How to Plan Your Magical Day in Florence – a Travel Guide

How to Plan Your Magical Day in Florence – a Travel Guide

Welcome to Florence, a Renaissance gem! In this amazing city… Welcome to Florence, the most beautiful Renaissance city…. You know what? This really isn’t working. Could we start over again? Starting over early in the morning – that is so much better. Florence is an incredible city but it can get very, very crowded. So if you don’t plan your visit right, you might not enjoy it. I’m going to show you how to have a great time here and avoid the crowds as much as possible. We’ll learn about the city’s Renaissance history, check some of my favorite places, try some local Tuscan cuisine and even have a moment alone with someone very special. Personally, I love Florence. I spent a lot of time here in my 20s when I was studying. And I’m really excited to show you around today. We begin at the duomo, the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral, the heart of Florence’s historic center. It’s also free to enter, by the way. So impressive. If you don’t mind waiting in line, you can also go up to the top for a great view. The best way to get around the center is to walk. I really recommend you get off the busy streets and explore some of the little side streets. Honestly, you’ll never know what you’re going to find. Like look, we just walked down the street and here is the house of poet Dante Alighieri. I mean, that’s incredible right? Speaking of famous names, you can’t come to Florence without learning about the Medici. The Medici family ruled Florence from the 15th to18th centuries. And they filled the city with their architectural and artistic commissions. The Medici are closely associated with the Italian Renaissance. The cultural and political "rebirth" after the middle ages that was marked by a rediscovery of classical philosophy, architecture, literature and art. I meet up with tour guide Fulvio de Bonis in Piazza della Signoria, one of the most famous squares in Italy. Welcome to the center of the political Florentine power. You’re standing right in the middle. Isn’t it amazing? Power center. Renaissance power. I feel it. Fulvio tells me that the banking industry and wool trade made the city wealthy. THE wealthiest of the 1400s. That’s why this was the place where the Renaissance started. Next we head to Piazza della Repubblica. The name of Florence, "Florencia" is from Flora, the goddess of abundance, of fertility. And you still see the statue of Flora, this beautiful lady, up above the ancient column, the granite column. I ask if theres anything you should NOT do when in Florence. I wouldn’t eat, in a fast food restaurant. No, no, no, McDonald’s, you are in the city of delicious food. Incredible pastry. Don’t go to fast food! Don’t go to fastfood. Tip number 1, don’t go to fast food. And now the city’s famous bridge, the Ponte Vecchio. Let’s start with the name. Why "Old bridge"? Because it was the only bridge that was not knocked down, destroyed, during the Second World War. These days the bridge is full of jewelry shops. But I learn it was once an area of butchers and tanners, until the Medici, not liking the smell, decreed it should be dedicated to goldsmiths. Thank you so much, it was amazing. You’re more than welcome. It’s time to talk about museums. So we’re here at the Uffizi, one of the most famous art museums in the world with works by renaissance masters like Botticelli, Leonardo and Michelangelo. And I’m going to give you a tip. Go to the official Uffizi website, book a ticket for a specific day and a specific time – then you’ll be able to skip the ticket line and just go straight to the security line. But now a visit to the Galleria dell’Accademia, home to the statue of David, carved by Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo. To accommodate more visitors the museum recently extended opening hours and spread out its vast collection, director Cecilie Hollberg tells me. Buon giorno. Grazie mille. Thank you so much for having me. The 17-foot (5,17 meters) tall David is the collection’s highlight. I have to say it’s way more impressive in person than I could have imagined. Michelangelo shows this young shepherd in an incredible way. He’s not aggressive, but he is strong. He is naked, showing his innocence. And they put it in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, which is the political center of the town. Showing the independence of the citizens and the city of Florence. This symbol of Florence is one of the most famous sculptures in the world. And now I have a moment alone with him. I think I’m in love! But now it’s time to cross the Arno river to check out my favorite part of the city, the Oltrarno district. You’ll find fewer tourists here. I really like the vibe on this side of town. It’s a little bit more alternative, definitely more laid back. And you can find lots of great restaurants without all the crazy crowds. I really like the areas around the churches of Santo Spirito and San Frediano. It’s also Florence’s artisan district. Crafts like leatherworking, silver and goldsmithing have been practiced here here for centuries. So it’s a good place to look for high-quality souvenirs from Florence. At L’Ippogrifo, Duccio Raffaelli and his parents use a centuries-old etching technique called acquaforte. I was curious to check it out. Thank you so much for having me here in your atelier. Can you tell me a bit about what you and your family do here? Yes, we do etchings. This is an ancient process that was invented in the 16th centuries. And for 400 years was in use for the illustration of books. But today we use it for decor, for art. We start with one engraving on the copper. We put a wax varnish on the top of the plate we etch, and then keep it in acid. After making the matrix, we can print one by one. We spread the ink color into the grooves. Then we clean. We remove the ink in excess. Then we put a wet paper on top of the plate. Then the print with the ink after being transferred onto the plate goes into the paper. After, it goes through the press machine. So then we wait a couple of days, 2 or 3 days to dry the ink and the paper, and then we can keep in black and white. Or if we want, we can color it. We use watercolors. So each one is painted one by one. Wow it was really peaceful in there, and I definitely could have stayed all evening. But we have to go check out the sunset. Let’s go. The most popular place to watch the sunset is Piazzale Michelangelo. But it can get pretty crowded up here, so I’m taking you to my favorite sunset spot just down the road. The Basilica of San Miniato al Monte. And to go with this beautiful sunset, I thought it would be nice to have some classical music here in Florence. So I’ve invited my friends "Trio Chitarristico Fiorentino". An Italian Baroque composition by Alessandro Marcello. Dinner at trattoria Enzo & Piero, which specializes in Tuscan cuisine. Joining me are some friends who live in Florence, including fellow Michigan girl, author Kacie Rose. So this is where we embrace a more slow travel vibe. Food culture is not to be rushed in Italy – especially not dinner. Dinner is a time for togetherness, being with friends and family and enjoying eachother’s company. When in Italy, you have to look each other in the eyes when you raise a glass. Kacie, you mentioned something about the bread? So Tuscan bread does not have salt, traditionally. Saltless bread is best enjoyed with meats and cheeses are already salty, that already have so much flavor that you don’t need the added salt in the bread. Italy has such diverse cuisine, so it’s really nice to be able to order something from the region. Like pici with wild boar ragu. Or Ribollita bread soup. Or Tortelli, filled with potato. But Florence’s most famous dish is Bistecca alla Fiorentina, loin steak served rare. The famous Bistecca fiorentina. Definitely to be shared! Well we really saw a lot today, although there’s so much more that Florence has to offer. I hope you’re ready to have a good visit to this city. And honestly my job here is done. So, arrivederci!

Florence, in Italy, is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Yet unsurprisingly, this Tuscan gem is often very crowded. To make your visit unforgettable, follow the tips by DW’s Sarah Hucal. The Florence insider shows you her favorite spots, how to eat like a local and how to avoid spending your day in lines.

00:00 Intro
00:55 Florence Cathedral
01:20 Old Town, the Medici
02:07 Piazza della Signoria, meet Fulvio de Bonis from Imago Artis Travel (@imagoartistravel4292 )
03:28 Ponte Vecchio
04:00 Uffizi, Galleria dell’Accademia, the statue of David
05:36 Oltrarno district
06:15 L’Ippogrifo etching atelier
07:33 Sunset at Piazzale Michelangelo and San Miniato with Trio Chitarristico Fiorentino
08:39 Dinner at Trattoria Enzo & Piero, meeting author Kacie Rose (@kacierose )

CREDITS:
Report: Sarah Hucal
Camera: Neven Hillebrands, Carlos Vasquez
Editing: Neven Hillebrands
Supervising Editor: Christina Deicke
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