Italy
San Marco, and Savonarola; Angelico's Annunciation is worth the admission alone. You can usually find somewhere in the cloisters just to sit away from the crowds. So much of Florence's history revolved around this convent. If I could visit only one place in Florence this would be it.
Cappella Brancacci: Masaccio's masterpiece.
San Miniato: beautiful small church. Don’t forget the graveyard, and then there's the view of Florence.
San Lorenzo: the old sacristy as well as Brunelleschi's brilliant interior.
Oh and Santa Maria Novella, Santa Croce, Cappelle Medici...
Museo di San Marco: Piazza San Marco; tel: +39 55 238 8608
Cappella Brancacci: Piazza del Carmine; tel: +39 055 238 21 95
San Miniato: Via Monte Alle Croci, 34; tel: 055 2342768
Basilica di San Lorenzo: Piazza San Lorenzo
You can cover almost all of Florence by foot, but on the first day we took the bus. Most of the attractions are closely grouped together and signposted by the whirr of camera shutters. Visitors who are lost and do not feel up to asking directions should follow the umbrella hovering above the crowds – it’s guaranteed to be guiding a band of tourists to another one of the city’s attractions.
The open top tour bus is a cheap way to find your way around the city. Get on the bus, stay on for the whole tour, then jump off on the return journey if there is something you fancy seeing and jump back on when the next one comes along. You get a free pair of earphones included in the price of your ticket, which is valid for 24 hours. All tours have either a guide or audio commentary, with frequent departures throughout the day. Most tours take an hour if you don’t hop on and off, although some may take approximately two hours.
The start point is the central train station (Santa Maria Novella). Look for the red open top double-decker bus - you can't miss it! Tours depart every 30-60 minutes, depending on the season, and children four and under travel for free.
tel: +44 (0)1708 866 000;
email: info@city-sightseeing.com;
www.city-sightseeing.com
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