Travel Guide: Florence / Renaissance City
Updated guide to a classic destination
Florence is not one but two cities, divided by the river Arno. An acquaintance, belonging to an old Florentine family, even claimed that there are people who will spend their entire lives without crossing the river, as they see no point going to “the other side”. Inspired by this idea of a city divided in two by a river, this guide is also divided into two parts, one outlining the centre of the city, one focusing on the other side of Arno, simply referred to as “Oltrarno”.
Beginning on the side of the city centre, Firenze Santa Maria Novella is the city’s main train station and serves as a gate into and out of the city. The building, completed in 1934, is considered an excellent example of Italian modernism, influenced by Adolf Loos and Josef Hoffman.
What makes the station architecturally outstanding is the perfect balance between the sharp modernist lines and the soft colour of the “pietra forte”, a type of sandstone with a light tone, which links the station to the Tuscan tradition of painting house facades in ochre.
Only a few minutes walk from the station, you’ll find Trattoria Sostanza Il Troia (Via Del Porcellana, 25/r), which many consider a mandatory culinary stop. In business for more than 150 years, this unassuming trattoria is famous for its traditional Tuscan peasant food, served in a small (only six tables) and charming restaurant.
A Scented City
Around the corner from the station is one of the city’s most historical landmarks, and one of the world’s most original brands. Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is a Florentine institution, a perfumery and herbalist shop, dating back to 1612.
An iconic product is the perfume Acqua della Regina, a fragrance specially designed for Catherine de Medici, Queen of France. This is the oldest perfume still in production at the pharmacy. Ingredients are still locally sourced and produced in an artisanal and authentic manner.
The church – Santa Maria Novella – is of course also well worth a visit.
In recent years, several new perfume brands have emerged in Florence. One of the most successful is Acquaflor, just a few steps from Piazza Santa Croce.
With their own laboratory and shop in an ancient Tuscan palace, many come here simply to enjoy the beauty of the space; tranquil, quiet and with more than 1,500 different essences to choose from.
City Sights
When it comes to historical sites (of which there is one at practically every corner in Florence), there are a few speciic places that visitors tend to gravitate towards. If you simply relax and follow the crowds, this is probably where you will end up. One is the Florence Cathedral, formally the Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Flore, often referred to simply as Duomo di Firenze. It doesn’t matter how many times you see it; the building continues to amaze.
Construction began in 1296 and was completed in 1436. The façade of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in shades of green and pink, bordered by white. The cathedral complex includes the Baptistery and Giotto’s Campanile, and all three buildings are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It remains the largest brick dome ever constructed.
