Santa Maria Novella train station welcomes the majority of the people arriving in Florence, which might explain the hectic pace. Commuters and tourists come across the constant hustle and bustle of the station before exiting, taking a few steps and stopping amazed in Piazza di Santa Maria Novella. It is impossible not to admire the the square, housing one of the most charming basilicas in Florence. The area has plenty of local spots to taste Tuscan specialties, but don’t stop in the main streets alone; the narrower side streets always ensure satisfaction. The huge Parco Delle Cascine provides a solution to the need for a green area as well as a historic welcome in the form of a bronze statue of King Vittorio Emanuele II riding a horse.

Florentia, as it was called by Latins, is permeated by an eternal beauty spread in all corners of the city. The historic center is characterized by the immensity of the Duomo, able to transport tourists into the brightest age of Florence: the Renaissance. Who does not know the Brunelleschi Dome, San Giovanni Baptistery and the Giotto’s Campanile? Everything is enclosed here and it would be easy to imagine the city as it was in ancient times, with maids walking in the main square and horses carrying coaches. Nowadays, roads are busy with street artists. Rustic Tuscan bakeries give way to fashion shops; just stop for a few minutes in the middle of Piazza della Repubblica to enjoy the colors and sweet melody of the carousel that will bring back great memories from anyone’s childhood.

San Lorenzo’s lively merchants shout out from behind stalls with an array of products in one of the most traditional neighborhoods in Florence. Different ethnic groups join together in the large outdoor market of San Lorenzo and in the Central Market, a vast multi-floored building. Visitors are bound to fall in love with this area and in particular, with its variety of food, especially those focusing on Florentine dishes as well as international selections. Nobody leaves San Lorenzo without a shopping bag in hand or with an empty stomach.

Pitti is a neighborhood characterized by art and history. Renaissance architecture such as Pitti Palace, which houses five museums alone, introduces visitors to the green lungs of spectacular Boboli Gardens. Any visitor can wander through statues, fountains, and panoramic viewpoints. Around the garden, treasures like the Museum of Natural History of the Specola and Villa Bardini guide guests through Florence as the cradle of the Renaissance. End the day with an aperitif in Piazza della Passera or the more romantic Forte di Belvedere, which offers an amazing panoramic view of the entire city.