Grand Hotel Cavour, Florence ****
Florence, Tuscany  This hotel in Florence is a sumptuous building located in the heart of ancient Firenze, set within a converted palazzo, and ideal for business trips. There is a new business centre suitable for seminars, meetings or conferences, with three rooms which can hold 10-60 people and which have internet connections.... View hotel Double rooms from €100
Hotel City, Florence ***
Florence, Tuscany  This hotel in Florence is a charming and tastefully decorated hotel located in the district of San Lorenzo. Just minutes from the Santa Maria Novella main railway station and 200 metres from the air terminal for Amerigo Vespucci Airport, the Hotel City is the perfect base for a vacation in... View hotel Double rooms from €75
Hotel Santa Maria Novella, Florence ****
Florence, Tuscany  This stylish Florence hotel has been faithfully restored to its nineteenth century glory by an interior designer of international standing. Originally the Hotel National, it changed its name in the 1940s, when it was a fashionable destination for entrepreneurs and artists from all over the world. View hotel Double rooms from €99
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It was during the nineteenth century that the rest of Europe (and America too) rediscovered Florence, and it quickly became an essential stopping point on the Grand Tour of Europe, for artists and moneyed toffs alike. Stendahl, the Brownings and EM Forster all rhapsodised the beauty of the Tuscan city, where great works of art and architecture seemed to appear round every corner. So what does Florence (Firenze) hold for the visitor today? Florence has its dramatic signature buildings to be sure: Santa Maria Novella cathedral; the remarkable Ponte Vecchio, with shops crammed onto the medieval bridge over the river; and San Miniato al Monte, which shimmers irresistibly on the hills behind the town. But perhaps the real beauty of Florence lies in the treasures within its buildings. In Venice the city itself is the most dramatic thing; in Rome one has the Colosseum, the Forum and the Vatican City. But it is within galleries, museums and chapels such as the Bargello, the Museo dell Opera del Duomo, of Santa Croce and the Cappella dei Pazzi (to name a few among dozens) that the treasure lies. Florence, it has been said, has more artistic treasures than the rest of Europe combined. The Roman settlement of Florentia was built in 59BC, but it is as a medieval town that we really know Florence. More specifically, this city was to become the cradle of the great artistic movement that became the Renaissance. Money was at its root. The enormous wealth generated by trading families such as the Medici created a whole new class which demanded portraits, music, fine homes and chapels. Today though, Florence is firmly back on the map. Sometimes the crowds can become unbearable, and if you can make your visit outside the core tourist months you'll be grateful. For with fine restaurants, good shopping, some marvellous hotels and some of Italy's best food, this is an essential stop on your own Grand Tour of Italy. To the left you'll find a selection of Florence hotels, just to whet your appetite. See also Florence hotels (full listings) and our Florence hotel map. |
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