Top 5 Tourist Attractions in Florence that You Can't Miss

Mr. Xu Zhimo measured Florence, an ancient city, with his feet and gave it a poetic Chinese name which means "cold emerald". If you look down at the city, you'll find the entire capital is covered by brick-red roofs. No matter whether the city is under the scorching sun or dazzling night lights, the flaming color is like her history and culture, showcasing the city's enthusiasm for and obsession with art since the ancient times. Florence is the cradle of renaissance. That means everything in this place, including the air you breathe in, the ground you step on and the views in your eyes, is inseparable from the renaissance as you arrive here. Let's take a look at the top 5 tourist attractions that you can't miss in the city with rich culture.

1. Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower (Santa Maria del Fiore)

The basilica's Chinese name connotes one hundred flowers in full blossom. As Florence's landmark, every Duomo is a classic attraction that you can't miss! Within this cathedral, 6 places are waiting for you to explore, including the main body of the basilica, the baptistery, Giotto's Bell Tower, the cellar, the dome and the museum. You can queue up and enter the first floor of the church for free. You can appreciate Giorgio Vasari's Last Judgement, a large fresco, on the first floor as well. If you would like to climb to the top or visit the cellar and the museum, you need to purchase tickets or make an appointment in advance. More information can be found at www.duomo.firenze.it.

2. Central Market (Mercato centrale)

When you arrive at a strange city which you always wish to explore, you will wonder where to have delicacies if you're mentally satisfied. The word of market is always linked with crowds and interpersonal interaction. Indeed, the Central Market, next to the Florence Train Station, is worth a visit. You will have authentic and traditional Florentine cuisines in the market. Besides, you can buy special souvenirs here for your family and friends after you satisfy your stomach, bringing amazing exotic food to them. If you're in the Central Market, don't forget to taste the unique and delicious Lampredotto, a sandwich that is made of tripe.

3. Bronze Pig Fountain (Fontana del Porcellino)

A bronze pig statue with an enchanting pose sits in Florence's New Market. Beside a small bustling pavilion for selling leather goods, there is a corner with a long queue. They are taking pictures with the statue. Every person that takes photos will place a coin in the pig's mouth and slightly touch its nose for good luck. If the coin doesn't fall, that means you will return to the picturesque city.

4. Signoria Square (Piazza della Signoria)

Florence is unique for you might find another amazing scenic spot when just turning the corner. Large or small squares are dotted with different attractions among which you can't skip the Signoria Square. In the square, there are the Uffizi Gallery housing world-famous masterpieces and the Old Palace or Palazzo Vecchio, now the City Hall building, on top of which is a tower pointing to the sky. The tower symbolized the supreme power in the ancient times. In addition, it's worth mentioning that the square is also known as an "open-air sculpture museum", because here stand various sculptures with different postures, including the majestic sea god Poseidon, the heroic Cosimo I, and a same size copy of David in front of the entrance of the Old Palace. All these amazing statues are attention-grabbing and impressive.

5. Old Bridge (Ponte Vecchio)

The old bridge is a must for those longing to visit Florence. Jay Chou, a famous Chinese star, and his charming wife, Hannah Quinlivan, once took an impressive photo on the Old Bridge across the Arno River or Fiume Arno. Fans of Jay Chou flooded here to take similar photos. It's said that the Old Bridge was a market selling fish, but the Medici Family gave an order to transform the market to shops selling handmade silver crafts for they couldn't bear the fishy smell. After that, a dazzling array of time-honored handmade jewelry shops have appeared on both sides of the Old Bridge. Their world-famous products are unique in design and made from excellent raw materials. Many brands have existed for hundreds of years. When the night falls, it is also enjoyable to watch the sunset and Florence at night from the Old Bridge over the Arno River.

Those shown above are just a small fraction of the amazing beauty of Florence, the ancient capital of culture and art. There can be much more fun if you explore by yourselves. Florence Convention and Visitors Bureau has set up different visitor information centers for tourists to get local maps and other information on tourism in time. The addresses of visitor information centers are as follows:

O Florence Train Station: Piazza della stazione 4

O Florence Peretola Airport: via del termine 11

O Basilica of the Holy Cross (Basilica di Santa Croce): Borgo Santa Croce 29r

O Palazzo Medici Riccardi: Via Cavour 1r

Please click on the following website to find the Chinese version of the complete Florence guidebook.

https://papermine.com/pub/experienceflorencechinese-7322/