Hi everyone and Welcome back to the Travel Section of The Code of Style Magazine, and I’m delighted to share with you this post about “A Romantic Weekend in Florence”, by our Contributing Columnist, Nicole Bergstrom.
I’m Julia (Instagram: @julia.rees_), Senior Travel and Style Editor for The Code of Style. I hope you enjoy this article about Florence and I’ll be back to share some more travel inspiration with you again soon!
So, read on to find out more about “How to have a Romantic Weekend in Florence” from Nicole.
Florence is one city that is synonymous with timeless romance. As you stroll through the city with your significant other, you can’t help but have feelings of love and romance flow over you. This city is the perfect place to spend Valentine’s Day weekend, the holiday that celebrates love. Throughout the city you see couples strolling along hands entwined gazing in shop windows and sampling some local street food.
While sitting in the Piazza della Signoria, a sense of contentment flows over me while I take all the sights in. The cultural point in the city is the town hall, Palazzo Vecchio. The amazing detail of the statuary located here is incredible.
You will see a replica of Michelangelo’s David, along with Perseus With the Head of Medusa and the Fountain of Neptune. This piazza also has a contemporary cultural significance as several scenes from the Hollywood motion picture Hannibal starring Anthony Hopkins were filmed here.
Florence has much to offer the history enthusiast. It is a city with history dating back to the Roman Republic from 59-27 BC. Despite it being the year 2020, the city maintains its world-famous architecture of that dates back to the medieval period. Florence was also the first capital of the Kingdom of Italy from 1865 to 1871. The Medici family was the city’s first leading family of nobility in the 15th century. This family had much political power during medieval times. As you walk through the city streets, it is easy to imagine Cosimo de’ Medici returning home in a horse drawn carriage, after a trip to Venice to his wife Contessina de’ Bardi.
An aficionado of fine arts will love spending time in the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance.
Besides fine art, Florence is a city that inspired historical works of literature and music. Written works by Dante Aligheri including the Divine Comedy were written in the Florentine vernacular, as well as poems from Guido Cavalcanti and Lapo Gianni. Florence was the birthplace of opera in the late 16th century and the performing arts continue to be a part of the city’s culture to this day.
The city of Florence is renowned for its museums and galleries.
The Uffizi Gallery is one of the most popular museums in the world. It contains priceless works of art from Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli and Rembrandt among many others.
To see the magnificent David, you need to go to Galleria dell ’Accademia, where it has been since 1873. On your visit you can also see other sculptures from Michelangelo including Prisoners and a statue of Saint Matthew, both unfinished works. There are also several paintings here from the Florentine and High Renaissance periods such as the Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna.
My absolute favorite place in Florence is the Piazzale Michelangelo. At this location you have a spectacular view of the city, which makes the trek up the stairs worth the time and effort. There are outstanding views of the Arno River, the Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo. This panoramic view is the perfect backdrop for a destination wedding. My partner and I have decided that this spot will be the location of our future wedding.
The local cuisine of Florence is another highlight of this city. Most of the Florentine cuisine consists of meat dishes. Eateries here serve pate, prosciutto and salami. The Bistecca alla Fiorentina is a cut of T-bone Steak that is so large it is also known as the ‘date steak’. My partner and I chose this as our Valentine’s Day date meal. Wines from the nearby Chianti region and the Carmignano area are a staple for fine dining. We were provided a local bottle of Chianti with our meal. The local restaurants also provide olive oil, Tuscan bread and parmesan cheese from the region.
No trip to Italy would be complete without a visit to Florence. The city has so much to offer in culture, cuisine and history. Be sure to spend at least a few days in this beautiful city located in the heart of the Tuscany region.
I hope you enjoyed this article about Florence and I can’t wait to share some more travel inspiration with you again soon!
Julia x ( Senior Travel Editor)
Nicole Bergstrom is a freelance travel and lifestyle journalist. Follow Nicole on her journeys at Nicole the Travel Scribe.
