Florence Art School Trip

The Piazzale Michelangelo is a square situated high above Florence which offers a wonderful panoramic view across the city. In the centre of the piazza is a replica of the Statue of David while above it lies the Romanesque Abbey of San Miniato al Monte where you can attend the evening Gregorian Chant.

The Uffizi is the most famous art museum in Florence and was originally built for the powerful Medici family as a private repository of their art collection. When in 1765 it was opened to the public, it became the world’s first publicly accessible art museum. Today it houses an incredible collection of paintings by artists such as Caravaggio, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Probably its most famous artwork is Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. The museum is situated near the Arno River and the historic Ponte Vecchio.

The Palazzo Pitti is a vast palace and was the last residence of the Medici Family. It is now a museum housing a large collection of art including works by Raphael, Titian and Rubens. Alongside the Renaissance collection the museum has a large body of work from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, as well as a costume gallery which exhibits clothing through the ages. The palazzo lies adjacent to the beautiful formal Boboli Gardens which can be explored after the museum visit.

The Palazzo Vecchio dates from the fifteenth century and was at one time the residence of the powerful Medici family. It overlooks one of Florence’s principal squares, the Piazza della Signoria, with its Neptune fountain and copy of Michelangelo's David statue. Housing a range of art, the Palazzo Vecchio is most famous for its monumental paintings by Vasari in the Salone dei Cinquecento, depicting Florentine military victories over Pisa and Siena. It is also famous for the death mask of Dante.

The Galleria dell' Accademia in Florence is renowned for its wonderful collection of unfinished marble statues of slaves by Michelangelo in the Hall of the Prisoners. Today these statues line a long corridor at the end of which is the iconic Statue of David.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore or the Duomo as it is more commonly known is Florence’s masterpiece incorporating both Gothic and Renaissance styles. Its instantly recognisable dome was designed by the renowned architect Brunelleschi while in the cupola the elaborate frescoes depicting the Last Judgment are the work of Giorgio Vasari. From the top you have a spectacular view across the red-tiled roof tops of Florence.

Adjacent to the Duomo but completely separate from it is the bell tower. Giotto’s campanile is a splendid example of Florentine Gothic architecture from the 1300’s. You have to climb 414 steps to reach the upper-most floor but there are several intermediate floors where you can rest and take in the ever-more expansive views of Florence.

Pisa is just an hour from Florence and is an essential visit. The Leaning Tower is situated in the central Piazza dei Miracoli. Work began in the twelfth century to construct a bell tower for the Romanesque Cathedral of Pisa but almost immediately the tower began to tilt due to the soft ground and inadequate foundations. Climbing the tower via its 296 angled steps is a unique experience and there are outstanding views from the top.

Along with the Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio is one of Florence’s most recognisable landmarks. The construction of the bridge dates back to the 1300’s and it was the only bridge across the Arno to survive WW2. Originally most of the shops along the bridge were butcher’s shops but to clean up the area a decree was made in 1595 that excluded butchers, and that only goldsmiths and jewellers were allowed. That rule is still in effect to this day.