Leave the car behind and opt for a pair of comfortable shoes for an itinerary designed to be experienced entirely on foot, with only a final taxi ride needed to reach the last residence we recommend visiting. This is Florence, and driving a car around here isn’t only tricky when it comes to finding a parking space, but it could also result in unexpected fines, which might drop through your letterbox several months after your return home. The chances of unintentionally entering a ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone) area are quite high in the ‘City of the Lily’, as this Tuscan capital has been named since the Middle Ages. The best way to start your Florentine tour is by taking a high-speed train to Santa Maria Novella, one of Italy’s most centrally located railway stations. On arrival, either check into your hotel or, alternatively, store your luggage at KiPoint, an extremely handy service which is available in most major train stations. You can then head straight over to the Basilica di Santa Maria Novella, conveniently positioned just across the street. This basilica has historically held great significance for the Dominican Order, established here since 1221. It was originally known as Santa Maria delle Vigne (‘Saint Mary of the Vineyards’), because vineyards used to flourish in this area at a time when it was outside the city walls. The Basilica is a treasure chest of remarkable artistic works, housing famous paintings such as Masaccio’s Trinity and Giotto’s Crucifix, and sculptures including Brunelleschi’s Crucifix. The Great Cloister of the basilica opens onto Via della Scala, where our first historical residence, Casa Howard, is located. This charming guesthouse from a bygone era boasts a prime position close to the train station while still being in the heart of the city. Right next door to it is the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, a pharmacy and perfumery founded by the Dominican friars, who first began crafting their scented waters within the convent in 1381. Today, the former Chapel of Saint Nicholas serves as the grand salesroom for all the products of the Santa Maria Novella brand, with perfumes both for personal use and home fresheners, plus liqueurs, soaps, scented candles and herbal remedies. To return to Casa Howard, this exclusive boutique hotel is named after Jenifer Howard Forneris, who personally conceived and designed each of the rooms, and has been welcoming visitors since 2005. Continuing on towards Porta al Prato, near Leopolda Station, which is now a venue for trade fairs and conventions, your steps will lead you to Via Curtatone and the Terrazzino Reale sul Prato, or Royal Terrace at the Hotel Executive. A wooden stand was commissioned here by the Grand Duke of Lorraine at the point where the road leading to Porta al Prato and the Parco delle Cascine formed an open angle, thereby offering a broad view. The Royal Loggia terrace, designed by architect Luigi de Cambray Digny, replaced an earlier wooden structure and served as the place where the Grand Duke’s court would gather during the Berber horse races, an old Florentine tradition. The races began when the Grand Duke gave the starting signal for the races from this loggia, and it was from this same spot that he would also announce the name of the winning horse at the end of the event.
From the Terrazzino, head along the Lungarno, as the banks of the river are called, passing by the splendid Villa Favard, which is now the seat of the prestigious fashion and design institute, Polimoda. Next, you will come across the monument commemorating Giuseppe Garibaldi in front of the U.S. Consulate General building, in the grand Palazzo Calcagnini, constructed just before Italy’s unification and considered to be one of the last great private palaces erected in Florence. Continue along the Lungarno as far as Piazza Carlo Goldoni, from where you should take Via del Moro in the direction of Palazzo di Camugliano. Built in the 1400s and formerly the city residence of the Niccolini di Camugliano Marquesses, the Palazzo has been transformed into a boutique hotel with 10 rooms, all located on the main piano nobile floor. It features ceilings that are partly frescoed and partly adorned with decorative coffered panels. From this vantage point, proceed to Via de’ Tornabuoni, where, turning toward the Arno River, you will firstly see Palazzo Strozzi, which houses major exhibitions and art shows, and then a museum dedicated to one of the world’s most renowned fashion brands, which has its headquarters here in Florence. The Salvatore Ferragamo Museum is to be found in the medieval section of the historic Palazzo Spini Feroni, which was commissioned in 1289 by Geri Spini, banker to the Pope and the kings of France and England.
Continuing along Via de’ Tornabuoni, you will be able to window shop as you pass the luxury boutiques en route for Piazza degli Antinori and Palazzo Antinori, owned by the family of the same name that is renowned for its wine production. On the ground floor are the restaurant and wine showroom of Cantinetta Antinori. Following Via del Giglio, you will reach our fifth historical residence, Palazzo Aldobrandini del Papa. Situated in the San Lorenzo district, it is close to the Basilica and the Medici Chapels, which were built as a burial site for the Medici family and involved the artistic contributions of Michelangelo during the design process. Palazzo Aldobrandini is called “del Papa” (signifying ‘of the Pope’) because it was reportedly here that Pope Clement VIII stayed during his visits to Florence. Today, the frescoed halls are used as venues for weddings, elegant private events, cooking classes and wine tastings. In the vicinity of this San Lorenzo district is the Mercato Centrale, developed by Giuseppe Mengoni, the same architect who created the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II covered arcade in Milan. The market’s complete renovation in 2014 transformed it into a popular spot where you can taste the best of the city’s cuisine, and purchase artisanal products within its walls. Carrying on along Borgo San Lorenzo, you are now in the very heart of Florence and its most famous landmarks, starting with Piazza San Giovanni and the monumental complex comprising the Duomo, Baptistery and Giotto’s Campanile. After admiring Brunelleschi’s dome, consider taking a look around the Opera del Duomo Museum, which showcases works by Michelangelo, Donatello and Giotto, among other artists. A short stroll down Via dei Servi will bring you to another historic private residence, Palazzo Niccolini al Duomo. Once Donatello’s workshop, it is now a boutique hotel owned by Filippo and Ginevra Niccolini di Camugliano. Located in an enviably central position, it contains frescoed rooms and period furnishings. Take a walk down Via dei Calzaiuoli, a street packed with shops and boutiques, until you arrive at Piazza della Signoria, with Palazzo Vecchio and the unique open-air museum, the Loggia dei Lanzi, where iconic masterpieces such as ‘Perseus’ by Benvenuto Cellini are displayed. Facing Palazzo Vecchio, Gucci Garden is to your left, together with Gucci Osteria, a collaboration between the luxury fashion brand and top chef Massimo Bottura. A little further down Via dei Gondi is Palazzo Gondi, another historical residence on our itinerary. Constructed for a prominent family of Florentine bankers, the Gondi family, in 1489, the Palazzo’s design was entrusted to one of the most acclaimed architects of that period, Giuliano da Sangallo. Today, the property serves as a prestigious setting for cultural and corporate events, private ceremonies and celebrations, with accommodation provided on the top floor.
You are now a stone’s throw from Piazzale degli Uffizi and the Uffizi Galleries, which of course need no introduction. Cross the Arno at the most picturesque spot imaginable – the scenic Ponte Vecchio – and enter the glorious Oltrarno district, so named for being ‘beyond’ the Arno river. A mere five minutes away is Hotel Palazzo Guadagni, a 16th-century residence on Piazza Santo Spirito built by the Dei family, prominent textile merchants. It sits across from the Basilica, the façade of which was designed by Brunelleschi. Today, the Palazzo has 15 guest rooms and a particularly scenic roof bar loggia, where breakfast is served. Not surprisingly, the loggia has been chosen several times as a location for film shoots. The residence is a perfect base for exploring the most important attractions on the left bank of the Arno: in addition to the Santo Spirito district, where Palazzo Guadagni is situated, you can discover the area around San Frediano, which was named the coolest neighbourhood in the world by Lonely Planet a few years ago. You are now very close to Palazzo Pitti, where Italian fashion made its debut in 1952 when the first runway show for 300 buyers was held in the Sala Bianca. The palace is an open-air institution in the true sense of the word, with its collection of five museums and the Boboli Gardens at the rear. Be sure to incorporate a tour of the Brancacci Chapel in Piazza del Carmine. The cycle of frescoes depicting stories of St. Peter, a true masterpiece of Renaissance art, were begun by Masaccio and Masolino, while the final touches were completed by Filippino Lippi.
After covering so many sights on foot, we recommend you jump in a taxi for our final, perfect destination up in the hills of Settignano. Villa Gamberaia was constructed in the 17th century by textile merchant Zanobi Lapi. An unmissable experience due to the beauty of its Renaissance gardens, which have been studied and admired over the centuries by architectural historians and landscape architects, the Villa not only offers guided tours, but is also ideal for the hosting of private events, ceremonies and fashion shows.
