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Please note that you fly to Pisa to enjoy city breaks, midweek & weekend special offers to Florence
The Renaissance city of Florence lies in the heart of Italy's beautiful Tuscany region and is easily one of the most atmospheric places to enjoy a weekend special offer Short Break in Italy. The sumptuous skyline, of russet rooftops and lofty domes gives way to a medieval treasure trove, a feast of architectural and artistic riches. It is hardly surprising that this city, steeped in history and packed with palaces and piazzas is one of the most photographed destinations in Europe.
Crammed in to just one square mile, there are more than 60 museums to visit on a weekend special offer or Florence City Break. The diminutive size of the city means you can get everywhere on foot, and the magnificent dome of the cathedral, which can be seen from almost any point in the city, means you will always be able to find your way through the bustling, narrow streets (and all Florence accommodation is within easy reach). While it is estimated that 60% of the world's most important artworks are in Italy, more than half of those can be seen on a weekend Short Break in Florence. Creations by some of the greatest artists of the Renaissance, such as Michelangelo, Donatello, and Brunelleschi are all there.
But it's not just your eyes that are in for a treat on a special offer Florence City Break. The classic Chiantis, perfect prosciuttos and pasta served up in the city's charming restaurants will make your mouth water and the classically romantic setting can be appreciated without ever setting foot inside an art gallery. Retail therapy is readily available on a Florence Short Break, if you want to drape yourself in Gucci gear, parade yourself in Prada or get smartly attired in Armarni, there are plenty of designer boutiques and open markets lining the narrow streets.
While staying at one of our bed and breakfast hotels in Florence, take advantage of your Tuscan location, made up of rolling hills, olive groves, vineyards, cypress trees and picturesque hilltop villages.
Pisa is also worth a visit and can be reached within 50 minutes by train offering a variable feast of sights, including not one, but three leaning towers! (You'll be flying to and from Pisa so you may wish to allow time to visit here as well)
However, if you choose to stay close to your Florence hotel accommodation, there will be more than enough to keep you occupied.
Below are some attractions a Florence City Break has to offer.
Uffizi Gallery
One of the best and most famous art galleries in the world, the Uffizi Gallery is Florence's greatest jewel. This art museum contains one of the greatest collections of paintings in existence.
The downside to the Uffizi is the crowds. However, you cannot visit Florence for the first time without seeing the Uffizi, and the quality of its art makes up for the inconveniences. The most beautiful works here include Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera, Raphael's Madonna of the Goldfinch, and Giotto's Madonnas. Travelcall Breaks advise you to allow yourself plenty of time to view your favourites, to wait until tour parties move on and to absorb the paintings at your leisure.
The gallery is located in the centre of Florence, just off Piazza della Signoria and close to the Ponte Vecchio.
Find Bed & Breakfast Florence Hotel Accommodation convenient for the Uffizi Gallery by checking availability for Weekend Special Offer Florence Breaks online with Travelcall Breaks
Duomo
Brunelleschi's sloping, red-tiled dome is easily spotted from afar, but when you first come upon the Duomo (cathedral) from the crowded streets around its square (Piazza del Duomo) you will doubtless be taken aback by the vibrancy of its pink, white and green marble façade. Brunelleschi won a public competition to design the enormous dome, the first of its kind since antiquity. Although now cracked and under restoration, it remains a remarkable achievement of design.
Find Bed & Breakfast Florence Hotel Accommodation convenient for 'Il Duomo' by checking availability for Weekend Special Offer Florence Breaks online with Travelcall Breaks
Bargello Museum
The Bargello Museum contains the most comprehensive range of medieval and Renaissance sculpture in Italy. Notable works include Michelangelo's drunken Bacchus, Donatello's David, the designs submitted by Brunelleschi for the Baptistry Doors Competition (Ghiberti won that one) and Giambologna's Mercury. The Bargello's heavily fortified exterior is a reminder of the building's former life as police headquarters and prison where people were tortured in medieval times. Adjacent to the Museum is the Mary Magdalene's chapel containing frescoes by Giotto's workshop.
Find Bed & Breakfast Florence Hotel Accommodation convenient for the Bargello Museum by checking availability for Weekend Special Offer Florence Breaks online with Travelcall Breaks
The Ponte Vecchio - 'Old Bridge'
One of the most famous landmarks in Florence and one of the city's few sights that is free to visit. The bridge was built in 1345 and bears 43 shops on its three arches. Over the top of the medieval shops runs the Vasari Corridor (Corridoio Vasariano), linking the Palazzo della Signoria and the Uffizi with the Pitti Palace.
The bridge has endured numerous fires and floods over the centuries, but perhaps came closest to destruction in 1944, during the Second World War. As the Germans retreated before the Allies, they blew up all Florence's bridges apart from the Ponte Vecchio, instead blocking its ends with rubble from demolished buildings.
The Ponte Vecchio is just south of Piazza della Signoria in the heart of Florence, close to the town's other attractions. For the best views, wander along the banks or walk to the neighbouring bridges, the Ponte alle Grazie and the Ponte Santa Trinita.
Find Bed & Breakfast Florence Hotel Accommodation convenient for the Ponte Vecchio by checking availability for Weekend Special Offer Florence Breaks online with Travelcall Breaks
To make the most of your Florence City Break, Travelcall Breaks advise you to visit is in the autumn, when the sticky weather is over and the countryside glows with mellow fruitfulness. You can avoid the heat and the queues and make the most of the soft light, empty streets, abundant wild mushrooms and fresh pressed olive oil.
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