, that usual tourists never enjoy…it is really incredible how many beautiful places in Venice are still almost unknown to the public, since the most of the crowds stop at usual sightseeing locations and do not explore further…

§         Train tickets from Venice to Florence and back in First class with reserved seating

§         EXTRA SPECIAL: a full day chauffeur driven excursion “Unknown Tuscany” with lunch included – tailored to your specifications. Be picked up in a Mercedes direct at your hotel and be driven through medieval hill towns, visit private wineries, cheese and olive oil farmers, private palaces, abbeys and more.

§         All assistance in planning a custom designed itinerary to your specifications;

§         Not included are meals unless part of an excursion, airfare and anything not listed.

§         Federal Express package to your home: containing all vouchers, hard copy itinerary, train tickets and any other bookings included in your package

 

 

OPTIONALS

§         Guided visit to the 3 Islands of Torcello, Murano and Burano.  Fish lunch on Murano at a typical Venetian restaurant. 

§         RT airport transfers by private boat

§         Private dinner in a Venetian Palazzo, an elegant dinner prepared for you and the chance to meet some local residents that are “in the know” on Venetian Culture while enjoying some top wines and excellent cuisine.

§         Private half day guided tour in Florence with professional guide: visit the beautiful historic centre of Florence as the most enchanting sights as the unique Brunnelleschi’s Dome, the Baptistry, the Palazzo Pitti with a tour of the famous Galleria Palatina with masterpieces from world-famous painters as Raffaello, Botticelli and many more. The tour lasts about 3 hours

§         Tickets to a Vivaldi concert (depends on availability).

§         Interior Design tour……Venetian fabrics, artisan shops and furnishings as well as antiques guided by a local expert. 

§         Private Guided visit to the historical handcraft laboratories of Florence. The irresistible tour opens up the precious old caskets of artisanal Florence, which lie hidden from the hurrying tourists. You will visit only the most authentic and prestigious laboratories of the historic Florentine craftwork: rare perfumes from the past, precious embroideries and fine laces, artistic leather workmanship and the Medicean Art of mosaics of semi-precious stones. It is also possible to purchase exclusive items directly in the craft workshops.   You will be picked up directly at your hotel at about 3 pm and return at about 6:30 pm.

§         One on one cooking course in Venice for half a day, followed by tasting.  Select your own menu and type of regional cuisine meal follows.

§         Full day tour with driver/guide to Verona or Lake Garda. Customized itinerary and visit to private villas. Lunch at small and intimate restaurant included. TBD

§         Car rental for Tuscany:  based on best quote available and type of car you desire

§         All transfers to and from airport and hotel by limousine and driver.

§         Horseback riding excursion into the countryside for half a day: enjoy the Tuscan countryside on a leisurely horseback ride. Our guide will take you through woods, hills and plains to hidden castles and ancient ruins.

§         Tickets for a music or theatre performance in Rome or Venice; pending availability

§         Private cooking course in either Venice or Florence: you may select your own menu and type of regional cuisine.   Meal is then served with wine;

§         Pottery/Ceramic Class in the wonderful Chianti region, a craftsman will share with you the art of ceramics, teaching you to pug, lathe, bake and colour, after which you will keep the object you made.

§         Bus and guide tour to Siena and San Gimignano.

§         Various bus and guide tours visiting Rome, outside Rome, the Tuscan towns of Pisa and Lucca and similar options

§         Golfing in the dramatic setting of the Chianti region. Private transfer from hotel to Golf club and return The facilities include driving range, putting green, pro-shop, tennis court, swimming pool, bar and restaurant.

§         Seaside excursion unforgettable day sailing in the Mediterranean with an experienced skipper, feasting on fresh fish pasta and visiting one or more islands.

§         Hiking for half a day in the Tuscan Countryside with expert guide: 

§         Hot balloon ride: A truly unique experience floating silently over the Tuscan landscape you will experience views of villages and towns, piazzas and castles, with luxury car and driving escort. The tour lasts about 8 hours.

§         Full day guided tour to the region of UMBRIA -  PERUGIA AND ASSISI:  An itinerary in the green Umbria region, discovering eternally fascinating cities. Perugia has one of the most beautiful squares in Europe in which it is possible to admire the Maggiore Fountain, the gothic Basilica of San Lorenzo and the Palazzo dei Priori, home of the town hall. The tour continues to Assisi, built by the white Subasio’s stone and home town of the most loved saint in Italy: San Francesco. Stop for a lunch at a top restaurant (already included in the tour).  In the afternoon a guided visit will follow and you will be able to know more about the Basilica of Saint Francis, which was partly destroyed during the earthquake of September 1997, but now completely brought back to its former beauty.  You will also visit the Basilica of Santa Chiara and enjoy an enchanting view over the Umbrian countryside from the small square in front of the church. Return to Florence in the late evening.

 

 

DAY 1 – EN ROUTE

You will arrive at Venice Marco Polo International Airport the next day.

 

DAY 2  - ARRIVAL - VENICE ORIENTATION

After getting your luggage, purchase a ticket for the launch inside the terminal and be taken to the main stop - San Marco .  From here you catch the waterbus (purchase tickets) and stop at the closest stop to your hotel. (We will tell you where to get off).  Alternatively take the water taxi ($70) and be taken to your hotel's doorstop.  The ride is memorable, but expensive.  Ride takes 30 minutes by water bus.

 

If included in your package you will be met by your transfer service outside customs.

 

Rest and unpack and then head for the main square - San Marco and take an orientation walk.  Sip a cappuccino at one of the outdoor café's, walk along the seashore and admire the view across the lagoon of St. George's Church.  In the evening there is a Hungarian orchestra playing outside on San Marco at the famous Café'  Florian. 

 

DAY 3 - DOGE'S PALACE - SAN MARCO BASILICA - RIALTO BRIDGE

 

AM

Head back to San Marco Square to the Doge's Palace - (open every day). 

 

The Palace is one of the most magnificent in Italy and well deserving of at least an hour and a half.  This Gothic-Renaissance fantasy of pink-and-white marble is the majestic expression of the prosperity and power attained by Venice during its most glorious period - it was the Venetian Republic's White House, Senate, Supreme Court, and prison rolled into one.

Since it is quite extensive, you might want to purchase a good guidebook to get the most out of it.  Inside are sumptuous rooms, private apartments, dungeons and great paintings/works of art to admire; it has always been a focal point in the rich history of the city. 

 

Next-door is the Basilica of San Marco, one of the richest and greatest Byzantine churches in the world.  San Marco is famous for its 43,055 sq ft of stunning mosaics, for the Cappella della Madonna di Nicopeia (Chapel of the Madonna of Nicopeia), and for the extraordinary Pala d'Oro (Golden Altarpiece), a dazzling gilded silver screen encrusted with gems. 

 

Across from the Basilica is the Correr Museum - also worth a stop.  Your entry to the Doge Palace includes the entry to the Correr Museum, so if you have time during the day, stop over. Canova's neo-classical sculptures are on display, as well as many eclectic collections, furniture, elegant rooms, artifacts etc…

 

 

 

PM

Begin to discover the various quarters of the city.  San Polo, Dorsoduro, La Guidecca, Rialto, San Marco.  The best thing is to just get lost actually.  You can walk everywhere in Venice, and where you cannot walk you go by water. While the city has hundreds of bridges, the Grand Canal can only be crossed on foot at three points: Ponte degli Scalzi, near the train station (Ferrovia); Ponte di Rialto, at the Rialto; and at Ponte dell'Accademia. As an alternative, take the traghetti, essentially gondolas that ferry across the canal. The vaporetti (water buses) that circulate through the city on set routes are best used to cover long distances.

Away from the crowds, strolling along narrow alleys you discover the real Venice, no tourists.  Magically bright squares and gardens appear. 

It is a relief to get away from the people and find out how intimate this city can be.  Your camera will be busy clicking away as you cross little bridges; they look like picture postcard settings.

 

SAN POLO - Campo S. Rocco and Campo D. Frari - Campo San Polo.  The Scuola di San Rocco houses some great works by Tintoretto - one of my favorite artists.  (1500's)

 

GREAT PLACES TO DINE IN VENICE…

Alla Madonna Don't judge the place from the outside - the rooms are actually well kept and, by Venetian standards, rather elegant, with some decent artwork: Boiled granseola and seafood salads can be followed by a hearty fish soup with croutons, or deep-fried eel for the more adventurous.  Ask hotel to reserve.  Calle della Madonna, 594 San Polo, Phone: 041/522-384 AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Wed. and part of Aug.

Osteria al Bacco It's worth making the effort to track down this ancient osteria where you can mingle with the locals and find refuge from the crowds. For alfresco dining, the small but charming garden has a few tables. Fondamenta Capuzine, 3054 Cannaregio, Phone: 041/717-493. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Mon., Jan., and Aug.

Trattoria C'a d'Oro  Just a small place serving authentic Venetian Food with a rough Venetian floor, old marble counter, wooden paneling, and long tables invite conviviality. Calle del Pistor, 3912 Cannaregio, Phone: 041/528-5324. No credit cards. Closed Thurs., Sun. morning, Aug., and 1st wk in Sept.

Al Graspo de Ua  Opened in the 19th century as a small osteria, the "Bunch of Grapes" became the meeting point of artists and movie stars back in the dolce vita days. The wide menu offers fresh pasta tossed with fish, seasonal risotto, and meat and seafood. Calle dei Bombaseri, 5094 San Marco, Phone: 041/522-3647. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Mon. and several wks between July and Aug.

 

DAY 4 - RIALTO MARKET - ACCADEMIA - or - Ca' d'Oro PALACE or Ca' REZZONICO PALACE – PEGGY GUGGENHEIM COLLECTION

 

 

AM      

A stop at the Rialto market is a must.  The freshest fish, vegetables and fruits are on view and worth a detour. 

 

Then head for the Accademia and stop at the GALLERIE DELL'ACCADEMIA - Accademia Galleries -  the finest painting collection in Venice. Hanging in this museum is unquestionably the most extraordinary masterpieces of Venetian art in the world, ranging from Gothic to 1800's.  There is usually a line since they only allow a certain number of persons in at a time, so take some patience with you.

 

Once you cross the bridge (what a view!) just keep heading towards the right and wind around.  Or alternatively head towards the CA’ D’ORO, known as the finest example of Gothic architecture. This exquisite palace was once literally a "Golden House," its marble traceries and ornaments embellished with pure gold.  Each section has a charm all its own.

Ca' Rezzonico a truly unique Baroque mansion has some elegant rooms overlooking the Grand Canal and furniture collections. With its stucco work, colored marble fixtures, brocade tapestry, fine furniture, Murano glass chandeliers, and valuable frescoes, this Grand Canal palace shows how elegant the Venetian lifestyle was in spite of the declining times.

Many of these palaces still host some of Carnival's most elegant balls every February.

 

 

 

PM

After stopping at one of the Palaces along the Grand Canal you may want to head for: The "Lesser Known"  Venice:  CASTELLO.  Behind the Doge's Palace, walking along the water lies a residential quarter that has not lost any authenticity after all these years.  Families live here, there is a large green Park overlooking the lagoon and further inland are some truly charming sections with bridges lovely to walk in.

 

COLLEZIONE PEGGY GUGGENHEIM. Directly on the Grand Canal, the museum, displayed in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, her residence for 30 years, are works representing the most important artistic movements from the early 20th century through the post-war period.

Extremely rich, provocative, and extravagant, Peggy Guggenheim (1898-1979) - wife of Max Ernst and niece of Solomon Guggenheim - was among the 20th century's greatest collectors of modern art. Calle San Cristoforo, 701 Dorsoduro.

 

OTHER IDEAS - EXPLORE THE LAGOON

Take the traghetto or a boat tour to the charming island of  MURANO, which as Venice is made up of a number of smaller islands linked by bridges. It is known for its glassworks, which moved here from Venice in the 13th century because they were a fire hazard. Many of these line the Fondamenta dei Vetrai, the canal-side walkway leading away from the Colonna landing stage, and can be visited. The Museo Vetrario (Glass Museum) details the history of Murano's glassworks; its displays range from priceless antiques to only slightly less-expensive modern pieces. 

BURANO. Dotting this fishing village on an island in the lagoon are houses painted in cheerful colors and a raked bell tower in the main square, Piazza Galuppi, about 100 yards from the landing stage. Lace is to Burano what glass is to Murano, but be prepared to pay a lot - $1,000 to $2,000 for a 10" doily - for the real thing. Stalls line the way from the landing stage to Piazza Galuppi. The Museo del Merletto (Lace Museum) is the best place to learn the intricacies of Burano's lace-making traditions and the nature of the skills needed to make the more expensive lace.

MORE RESTAURANTS SUGGESTIONS:

 

Al Conte Pescaor Delicious risotto and hot second courses. You can eat at the bar. 597 B, Piscina San Zulian, off Marzaria  San Zulian, Tel. 041.522.1483 Closed Sun. and Mon. aftnoon.

Taverna San Tomaso on Dorsoduro.  Good prices (near the Accademia).  Fondamenta Priuli, Dorsoduro 1016.  Tel. 5203703  Cl. Mondays

Antica Besseta Even if this old  trattoria is a bit off the beaten track, don't go without booking first, because there are only a few tables and the place is well known. Try the Risi e bisi (savory rice and peas) or fettuccine verdi agli spinaci con peperoni e basilico and then, of course, fish.1395, Salizada Zusto, between San Simeon Grando and San Giacomo dall'Orio, Tel. 041.721.687 closed Tue. and Wedn.

Harry's Bar More than just a tiny restaurant, this place is a landmark. Founder Giuseppe Cipriani, who ran it in the days when Hemingway nominated it as his favorite restaurants, has become more famous than any Venetian since the thirties. 1323, Calle Vallaresso, Tel. 041.528.5331 Closed Mon.

Linea d’Ombra Reserve a table outside overlooking the Guidecca.  Zattere ai Saloni, Dorsoduro 19.  Tel. 520 47 20.  Medium prices. 

 

PM

 

Full day boat tour of the Brenta Canal and Venetial Villas

Enjoy the 8 ½ hours guided tour on board the Burchiello launch to discover magnificent Palladian 17^th and 18^th century Villas on the Brenta River and canals between the Venetian lagoon and Padua, lunch included.

In a time span from 15^th to 18^th cent. Venetian nobles were used to build thousands of countryside luxury villas. They were both meant to be masters’ country houses and estate centers. Parks and gardens with plays of water particularly suit the elegant and refined social life.  Many of these scenographic villas were planned by famous architects, as Palladio and Scamozzi, and fresco-painted by artists such as Veronese and Tiepolo.

Water plays an important role in the scenographic asset of the building. The most outstanding villas lie along the Brenta River, which was canalized in the 16^th cent. and flows for a total of 36 Km. (22 miles), and their main façade face directly the water. Today some villas open their doors to the public: the Villa Foscari at Malcontenta, the Villa Widman-Foscari at Mira, the Villa Pisani at Stra.

 

 

DAY 5 -  FLORENCE

From Venice, take the train straight to Florence. From the station we can arrange for a transfer or you can take a taxi.  Distances are short.  When you arrive, settle in your hotel.  Just outside is the heart of the city.  Florence is a city to discover on foot and all the main sites are within easy walking distance.

 

 

PM      

Walk around and do the Duomo, Palazzo della Signoria, Piazza della Signoria and main sites with private guide.   Do either the Palazzo Vecchio or the Bargello or the Santa Maria Novella Church.  

 

PALAZZO VECCHIO is one of the symbols of Florence, which has made it through centuries of battles and rebirths, brought it through the hands of gentlemen and merchants. Its impressive figure gives the piazza a strange but beautiful perspective. In the fifteenth-century it was the seat of the Signori, the highest power figure in the Renaissance, until the Medici family moved to Palazzo Pitti: then, to distinguish it from the Grand Duke's residence, it was named Palazzo Vecchio.

The Palazzo is one of the masterpieces of fourteenth century architecture. The facade, covered with rustic stone, is divided into three levels divided by cornices on which rest the beautiful mullioned windows whose arches are covered and underlined with the same stone. The small balcony, sustained by small arched supports underneath, opens out through an arched window, providing great architectural effect. Between these supports are the different family crests and shields of the ancients.

A second patrol balcony is on the top floor and is protected by Guelf battlements.

Palazzo Vecchio, in its long history, has adapted to the times and functions in which it has found itself. Today it is not just a great museum, but it also houses various offices of the City and is often the seat of important conferences.

 

 

Continue along the Via dei Calzaiuoli, one of the main shopping streets in Florence and arrive at Piazza San Giovanni where you will find the DUOMO portrayed in every postcard, book, painting that advertises Florence, the BATTISTERO and the CAMPANILE DI GIOTTO.

 

It is by no doubt that the dome and its cupola is Brunelleschi's best work ever and no other architect all over Italy has been able to match his talent. No other building stands higher than the Duomo which was first designed in 1294 by Arnolfo di Cambio who died eight years later leaving the design to a number other architects who finished designing Arnolfo's dream but could not figure out how to build such a long dome (142 feet from the ground). Fillippo Brunelleschi came to the rescue and manage to construct this marvellous Dome that has become the largest Church in the Catholic world. If you stand a few metres away from any side of the dome and look up, the whole structure will seem to be falling on you. This gives an idea of how high it is.

The Museum of the Duomo (Museo dell' Opera del Duomo) is located between the baptistery and the campanile and keeps all the exteriors of the Duomo, Campanile and the Baptistery that needed to be kept away.

 

The BAPTISTERY is one of the oldest buildings in Florence, which was initially the city's cathedral before the Reparata. The three sets of gilded bronze doors have made the building very significant hence they are worth talking about.
So far it has been impossible to date beginnings of the Baptistery, one of the oldest architectural monuments of the city. At one time thought to have been a pagan temple dedicated to Mars, modern research tends to date its origins to the fourth century. Its geometrical decoration in green and white Prato marble results from a happy combination of Paleochristian and Romanesque architecture of the eleventh to thirteenth centuries.

Opening Hours:
Dome: 10:00 - 17:00 , Mon-Sat, 13:00-15:00 Sundays and Religious Holidays
Church: Times vary according to type of services held.
Baptistery - 13:30 - 18:30 Mon-Sat; 8:30-13:30 Sun. Closed on Easter Sunday.

 

 

On the Piazza della Signoria later on sip an aperitif at Rivoire where you can sit on the world's greatest piazza, sip a Campari or have the richest hot chocolate in Italy.  “People watching” is the main sport of the day here and you really do see just about everything.   The best time is to come before dinner, around 6:30 p.m.   

 

 

DAY 6 - UFFIZI GALLERY – PRIVATE TOUR OF THE HANDCRAFT LABORATORIES

 

AM      

We will reserve tickets to the Uffizi Gallery for you - one of the finest collections of Renaissance art in the world.

 

There is no way that one can see everything showed in this art galleries in one visit, since it contains many masterpieces that have been collected all over Italy; however a visit to this incredible collection is a must in Florence. Take it slowly and try to concentrate on a couple of themes you are more interested in.

 

The gallery building contains rooms and rooms of art collections. Some of these rooms may be closed for a variety of reasons but surely one cannot visit all of them in detailed despite the eagerness. Each has its theme and features a specific artist or a type of art.

To mention just few highlights: Room 1 houses an assembly of antique sculptures, many of which were used as a sort of source by Renaissance artists. Room 8 is dedicated to Filippo . This artist did wonders with the Madonna and Child with two Angels. Following in his footsteps, the pupil, Botticelli takes his well-deserved bows in the next room with the all-fine Madonna. Botticelli's other productions are also found in Room 10 to 14.

Leonardo da Vinci takes room 15's visitors by storm in his work appearing in the Baptism. As if there can be no other competition, Michelangelo presents his Doni Tondo in room 25 which is the only easel painting he came close to completing but it still looks magnificent.

 

The Doni Tondo of Michelangelo

 

Also found in Room 25 there is another work by Michelangelo, The Holy Family with its vibrant colours and the twisted pose of the Virgin. Room 42 has a different feel to it. It has Roman statues of Niobe and her children and the neo-Attic Medici vase.

Entry to this most historic gallery is not that easy considering that this gallery is in every tourists' 'must see' list.

The Vasari's Corridor can be found on the right end, far north of the museum. This corridor leads to the Palazzo Vecchio going over the Ponte Vecchio bridge.

Info:
Operating Hours: 8:30 - 22:00 Tues-Sat; 8:30 - 20:00 Sun.

Closed on Mondays.

Ticket L. 12.000

 

Intended by Cosimo I around the middle of the 16th century, the UFFIZI PALACE was designed by Giorgio Vasari. In order to realize the project, Vasari had many houses that surrounded the area demolished. Its construction also included the church of San Pier Scheraggio, which was reserved to worshipping until 1743. The purpose of the extraordinary building was to host the thirteen Magistratures or Uffizi, where the Palace later received its name from, at the time located in different seats. When Vasari died, the building of the Uffizi Palace was entrusted to Buontalenti and Alfonso Parigi.

 

The building has an unusual horseshoe shape formed by two parallel buildings united by a passageway. The two floors of the building stand over a portico sustained by two pillars and decorated by niches, where the statues of Florentines who distinguished themselves from the Middle Ages until the 19th century are placed.

 

PM

 

TOUR OF THE HISTORICAL HANDCRAFT SHOPS

You will be picked up directly at your hotel at about 3 pm and return at about 6:30 pm.

 

 

DAY 7- SAN LORENZO CHURCH - MEDICI CHAPELS – ACCADEMIA – OSPEDALE DEGLI INNOCENTI

AM

Consecrated by St. Ambrose in 393, the SAN LORENZO CHURCH is the oldest church in the city. It was then rebuilt along Romanesque lines in 1060. The present building dates to 1423 and was designed and built by Brunelleschi.

The simple bare facade lacks the marble revetment; Michelangelo's design was never carried out. The internal façade, which Michelangelo also designed is comprised of three doors between two pilasters with garlands of oak and laurel and a balcony on two Corinthian columns.
The interior has a nave separated from the side aisles by Corinthian columns. The ceiling has magnificent gilded rosettes in white-ground coffering.

 

MEDICI CHAPEL

 

 

The Medici Chapels form part of the monumental complex of San Lorenzo, whose building history lasts from the first years of the fifteenth century until the early seventeenth. The church of San Lorenzo was the official church of the Medici from their period as private residents in their palace in Via Larga (now via Cavour), becoming their mausoleum up to the time of the extinction of the line. Giovanni de' Bicci de' Medici (died 1429) was the first who wished to be buried there with his wife Piccarda in the small Sacristy of Brunelleschi. Later, his son Cosimo the Elder, was buried in the crossing of the church. The project for a family tomb was conceived in 1520 when Michelangelo began work on the New Sacristy, corresponding to the Old Sacristy by Brunelleschi on the other side of the church.

 

PM

ACCADEMIA

The ACCADEMIA MUSEUM was for a long time considered the deposit of the other Florentine galleries, notably the Uffizi and the collection has changed through the years also owing to the accession of works from the suppressed monastic houses. For many years Botticelli's Primavera was shown here.

 

Nowadays the gallery can take its place among the finest museums of Florence thanks to the high quality of some of its exhibits, among them Giovanni da Milano's Pieta (fourteenth century), the Annunciation by Lorenzo Monaco (fifteenth century), the beautiful front called Adimari Cassone showing a sumptuous marriage procession (c. 1450) and the Madonna of the Sea attributed to Botticelli (1445-1510).

A recent rearrangement and restoration of some of the rooms have given more space for the display of paintings from the fourteenth to the seventeenth centuries and public admittance to a spectacular room where are arranged plaster models of Lorenzo Bartolini and Luigi Pampaloni, Famous Italian sculptors of the nineteenth century.

The gallery became the focus of more attention in 1873 when Michelangelo's David was exhibited there for the first time in a specially constructed tribune. Brought there for reasons of conservation from Piazza Signoria where for almost four centuries it had represented the power and dignity of the Florentine Republic, it was joined at the beginning of this century by other Michelangelo sculptures

 

INFO

ACCADEMIA, via Ricasoli 68
Phone: 055-216261

 

OSPEDALE DEGLI INNOCENTI

 

Located right near the Accademia Museum, the Ospedale degli Innocenti (Foundling Hospital) and its portico (gallery) is one of the best-known and most important architectural complexes of the early fifteenth century in Florence. This was commissioned and financed by the Arte della Lana to the designs of Filippo Brunelleschi. The "hospital" aimed to raise abandoned children and teach them some useful trade enabling them to take their place in society. In the buildings of the refectory, cloisters, dormitories, infirmary, nurses’ rooms and porticoes, Brunelleschi created a perfect example of rational and harmonious hospital architecture subsequently enlarged and decorated with frescoes documenting the continuing activities of the institution and the favours of the reigning Medici family.

 

OR

PITTI PALACE - BOBOLI GARDENS - PIAZZALE MICHELANGELO – SAN MINIATO AL MONTE

 

AM

Situated in the first great square in the area that the Florentines call "Diladdarno" - beyond the Arno - PALAZZO PITTI dominates uncontested at the feet of the small hill Boboli.

Its construction was commissioned in the second half of the 15th century by the banker Luca Bonaccorso Pitti to the famous architect Filippo Brunelleschi. The palace has had a long history of works of construction and of extensions, which have lasted about four centuries.

The first version of Palazzo Pitti had smaller body dimensions compared to the present one. The architectural Renaissance style, austere and balanced, was enriched by classical elements from the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian orders. The following extensions gave the Palace its present appearance. Around 1550 the Grand-Duke Cosimo I de' Medici purchased it to become the residence of the family and in 1558 he commissioned the works of refinement to Bartolomeo Ammannati who included large windows in the façade, called inginocchiate, and created the portico and thed courtyard. The construction and the creation of the great garden, named Boboli from the homonymous hill, were commissioned to Niccolò Tribolo.

Palazzo Pitti, which through time assumed different functions, is today the seat of important museums (Silvers, Chinawares, Costumes, Carriages, Gallery of Modern Art and the Garden of Boboli) through which it is possible to visit its halls, the displays of the court and the splendour of a faraway epoch which managed to pass down faithful and unchanged through history.

Info:
Palazzo Pitti: Piazza Pitti

Closed on Mondays

Admission:

£ 8000 the Modern Art Gallery (Galleria d'Arte Moderna) and the Costume Gallery (Galleria del Costume)

£ 4000 the Museum of Silver (Museo degli Argenti);

£ 4000 the Museum of Chinaware (Museo delle Porcellane) and the Boboli Garden (Giardino di Boboli).

Phone: 055/2388710

 

 

The Boboli Gardens extend between Palazzo Pitti, Forte Belvedere and the Porta Romania. It's the typical Italian garden that mixes architecturalized nature and natural architecture, hosting sculptures and plastics from antiquity to the 19th century.

Info:
Piazza Pitti

Hour: from May to October 9:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m.

Ticket L. 4.000

 

WALKING ITINERARY….

 

Complete your tour with the magnificent panorama view of Florence you will able to enjoy from PIAZZALE MICHELANGELO, looking down onto the Arno and its bridges; on the left the view includes the large 19th century Cascine Parks, lower down the districts of Santo Spirito and San Frediano, to the right the white BASILICA OF SAN MINIATO AL MONTE.

You can reach Piazzale Michelangelo on foot by taking the wonderful spectacular route that architect Giuseppe Poggi created between 1865 and 1871, during the period in which Florence was the capital city of the Kingdom of Italy.
The walk up to Piazzale Michelangelo starts out from Porta a San Niccolò (Piazza Poggi), the only gate whose original high tower of defence (1324) is still complete. The first part of the pedestrian ramp that leads up to Piazzale Michelangelo and then on to the church courtyard of San Miniato is situated in the centre.
From the Piazzale itself you can see the whole of Florence at a glance, from Forte Belvedere to Santa Croce, the Ponte Vecchio, the Duomo, the Uffizi, the Palazzo della Signoria and the Bargello, etc.

SAN MINIATO AL MONTE is one of the most significant examples of Romanesque architecture, built between the 11th and 13th centuries.   The view of the city of Florence from its front steps is unsurpassed.

 

 

FURTHER SUGGESTIONS...

 

SANTA MARIA NOVELLA CHURCH - BARGELLO MUSEUM

 

Santa Maria Novella is the favorite church (and square) of the Florentines.  The inside guards some of the finest early Renaissance frescos of the city.  It is an Italian Gothic Cathedral.  Not to be missed are Masaccio's Holy Trinity and Domenico Ghirlandaio and Lippi's chapels.  Works by Brunelleschi (designed St. Peter's) and other are also to be viewed.  The Cloisters (outside to your left) are open only in the mornings and beautiful.

 

As is the case with most other Florentine squares, Piazza Santa Maria Novella is dominated by its church. The facade is one of the earliest and most beautiful in Florence

The inside of the church, which is simply vast, has a number of important art works. The frescoes on the apse behind the main altar are, instead, Domenico Ghirlandaio's masterpiece, stories from the life of the Virgin. The Gondi Chapel, immediately to the left of the altar, contains Brunelleschi's only surviving sculpture, a crucifixion he is said to have done sometime between 1410 and 1425, to show Donatello how he thought the Savior should be rendered.

 

After, head to Via del Proconsolo for the BARGELLO MUSEUM, with the finest collection of Renaissance sculpture in the country.

This building was the first monumental public building of the council, which was the seat of the Podestà, (the chief magistrate) and in the sixteenth century became a prison (from which it acquired its current name, from the chief of police, the bargello, which means "sbirro"), and in 1865 a superb collection of sculpture from the Florentine Renaissance and an assembly of small renaissance bronzes was installed, including works of art by Michelangelo, Donatello and Cellini.

 

Opening Hours:

Museum- 8:30-14:00 daily; Closed on the 2nd and 4th Monday AND 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month.
Location: Via del Proconsolo, Phone: 055-238 8606

 

 

Late in the afternoon of day 7 head back to Venice.

 

DAY 8 – RETURN HOME