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Tuscany is a region in northern Italy, popular with visitors for a variety of reasons. There is the famous wine tasting tours, and the cities of Sienna and Pisa, but most of all there is the region's capital city, Florence, a city forever synonymous with the Renaissance.
Literally the 're-birth' of art, culture and science during the middle-ages, the Renaissance has had a great influence in those fields of endeavour till modern times and the city in which it all started retains all the charm, architecture, art and culture as an enduring legacy of that incredible time in human history.
It was the Romans who first realised the potential of a northern city built on the Arno River, and the Roman street plan and remains of the old viaduct date back to this time. It was not until the 15th century however, under the control of the powerful Medici dynasty, that a golden age which was to change the world transformed the city. A celebrated patron of the arts, Lorenzo Medici commissioned work from many great artists of the day, including Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci.
The Medici legacy is evident throughout the city, most notably in its most popular tourist attraction, the Uffizi Gallery, a final bequeath by the last of the Medicis. The gallery is a stunning building which has been central to many of the most dramatic historical episodes of the city and contains within it some of the greatest works of art ever produced, by great masters of the Renaissance.
The Medici influence extends to architecture too, most notably the work of Filippo Brunelleschi, which includes the Santa Maria del Fiore, the Duomo, the city's most famous landmark and also the Basilica of San Lorenzo in which the Medici chapel and mausoleum is found.
While the Uffizi Gallery certainly draws the crowds in large numbers, it is just one of the world-class galleries in the city. Others include the Galleria dell' Accademia, which houses Michelangelo's David (one of the greatest and most famous pieces of sculpture ever created) and the Bargello National Museum, housing works by Michelangelo and Donatello.
The great architecture and ambience of the city means that even if you can't face the long queues for the galleries you can soak up the atmosphere easily and see some incredible feats of artistic endeavour simply by just walking around.
One of the most popular visitor attractions of the city streets is the Ponte Vecchio, a bridge spanning the Arno which is lined with charming shops, some of which are 13th century in origin. From the city centre, visitors can cross the bridge and find another Brunelleschi design, the Pallazo Pitti, a further Medici residence and grand palace. To the rear of the palace is the stunning Bobolo Gardens, offering the best way to spend some outdoor time in the city.
Given its boundless attractions it is no surprise that Florence is a major visitor destination and there are a great many accommodation options in the city to cater for tourist numbers. Space limitations in the protected area which is the old city centre mean there are few of the expansive luxury resort type hotels found in other world cities, but the surrounding Tuscan countryside is home to some excellent examples of such grand country house establishments, often incorporating a range of sports, leisure, and spa facilities and all within easy reach of Tuscany's most popular cities and attractions.
In the city itself, what hotels may lack in extensive leisure facilities more than make up for in style and character. The wonderful architecture in the city is a given and many of the accommodation options are housed in traditional buildings of the period, or more modern structures which are neo-classical or neo-renaissance in appeal.
Anywhere else in the world these would be heralded as fine examples of boutique hotels, and the boutique concept, which offers a stylish and individual alternative to the more faceless large hotel chains, naturally fits Florence more than another city.
Luxury boutique hotels offer sumptuous style in the interiors and high quality furnishings with the ultimate in elegance in the rooms and suites. They combine these visual feasts with a commitment to service excellence; ensuring guests have all the means at their disposal to enjoy the hotel and city to the fullest extent.
These types of establishment are found in the heart of the city yet retain spaces of calm respite from the more vibrant elements of the busy streets. In boutique hotels in Florence, Italy, guests will be immersed in the finest traditions of first class hospitality.
Certainly such a hotel concept incorporates a sense of intimacy and romance but these characteristics are not unique to the most luxurious of hotels. There are many small hotels in the city, often family run, and while they may not have all the amenities which demand a five star rating, they have all the character, comfort and style which effortlessly blend into that of the city.
Style and comfort need not cost the earth and there are some excellent choices of budget hotel accommodation which benefit from great locations in the heart of the city. In addition there is a selection of all the global hotelier brands and travel lodges available too.
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