Florence By Area

At one end of this part of Florence is the main railway station- a rare example of modern architecture in the city centre. At the other end, a magnet for visitors and Florentines alike, it the Ponte Vecchio, the city's oldest bridge, it is lined with jewellers' shops, here since 1593, and presents a scene little changed since.

Between these two focal points there is something to interest most people, from the frescoes of Santa Maria Novella and Santa Trinità to the awesome Palazzo Strozzi. Nearby is Piazza della Repubblica, originally laid out as part of the grandiose plans to remodel Florence when it was briefly the nation's capital. Most locals may consider it an eyesore, but the cafés here have always been very popular. This is also the part of Florence in which to shop, from the leather goods, silks and woollens of the Mercato Nuovo to the elegant showrooms of the top couturiers in Via della Vigna Nuova and Via de' Tornbuoni. In the smaller streets off these, local artisans still continue Florence's proud tradition of craftsmanship, from stonecutting to restoration work.