“Should I go to Florence or Venice?”
You are a tourist and Italy never tires you, and who could blame you? The thousand corners of the peninsula always offer you panoramas and experiences that you will keep, etched forever in your memory.
Today we want to talk about two essential destinations for those traveling in Italy, and how to choose between them: Florence or Venice? It’s a difficult decision. So, to help out, we’ll show you the best of each to visit during your stay.
Florence in a nutshell: the Duomo, the Uffizi Gallery and Ponte Vecchio
Florence is the cradle of Renaissance art. Since long ago 59 BC until today, the Tuscan capital has never ceased to amaze. Being surrounded by history and art makes visitors feel like actors inside what looks like a postcard. All you need to do is wander through the streets of the historic center and immediately the façade of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore offers an unparalleled vision. You’ll be drawn in to gaze at it as Dante Alighieri did, who used to sit on a rock and watch the Duomo take shape in the period of its construction. The rock still exists today and is located in Via dello Studio
and as a good explorer of hidden gems, you can’t not stop and take a look.
Just one visit to the monumental complex of the Great Museum of the Duomo is worth a stay in the city, and you will have access to architectural masterpieces such as Brunelleschi’s Cupola and the Crypt of Santa Reparata, the Baptistery of Saint John, and Giotto’s Bell Tower. The Uffizi Gallery comes in at third place in the ranking of the most popular museum sites of last year and you cannot say that you have been to Florence if you have not roamed the corridors of this museum. You will be able to admire in real life paintings usually only seen in art history books. Aren’t you curious to see the famous Venus of Botticelli up close?
We could stop here because your eyes will already be full of wonder, but continue walking, cross the Piazza della Signoria, admire the sunset from Ponte Vecchio. You will already be lost in the glitter of goldsmith shops, where goldsmiths will know exactly how to create your unique jewel, a souvenir of a memorable day or, enticed by intoxicating perfumes, you won’t be able to resist an exclusive fragrance to give to your sweetheart. You’ll get the impression that in every street and alley, at any moment, you could see men and women appear in renaissance clothes. The feeling that the city conveys? A true journey through history.
Hidden and Secret Florence
Florence is a magical place that is capable of amazing its visitors.
Discover a city hidden in the shadows, made of the secret corridors of Vasari built in the second half of the 16th century. Charm and a hint of mystery will make your holiday in the Florentine capital even more unique. And after all this walking, stop and allow yourself a tasty break, from the Central Market, to the Antico Vinaio, to the many trattorias where you can eat traditional Tuscan dishes. You’ll be spoiled for choice.
Why not take a special tour of good Tuscan food, thus combining your love of art and your passion for good food. You can start your day with an excellent breakfast on the terrace, or we can plan an experience that stimulates your taste buds in one of the beautiful villas in the Florentine countryside, or you could just relax and have some time to yourself with an excellent glass of Chianti.
Venice in a nutshell
If Florence is an open-air museum, Venice, beyond definition, is simply unique. The lagoon is a rare pearl in the world, so much so as to be a UNESCO heritage site.
The flow of tourists that the city welcomes is one of the highest in Italy. This is not surprising, but it has also become the center of the debate on the need to limit the volume of visitors in the city and encourage visitors during the low season. This is a current topic that has been discussed for months, and that, at the gates of the summer season, requires the need to establish limited-entrance areas to preserve the city, its monuments and the inhabitants themselves. Limiting the hustle and bustle of tourism in the Veneto capital would also allow visitors to enjoy and appreciate this fascinating place at its best, which is often worth much more to the exacting traveller. A destination out of the ordinary: no road and no cars, only canals, vaporetti and gondolas for your travels.
The area of Venice is divided into six districts, traditionally called Sestieri (Cannareggio, Castello, Dorsoduro, Santa Croce, San Polo, San Marco), and each of these offers unique views and monuments, to which are added tiny tongues of land such as Giudecca island and the Lido, the location of the renowned Venice Film Festival.
The first thing to do is take a trip on the Grand Canal that divides the city in two. Of the 417 bridges that connect the city only 4 cross the Grand Canal: Rialto Bridge, Ponte degli Scalzi, Accademia Bridge and the most recent Constitution Bridge.
The mandatory Venetian passage, however, is certainly the Ponte dei Sospiri (the Bridge of Sighs), after which you arrive at Piazza San Marco, majestic and surrounded by monuments and palaces among the most famous in the world: Saint Mark’s Cathedral, the Ducal Palace, the Bell Tower of San Marco. These buildings alone make your entire trip worth it. If you are lucky enough to find yourself there during the Carnival period, the atmosphere becomes suspended in time: surrounded by masks and costumed characters, you will witness the flight of Colombina, who glides over the city and opens the festivities in a crowded square teeming with color.
The Islands of Venice
If you allow yourself just a few days more, then the trip becomes very interesting because you can dedicate some time to the exploration of the major islands that surround the city. The best time to visit Venice is definitely the summer to enjoy the best of the beautiful islands that characterize it.
In Murano, the artisanal glass production is the main attraction: in the workshops you can admire the masters while they work blown glass to create authentic works of art; Burano, just over a half an hour from the lagoon, is known for the colors that enliven its streets and its houses; a few minutes away from Burano is the island of Torcello that is , unlike its neighbor, surrounded by a veil of mystery thanks in part to the legends that have grown up about site on the island, like the throne of Attila and the Devil’s Bridge.
Venice or Florence – A Difficult Choice
Deciding which is a better destination, Venice or Florence, is almost impossible, but a determining factor could be the itinerary you choose for your Italian holiday. Florence is easily reachable in just over an hour by train from Rome. Venice, by train or plane, is a little further away but will not let you regret even a minute of your trip. Putting yourself in the hands of an expert guide who really knows the city will certainly optimize your time there and will help you not only to explore the city’s sights, but also get to know its way of life, and create a personal and exclusive experience.
Summer or winter, these two cities are the perfect destinations in every season and why not choose Florence or Venice for your honeymoon trip to Italy? If you don’t want to miss the opportunity to spend an extraordinary vacation in one of these dream destinations or, why not, in both of them, do not hesitate, contact us and we will customize your trip to make it unforgettable.