This Roman Catholic church was amazingly open on a weekday afternoon so we stopped in to see. And…read moresomehow, neither me nor my travel buddy burst into flames. I guess the church is broken? Basilica di Santa Trinita was founded in 1092 by a Florentine nobleman. The church is home to the Sassetti Chapel, containing 15th-century frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio, and the Bartolini Salimbeni Chapel, with frescoes by Lorenzo Monaco. The current church was constructed in 1258-1280 at the site of a pre-existing 11th-century church. Multiple reconstructions occurred over the centuries. The church has approximately 20 chapels, many with masterworks. The most significant are the Sassetti and the Bartolini Salimbeni chapels. Francesco Sassetti had been a manager of the Medici Bank, and some of the Ghirlandaio frescoes capture views of contemporary Florence. It is well worth your time to stop in and I hope that you also do not burst into flames. [Review 17055 overall - 246 in Italy - 571 of 2022.]

We stopped in to see Chiesa di Santa Trinita ("Holy Trinity Church") on the via de' Tornabuoni, one…read moreof the most elegant streets in Florence near the Arno River. (A few steps away stands the Santa Trinita bridge over the Arno.) It is the mother church of the Vallumbrosan Order of monks, founded in 1092 by a Florentine nobleman. The church is extremely rich in artworks, most of them displayed within its chapels. One of the most famous is the Sassetti Chapel, containing notable frescoes by Domenico Ghirlandaio. The church has been renovated numerous times. This church is often overlooked by tourists, but it should not be.

It's currently under construction inside, and you won't be able to see a lot at this place. The…read moreceiling is supposed to be very impressive, however, I would suggest to skip this stop if you're running short on time as you'll likely have to wait in line.

The Baptistery was where Christian's were baptized before they were permitted to go into the…read morechurch. It was dedicated to Saint John the patron saint of Florence and his one of the oldest buildings from the 6th century. It is home to the glittering gold mosaics that decorate the vault and a spectacular women's gallery. Tickets are required to enter & the lines are insane. They put 8 ft fencing around most of the massive gold doors. We saw the gold doors were able to touch them in the museum.

The Basilica di San Lorenzo is one of the biggest and oldest churches in Florence. The current…read morebuilding has been around a mere 600 years, but the church was consecrated in 393 AD. It was the parish church of the Medici family, who agreed to finance the new building in 1419. Many of the Medici are buried in the basilica. The outer facade was designed by Michelangelo, but for whatever reason, no one ever got around to constructing it. There's an ongoing debate about whether to complete the facade according to Michelangelo's designs, but for now the unfinished look is pretty interesting and distinctive. When we went, there was a temporary installation of contemporary sculptures by Florentine artist Andrea Roggi. Very cool. We visited on a quiet Thursday afternoon and took a quick, self-guided tour. Tickets were €9 apiece and we only spent 10 to 15 minutes in the church, but it was definitely worth checking out. The basilica was, of course, beautiful and opulent, extravagant in its details and full of vibrant artwork. Tons of gray and white marble and an elaborately painted dome. If you're pressed for time in Florence, Basilica di San Lorenzo isn't as mandatory as some of the other attractions. if you have a free half hour, though, you might as well spend it here. It's a great church, where you can get another strong dose of art and history.

I know!! There are sooo many churches in Italy and in Florence and it's incredibly boring if…read moreyou're a kid or unmoved by art and history. But, if you have the good luck to love art and the smarts to love history, then this is definitely one of the three churches you should see in Florence. Although, I don't like to should on people. The was the Medici family church which is nothing to look at from the outside, but the story of the Medicis and how Michaelanglo, one of the teenage mutant ninja turtle and apparently an artist as well, abandoned the project. Cosimo di Medici asked to be buried at the feet of another ninja turtle and artist Donatello. It's shows how much Cosimo adored the artist. He didn't ask to be buried with his wife or mother or children, but with one of the greatest artists of all time.

We bought an all-access Duomo pass for 10 Euros and headed straight towards the Baptistery. The…read moregolden mosaic ceiling was stunning. Dante's Satan was scary with 3 heads and eating humans. It was fun seeing the baptismal fountain that Robert and Sienna used as a water source to wipe down Dante's death mask in "Inferno" by Dan Brown. We also got to see the backside of the Gates of Paradise where they entered in. Be sure to head over to the Museo dell'Opera di Santa Maria Del Fiore to see the real thing though!

Dont miss to walk up to the tower. On the left side of the dome there are thousands of tourists…read morewaiting to use the elevator. On the right side (just go round the dome) you can walk (!) up to the tower for as far as I remember 6 EUR/person. Its a terrific view from up there.

We stopped here on our buggy tour around Florence and our tour guide encouraged us to go in and…read moreright he was. What an amazing church. Every single painting is better than the previous one and the statues are outstanding. Totally not on the list of top attractions this church is an absolute must.

We were on our way to see the "Reversed Balcony" when we saw the Franciscan church of San Salvatore…read moredi Ognissanti, which was open. In Italy, no matter where you are, if you see a church go in it - you will be amazed at what you might find. This church was filled with impressive art, including a recently restored, large, hanging Crucifix in the left transept attributed to Giotto. Notable graves include Sandro Botticelli, the famous painter in the Early Renaissance, and Carolina Bonaparte Murat.

Stunning church. One of my favorites and no charge to visit…read more Located on the Via Calzaiuoli in Florence, the church was originally built as a grain market in 1337 by Francesco Talenti, Neri di Fioravante, and Benci di Cione. Between 1380 and 1404, it was converted into a church and used as the chapel. Defiantly worth visiting this place. Some great art inside and beautiful sculptures adorn the outside walls. Check their website for tickets to chamber music concerts held here.

Beautiful church, and free to enter - come on a Monday and enjoy the second and third floors, which…read morehold many original statues and have fantastic views of Firenze. They've also got concerts here at night, so check at the front to see if you're in luck and may be able to attend a performance. Walk in, and imagine yourself back in medieval Firenze... it's not hard in this space.

Adjacent to where the T2 tram terminates, Piazza dell'Unità Italiana dates back to the 10th century…read morewhen it was then known as Santa Maria delle Vigne. Today, it is a busy place as it is also near the Piazza della Stazione and so it gets quite a lot of tourist traffic. The current title of the square dates back to 1882 and was intended to celebrate the political unity of Italy, which took place in the previous decade. On that occasion, the obelisk in the center dedicated to the fallen of the wars of Independence was inaugurated. Interestingly, the spot where the obelisk is now used to be where the guillotine stage was located during the period of French domination in Italy, 1799-1814. [Review 17005 overall - 209 in Italy - 521 of 2022.]

Piazza Santa Croce is spacious, beautiful, and full of character. The basilica is breathtaking, and…read morethe piazza feels lively without being overwhelming. Perfect for people-watching, a coffee stop, or soaking in Florence's atmosphere--especially lovely in the evening.

Named after the fameous churce at the end of the piazza, the Basilica of Santa Croce, this is a fun…read moreopen air area in Florence. The piazza is all paved, however, there is usually a famers market (mostly prepared goods vs produce), and the people watching can be pretty spectacular. It was a easy 15 second walk from my apartment, and the adjacent Taxi stand made getting to the airport a breeze. There are no services or greenery, but the steps of the church can be used as a nice place to sit. It is dotted by a large number of restaurants, leather shops, and gelato places. Its a cool place to simply stop and take a breather and the church is worth a visit as it houses the remains of many famous Italian's and the interior is quite nice as well