The Renaissance Core

Galleria dell'Accademia

Home of Michelangelo's original David, the Galleria dell'Accademia holds much more than its most famous statue. Along the corridor to the David stand four unfinished Prisoners, still half-trapped in marble. Beyond it are a hall of over 400 laster casts in a former hospital ward and a musical instruments collection that includes a 1690 Stradivari cello made for a Medici prince. If you only want to see the David, a free full-size copy stands outdoors in Piazza della Signoria.

Florence Cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore)

Florence Cathedral dominates the city with its marble façade and Brunelleschi’s enormous dome. Begun in 1296, Santa Maria del Fiore became one of the defining monuments of Renaissance Florence. The cathedral itself is free to enter, while the dome and other Duomo monuments require passes. Even without going inside, walk around the building to see how its white, green, and pink marble changes from every angle.

San Giovanni Baptistery

Standing opposite the cathedral, San Giovanni is one of Florence’s oldest religious buildings. Its octagonal form and green-and-white marble influenced the visual identity of the entire Duomo complex. The Baptistery is especially famous for its bronze doors, including Ghiberti’s celebrated Gates of Paradise. The originals are now preserved in the Opera del Duomo Museum, while replicas remain outside.

Piazza della Signoria

Piazza della Signoria has been Florence’s political heart for centuries. Palazzo Vecchio dominates the square, while the Loggia dei Lanzi works as a free open-air sculpture gallery. Look for Cellini’s Perseus, Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabine Women, and the replica of Michelangelo’s David. A pavement plaque also marks the spot where preacher Girolamo Savonarola was executed in 1498.

Palazzo Vecchio

Palazzo Vecchio has projected Florentine political power since construction began in 1299. Its fortress-like exterior and Arnolfo Tower dominate Piazza della Signoria, while the interior reveals a very different world of grand halls, painted ceilings, Medici apartments, and historic maps. The enormous Salone dei Cinquecento is the highlight. The palace remains connected to Florence’s municipal government today.

Uffizi Gallery

The Uffizi began as offices for Cosimo I de’ Medici and became one of the world’s great art museums. Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Primavera are the headline works, but the collection also takes you through Giotto, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, and other masters. Give yourself time to notice the building too: its long corridors and views toward the Arno and Palazzo Vecchio are part of the experience.

Basilica of Santa Croce

Santa Croce combines Florentine art with the tombs of some of Italy’s most famous figures, including Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli. Begun in 1296, the Franciscan complex also contains Giotto frescoes, Donatello sculpture, Brunelleschi’s Pazzi Chapel, and Cimabue’s flood-damaged Crucifix. Do not stop at the main nave: the chapels, cloisters, and refectory make the full complex worth exploring.