Photography in Florence

One of Europe’s most majestic cities in terms of art, architecture and culture, Florence boasts an infinitive wealth of photographic opportunities. This blog aims to point visitors in the right direction with regards to making the most out of these opportunities with some basic tips.
The first part of this blog will mention the “must-see” attractions while in the future I aim to offer suggestions on some places that are off the tourist map. With a wealth of Florence rentals in the city centre it is possible to find rooftop views that are not as common as those taken from buildings with entry to the public.

The following examples are some of the must-see attractions in Florence:

Ponte Vecchio

The Ponte Vecchio bridge is without doubt one of the most photographed landmarks in Florence. Some of the best views towards it are from along the river bank or from one of its neighbouring bridges.
The Ponte Santa Trinita is closer to the Ponte Vecchio than the Ponte Alle Grazie and is more favoured among photographers for this reason. It is well worth making two trips; both in the day or early morning and at night. In high season the early bird really does catch the worm, as by midday tourist numbers are so high that photographing the bridge can be difficult. The reflection of the buildings along the River Arno can be an enchanting sight and evening photo excursions are a must.

Il Duomo


The Basililica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the catedral of Florence. The building took over 400 hundred years to complete and was designed by architect Arnolfo di Cambio. The exterior façades of the building are faced in marble of and the octagonal dome is the largest masonry dome in the world. On a clear day it is worthwhile spending time to see how the light behaves at various times throughout the day. Due to the rich marble textures it is possible to achieve some impressive contrasts between light and dark with a fantastic blue sky backdrop. From the plaza of the Battistero di San Giovanni it is possible to achieve a composition that contains the Baptistery, Campanile and the Dome in the same photo. It is still possible to photograph inside the cathedral and the frescoes in the dome make an impressive composition though attention must be made to sunlight. Please note all photography within the building s must be carried out without the use of a flash.

Santa Croce


The Basilica de Santa Croce houses some of Florence’s most impressive frescoe paintings and contains the tombs of some of the most influential people from European history. The tombs of and monuments of Santa Croce include those to: Vittorio Alfieri, Charlotte Bonaparte, Dante, Galileo and Michaelangelo Buonarroti among others. The elaborately decorated tomb of Michaelangelo was decorated by Giorgio Vasari and is worth seeing at midday when it is illuminated at its best. The impressive facade of the building is also worth capturing, though an early morning visit is imperative to avoid snapping the hoards of tourist who are present on its large piazza from around mid morning.

Gruesome gongs on in Florence

The monster of Florence has become a legendary tale that bore its ugly head around summertime all over Italy from the latter part of the sixties until the mid eighties. The story has enticed numerous travel writers to rent apartments in Florence in search of new material. The most famous of these was the author Thomas Harris of Silence of the Lambs fame. He was so inspired by a trial he attended and by the mystery in general that he based the sequel Hannibal in Florence.

The serial killer that has been tagged the Monster of Florence is believed to have begun his killing spree in the summer of 1968, when a young couple that were carrying out an adulterous relationship, were killed while parked in a car in the outlying Florence countryside while the woman’s son lay sleeping in the back of the car. The woman’s husband was subsequently jailed for the crime although he was later found innocent.

The next murder was carried out in 1981 in a similar rural beauty spot and involved the killing of a young couple using the same Beretta .22 pistol that had been used in the 1968 killing. Ballistic experts traced the ammunition as Winchester bullets that had been bought in Australia in the 1950’s.

From this point on, the killings occurred every year until 1985 and all followed the same pattern bar one. The killer targeted courting couples that were parked in quiet lanes around rural Florence. The only time that there was a marked difference in the pattern of killing was when two German tourists were killed in their van that was parked in a country lane. Police commented that the killer may have mistaken one of the men for a woman on account of his long hair.

Various trials have been carried out in search of the killer with countless people being taken into custody and investigated. While two men (Mario Vanni and Giancarlo Lotti) remain incarcerated for the crimes committed in rural Florence there still remains a great air of mystery surrounding the story.

A Taste of the Tuscan Countryside in Florence - Le Cascine

Blending a love of the countryside with Florentine history and prestige dating back to the Medici era, the wonderful Le Cascine park is a favourite for Florence families and citizens. Pack your picnic in your Florence apartment and head over towards the Porta al Prato neighbourhood, to spend a day in the Le Cascine park along the river Arno.

Le Cascine, literally meaning “The Farmsteads” had its beginnings in Medici times, when the first Duke of Florence commissioned the land for cattle farming and a farm house in around 1530. This plan was to change after his death, when Cosimo I de Medici turned the vast area into private woodlands for the Medici family, turning the farmhouse into a mansion, creating boulevards and covering the area with new oak groves, pine, elm and maple trees. After the end of the Medici line in 1737, Le Cascine park was granted to the city of Florence and its public by the new Grand Duke of Tuscany.

In the last two centuries there have been many beautiful additions to the park. There are several squares and avenues, somel Neo-classical fountains, such as the Fonte di Narciso which was made famous by the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and more modern features for enjoyment.

During the summer, the outdoor swimming pool and Pavionere bar makes a great spot for cooling off. Le Cascine is popular for joggers, horse-riding and biking. There’s also a hippodrome and ampitheatre space, which host events and productions over the milder months.
Florence’s biggest market also takes place in Le Cascine park every Tuesday morning, where you can buy fresh products, flowers, as well as clothing, shoes, jewellery and antiques.
Whatever your interests, the best thing to recommend in Le Cascine park is a relaxing day with a picnic and good company. The beauty of Tuscany can be found here in Florence’s finest park.

Florence Shopping Guide

Florence has always had a great hand in commerce. Florence apartments and shops have existed since renaissance times and older, when each area of the city was characterised by a certain craftwork. Members of each guild were required to be descendants of each craft society to join the profession.

In this way, the skills have been handed down through the generations, to their present day glory. Florence is best-known for its gold and jewellery crafts, its leather bags and shoes, its art and renaissance antiques, as well as meats and of course, Chianti wine.
When in Florence, it’s important to note that the city specialises in luxury goods and high quality, so if you really want to go shopping, you´ll need a good budget.

Have a read on for some of the best places to satisfy your shopping desires.
Florence souvenirs and small charms can be found on the Ponte Vecchio bridge.
If you’re hunting for Florentine antiques, you can find the best on Via Maggio.
Leather goods are popular in this city; the best bet for luxury Florence shoe-makers, boutiques and accessories is Via dei Tornabouni, with brands such as Gucci.
If the old Florence pharmacies and perfumeries interest you, go to the Antica Officina di Santa Maria Novella, where it is possible to buy essences from yesteryear.
Pick up some better value in Florence’s high street shops, such as Diesel and Sisley, which are located on the main street Via dei Calzaiuoli near the Duomo.
From Monday through Saturday, look for bargains at Florence’s fleamarket at Piazza dei Ciompi. This outdoor market offers small antiques and nick-nacks.
Finally, for Florence fresh produce, meats and cheeses, an array of leather goods and general market items can be found in the San Lorenzo market, between Via Cavour and Via Nazionale.

Happy shopping and don’t forget to stop along the way for an espresso!

A 360 of Piazza della Signoria in Florence

Well, here is a 360 of one of the most famous place in Florence, the wonderful Piazza della Signoria. More info on what you can see there here: Piazza della Signoria - Wikipedia.

Well-Heeled in Florence’s Ferragamo Museum

Florence has produced many of the greats in art, many of whom had humble beginnings in an apartment in Florence, or simply settled in Florence, to later become renowned worldwide. In modern history, Salvatore Ferragamo made his mark on the world of fashion, designing shoes in Hollywood in the 20’s for stars and the silver screen and later brought their manufacture to his preferred city of Florence. Ferragamo died in 1960, but his legacy lives on; his name being a modern-day global luxury brand. For shoe-lovers, a trip to the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum is highly advised when in Florence.
Quite unlike the usual Florence museum, this conceptual shoe gallery, which was opened by the Ferragamo family in 1995 as a tribute to Salvatore’s ideas, showcases the designer’s work and collections. Each piece of footwear is viewed as an artwork, alongside documentary on Ferragamo’s life, photos of him with celebrities and an interesting insight into last century’s relationship with shoes.

The fascinating story behind Ferragamo’s work, pioneering the cork wedge during the scarcity of the world war years, his popularity with Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Ingrid Bergman, the re-planting of his business in his native Italy, these are all detailed within the museum’s permanent collections.

What’s more, the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum also organises temporary collections dealing with new contemporary artists, collaborating with arts and culture societies and hosting exhibitions. The entrance fee into the museum (€5) goes towards funding annual scholarships for up-and-coming footwear designers. The museum is definitely worth a visit for its inter-cultural aspect, if not for the shoes.

The Salvatore Ferragamo Museum is located on Piazza Santa Trinita 5r, in Florence’s Santa Maria Novella district. It’s opening hours are from 10am-6pm and it is closed only on Tuesdays. For information about reserving a visit, the contact phone number is +39 055 3360 456/455.

Divinely Dante in Florence

Follow the Florence trail of Dante, the writer of the Divine Comedy, one of the most acclaimed literary masterpieces in world history. Dante Alighieri, Florentine born, frequented Florence apartments –many of which are still the same today- and streets at the end of the 13th century until his political banishment from Florence. In the years that succeeded, he wrote some of his works, as well as the Divine comedy, between 1308 and his death in 1321.

The 14,000 lines of Dante’s Divine Comedy or Divina Commedia unfold as the writer takes a journey through the three Christian phases of the afterlife; Hell (Inferno), Purgatory (Purgatorio) and Heaven (Paradiso). Written in the first person, the poem’s famed allegory and Christian themes, along with the Italian language used, helped to portray the religious and scientific ideas of those times in Florence and in the Western World, while establishing the Tuscan dialect in a historical context.

When in Florence, it’s worth visiting those monuments of a great literary past with Dante, as follows:

Baptistery of San Giovanni- Where Dante was christened. There is a painting depicting Dante showing Florence his poem, painted in 1465 by Domenico di Michelino.

Via Corso and the houses of Portinari- Where Beatrice lived; Dante’s obsession as portrayed in La Vita Nouva.

Chiesa di Santa Margherita de' Cerchi- The Florence church in which Dante is believed to have married Gemma Donati in 1295.

Florence’s House of Dante - A little museum with articles pertaining to Dante’s life and works.

Palazzo del Bargello- The building in which Dante’s banishment from Florence was proclaimed.

There is a Giotto fresco of Dante in Paradise, in the building’s chapel.

Chiesa di Santa Croce- See the Dante sculpture outside the church, created by Enrico Pezzi in 1865.

Chiesa di Santa Maria Novella- Frescoes by Nardo di Cione which show Dante’s Paradise and Hell.

For enthusiasts of literature, a trip to Dante’s monuments in Florence will make for an interesting trip.