Florence Step by Step: A Journey into the Heart of the Cit

This itinerary is designed for children and families who want to explore the historic center of Florence while having fun and learning. We will walk among famous squares, ancient palaces, statues, and majestic churches. Each stop is a little journey through time, a special way to experience Florence... step by step!

Welcome to the Heart of Florence

Hello and welcome to Florence! This city is renowned worldwide for being the birthplace of numerous works of art and beautiful buildings. Florence is a special place, where one can see ancient churches, famous statues, historic squares, and streets that echo the past. With this itinerary, we will explore together the most important places in the historic center. We will stroll through squares and monuments that narrate the history of Florence and learn about the figures who made it famous, such as Dante, Michelangelo, and the Medici family. Ready to begin?

Piazza del Duomo

We have arrived in the heart of Florence: Piazza del Duomo. It is one of the most renowned places in the city, and here you will find three very important and truly beautiful buildings: the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Baptistery of San Giovanni, and Giotto's Campanile. The cathedral is enormous and colorful, adorned with white, green, and pink marble. It was begun in 1296, many centuries ago, and its most famous feature is the dome built by Filippo Brunelleschi. It is so large that it remains the largest masonry dome in the world today! Next to the church stands a tall and slender tower: Giotto's Campanile. Giotto was a very skilled artist and began its construction in 1334. The tower is about 85 meters high and is decorated with numerous panels that depict the history of the arts and sciences. Right in front of the cathedral is another very ancient building: the Baptistery of San Giovanni. It has an octagonal shape, and its bronze doors are true masterpieces. The most famous is the “Gate of Paradise,” crafted by Lorenzo Ghiberti. Michelangelo, one of the greatest artists of all time, said it was so beautiful that it deserved to stand right at the entrance of paradise. This square has always been a special place for the Florentines. Here, they held festivals, religious ceremonies, and even traditional games. To this day, it is one of the most beloved spots by visitors from all over the world.

Piazza della Repubblica

Just a few steps from the Duomo is Piazza della Repubblica. Today it is an elegant square, but in the past, it was quite different. Two thousand years ago, this area housed the Roman forum, the city's center during the Roman Empire, with markets, shops, and important roads. As time passed, this area changed many times. During the Middle Ages, there were houses, towers, and bustling markets. In the sixteenth century, the Jewish ghetto was built here, but it was demolished in the nineteenth century. The square as we see it today was constructed when Florence became the capital of Italy, from 1865 to 1871. Many ancient buildings were demolished to create a more modern space. At the center stands the Column of Abundance, marking the spot where the main roads of the ancient Roman city converged. Another feature to see is the large arch, known as the Arcone. It was built to celebrate the city's transformation and bears an inscription that reads: "The ancient center of the city, restored from centuries of squalor to new life." Today, the square is filled with historic cafés where writers, poets, and artists used to gather. Strolling here is a way to discover how Florence has evolved over time.

Piazza della Signoria

Welcome to Piazza della Signoria, one of the most important and famous places in all of Florence! This grand square is like a gigantic history book in the open air, where each building and statue narrates something of the city's past. The palace you see with the very tall tower is called Palazzo Vecchio. It was once named Palazzo della Signoria, just like the square, and it served as the "home" of the government of Florence. Built in 1299, it was where the most crucial decisions for the city were made. Even the Medici, the most powerful family in Florence, lived here for a time before moving to another palace. In front of the palace, there's a very famous statue: a copy of Michelangelo's David. The original was placed right there in 1504 as a symbol of strength and freedom. Beside it are other statues depicting stories of heroes and battles, such as Hercules and Cacus, representing courage and justice. Under a beautiful structure with arches, known as the Loggia dei Lanzi, there are many other famous statues. One of the most captivating is Perseus with the Head of Medusa, created by Benvenuto Cellini. Another is the Rape of the Sabine Women, a scene with three intertwined figures sculpted in marble. These statues are not only gorgeous but were also meant to tell stories and convey messages about power, strength, and destiny. Near the loggia, there's a very distinctive fountain: the Fountain of Neptune. It represents the god of the sea and was constructed in 1575 to showcase Florence's might, even on the seas. And we cannot forget the equestrian monument of Cosimo I de’ Medici, crafted by Giambologna. It depicts the moment when Florence transitioned from being a republic to becoming a duchy, a territory governed by a duke. Even today, many events happen in this piazza: performances, festivals, and demonstrations. It remains a lively place, just as it was in the past!

Ponte Vecchio

The Ponte Vecchio is one of the most magical places in Florence! Crossing it is like stepping into a fairy tale: there are shops, windows, and medieval arches that tell stories centuries old. The bridge we see today was built in 1345, but a long time ago, the Romans had already constructed a wooden bridge at this location. Unfortunately, the flooding of the Arno River destroyed it several times, so it was decided to build a more resilient one entirely made of stone. In the Middle Ages, on the two rows of little houses you see today, there were butcher and tanner shops, trades that were somewhat smelly and disposed of their waste directly into the river. Fortunately, in 1593, Grand Duke Ferdinando I de' Medici ordered these trades to be moved elsewhere and replaced them with goldsmiths and jewelers. Thus, the bridge became more elegant and fragrant! One truly unique feature of the Ponte Vecchio is that it has a secret corridor above it: the Vasari Corridor. It was built in 1565 by Giorgio Vasari to allow the grand dukes to walk from Palazzo Vecchio to Palazzo Pitti without mingling with the crowds. It was a kind of "hidden passage," perfect for those in power. During World War II, all the bridges in Florence were destroyed, except one: the Ponte Vecchio! It is said that Hitler himself decided to spare it because he found it too beautiful. Today, the Ponte Vecchio is full of tourists and locals who stroll around, look at the jewelry shop windows, or stop to admire the river. If you visit at sunset, when the city lights reflect on the water, you will witness a truly enchanting sight!

Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens

Massive and austere, Palazzo Pitti rises imposingly on the left bank of the Arno, dominating the Oltrarno district. Its facade, with its extended and regular rustic ashlar, immediately strikes with its visual strength and the declared intent to assert power and prestige. The palace was commissioned around the mid-fifteenth century by Luca Pitti, a wealthy banker and political rival of the Medici, with the ambition of building a residence that would surpass all others in Florence. However, it was the Medici family that acquired it in 1549, when Eleonora di Toledo, the wife of Cosimo I, purchased it to transform it into the new grand ducal residence, more spacious and salubrious than Palazzo Vecchio. Under the Medici, Palazzo Pitti transformed. Significant additions were made, including the lateral wings and, most notably, the Boboli Gardens, a masterpiece of Italian gardening that unfolds behind the palace with terraces, statues, and fountains. This green space, together with the palace, became the symbol of Medicean power, combining architectural grandeur, geometric rigor, and scenic control over the urban landscape. The original design is often attributed to Filippo Brunelleschi or, according to some scholars, to one of his pupils. In any case, the architectural layout reflects an innovative conception of urban residence, where monumentality and functionality merge in a language of severe elegance. After the Medici, the palace passed to the Lorraine family, who further expanded it and enriched its art collections. In the nineteenth century, it was inhabited by the Savoy and, for a brief period, became the royal residence of the newly unified Kingdom of Italy. Today, the complex historical stratification is reflected in the collections housed within: the Palatine Gallery, with masterpieces by Raphael and Titian, the Royal Apartments, the Gallery of Modern Art, and the Museum of Fashion and Costume. Even without crossing its threshold, Palazzo Pitti conveys the image of Florence transformed into a princely court, a center of power and culture. It is a monument that tells the long trajectory of the city: from mercantile republic to the capital of a grand duchy and, finally, a cultural heart of Italy.

Piazza Santa Trinità and Via de’ Tornabuoni

In the heart of the most elegant part of Florence, nestled between noble palaces and high-fashion boutiques, lies Piazza Santa Trinità, one of the city's most refined corners. Here begins Via de’ Tornabuoni, a historical artery now renowned for its luxury storefronts, but once the hub of Florentine aristocratic life. Walking through this area means journeying across centuries, where contemporary opulence coexists with Renaissance memories and symbols of power. The square takes its name from the nearby Church of Santa Trinita, founded in the 12th century by the Vallombrosan monks and later renewed with Gothic and Renaissance touches. Inside, you'll find a true jewel: the Sassetti Chapel, frescoed by Domenico Ghirlandaio. The chapel depicts scenes from the life of Saint Francis set against the backdrop of a recognizable Renaissance Florence, featuring portraits of real figures and urban views that still exist today. At the center of the square stands the Column of Justice, a Roman column made of eastern granite brought from Rome, a papal gift to Cosimo I de’ Medici and placed here in 1565. Atop the column, an allegorical statue of Justice serves as a reminder of the Medicean concept of fair and orderly governance, founded on balance and moral strength. Via de’ Tornabuoni, extending north from the square, is now the epitome of luxury shopping, yet every building along it tells tales of patronage, family rivalries, and culture. Noteworthy among them is the Palazzo Spini Feroni, built in the 13th century and now home to the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum. Further along, you'll find Palazzo Strozzi, a symbol of Renaissance civic architecture and private power, and Palazzo Tornabuoni, the residence of the family after whom the street is named. Despite modern transformations, the area retains an aristocratic and subdued charm. The lines of the buildings, the carved stones, the hidden inner courtyards behind austere façades: all speak of a cultured, ambitious, and cosmopolitan Florence. This is a place where the present continuously dialogues with an illustrious past, and where every corner conceals a precious detail waiting to be discovered.

Piazza Santa Croce

Welcome to one of the most important squares in all of Florence! Piazza Santa Croce is grand, elegant, and full of stories to tell. At the center of the square stands a truly special church: the Basilica of Santa Croce, with its white and green facade resembling a marble castle. It is so beautiful that it leaves you speechless just by looking at it! The church was built long ago, in 1294, by the Franciscan friars on land that was then marshy, full of water and mud. Today, however, it is a place filled with art and memory. Inside are the tombs of very famous figures: Michelangelo, who sculpted beautiful statues, Galileo Galilei, a great scientist and observer of the stars, and Gioachino Rossini, who composed music. There is also a monument dedicated to Dante Alighieri, the poet of the Divine Comedy, although he is buried in Ravenna. But the basilica is not just a resting place for the greats of the past. Inside, there are also splendid frescoes painted by Giotto, a very famous painter of the Middle Ages, who knew how to give expression and emotion to people's faces. There is also a painted wooden crucifix by Cimabue, an important work that was damaged by a flood many years ago, yet it still moves those who gaze upon it. The square outside the church also holds a very special role in city life. Every year in June, the Calcio Storico Fiorentino, a kind of ancient game similar to football with very particular rules, is played here. The four historical districts of Florence compete in a match full of energy, strength, and team spirit. The entire square is filled with sand, as if it were a grand playing field of the past! Strolling through Piazza Santa Croce is like taking a journey through time: you can admire art, remember the great figures of history, and feel the city's soul still alive. It is a place where the past meets the present... and where even children can feel a part of Florence's history.