Florence Things To Do

Built by Vasari in 1560 as the Medici administrative offices (hence their name), the Uffizi are home to Botticelli’s "Birth of Venus,” Michelangelo's "Tondo Doni,” Da Vinci’s "Annunciation," and Caravaggio's "Medusa" to name but a few. Work is under way to double the exhibition space by 2010. Allow between three hours and a full day.

While this a must-stop for Michelangelo's iconic David and his powerful unfinished Slaves meant for the tomb of Pope Julius II, most visitors fail to appreciate the museum's Gothic and Renaissance paintings and its remarkable collection of musical instruments. Late openings are usually scheduled on one or two nights weekly throughout the summer months.

Originally the headquarters of the town's top magistrate and prison, the Bargello became a museum in 1865 and now houses the most comprehensive collection of Donatello’s sculptural works, plus pieces by other Renaissance greats like Cellini, Verrocchio, Giambologna, Ghiberti, Brunelleschi, and Michelangelo. The ticket is a bargain and queues are nonexistent. Closed 2nd and 4th Mondays.

Santa Maria del Fiore was built to Arnolfo di Cambio's project starting September 8th, 1296. Added in 1436, Brunelleschi's iconic dome is well worth both the €9.50 ticket and the 463-step climb. The remains of the former Santa Reparata cathedral can be seen at a lower level, while the façade dates from the 19th century.

Famed as the Pantheon of Italian Greats, the city's Franciscan basilica houses the tombs of the likes of Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Galileo. Every nave, sacristy, and cloister contains masterpieces – notably Brunelleschi's Pazzi Chapel and Giotto's groundbreaking frescoes in the Bardi and Peruzzi chapels. The unremarkable façade is a 19th-century addition.

Built by Luca Pitti and later bought by the Medici, the palace contains five museums: the Palatine Gallery, the Gallery of Modern Art, the Costume Gallery, the Museo degli Argenti, and the Porcelain Museum. The 79-acre Boboli Gardens rank among the world's finest landscaped gardens. Buy the three-day joint ticket if you plan on visiting the whole complex.

Built in 1565 by Vasari to link Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti for the convenience (and safety) of the Medici, this private passageway offers unusual views over the city and is lined with illustrious self portraits. It can only be visited by joining a scheduled guided tour: well worth it if you can afford around $145 for the privilege.

The Centre for Contemporary Culture Strozzina (CCCS) is part of the Palazzo Strozzi Foundation and was created as a showcase for different approaches, practices and trends in contemporary art and culture both locally and internationally. The 11-room exhibition space is located in the former cellars under the magnificent courtyard of the Palazzo.

You don’t have to be an art historian to appreciate the Renaissance masterpieces of Florence, but having one show you the city certainly ups the wow factor, especially for kids who are learning about Michelangelo for the first time. Founded by National Geographic writer Paul Bennett and designer Lani Bevacqua, Context Florence runs 2- and 3-hour walking tours of Florence that are led by scholars who are just as knowledgeable about art history as they are about engaging children. Learn about history and architecture on a treasure hunt through the city, trace the past of artistic greats through drawing exercises at Uffizi Gallery, or explore 15th century life at the historical Palazzo Davanzati.