Florence, capital of Italy’s Tuscany region, is known for its art, architecture and its history. And more specifically, its influence during the Middle Ages through the Renaissance period. The Italian name of this city is Firenze which derives from the old Italian “Fiorenza”, meaning City of Flowers. (And side note, we didn’t really see many flowers in the city but you can find the lovely lily (commonly referred to as a giglio) on the florentine coat of arms)
The florentine coast of arms
Florence lies on the River Arno and was once the center of medieval European trade and finance and during that time, was one of the wealthiest cities in Italy. But today what draws people to Florence is its beauty. That is why you will see Florence as the backdrop for many major films. Florence is also known for its leather goods and gold. People from all over the world come to this area and leave with treasures to take home with them.
We spent three nights in Florence and we stayed at Hotel Cerretani MGallery. This boutique hotel is located in the heart of Florence close to shopping and just a couple blocks from the famous Duomo.
Whether it is shopping for gold, shopping for fine leather, or coming to Florence to see some of the world’s most beloved art and architecture, there is something for everyone in this city. Below are some highlights on what we found special about Florence:
The Ponte Vecchio and the gold of Florence
There are many places to buy gold all over the city, but the most famous is the Florences bridge of gold, the Ponte Vecchio. This bridge is lined with gold merchants but it has even more historic importance as it is said to have existed since Roman times. Hence the name Ponte Vecchio which has a literal translation is “old bridge”. Originally it would have been made of wood but was rebuilt in stone in 1345. It is a beautiful piece of architecture and has been a fixture of Florence’s ancient streets ever since.
Now let’s get to the gold! The gold of Florence is of very high quality. For example most of the gold in the US is 14K(karat). The fine gold you will find here is 18K(karat) and you can find jewelry boutiques, street vendors, factory outlets and luxury Italian designers selling the famous Florence gold!
NOTE: If you come to Florence in search of gold you do want to be careful as there are merchants that advertise their gold with what in fact seem like really low prices. While most of the gold that Florence is famous for is 18K, there are vendors that carry 9K gold pieces and those are the ones that are lower cost. So if you want to take home a shiny piece of Florence then I would suggest buying an 18K gold piece even if a small one. But understand you are not getting it cheap by any means, gold is gold and the prices in Florence reflect that.
The Leather
Florence is famous for its leather goods. One leading factor is the famous leather school, Scylla del Cuoio, but it is also due to the river Arno. Dating back to the medieval and Renaissance times the tanning industry was big business and Florence was in control of many alum mines which were essential in the tanning process. And since leather production was a very unglamorous and stinky business, the river facilitated easy transportation of goods up and downstream where the hides could be soaked for tanning.
There are many places all over the city to shop for leather goods. You will find street vendors, specialty shops as well as a couple of large leather markets. The leather markets and many shops carry the same goods that are made in factories just outside of Florence and many with lower quality leather. But with that being said you don’t have to buy a luxury brand to have a nice piece of Italian leather. I would suggest doing your research if you plan on shopping for leather goods in Florence if you have something specific you are looking for.
BENHEART
We found several shops we really liked but our favorite was Benheart. We were touched by his story and fell in love with his shop. He is somewhat of a newcomer on the Florentine scene as he has only been producing leather goods for about 10 years. But he has quickly gone from his flagship store in Florence to now having over 10 stores spanning across Europe, Asia and even a more recent opening of a store in Los Angeles.
Ben’s story starts when he and his mother traveled by boat across the Mediterranean Sea to make a new life in Italy when he was 6 years old. Then when he was only 26 years old he experienced a heart attack during a football match and spent seven long and intense months in a pharmacological coma waiting for a heart donor.
FINALLY A NEW HEART ARRIVED FOR BEN, AND HIS RECOVERY COMMENCED. AS BEN WILL TELL YOU WITH HIS NEW HEART, HE WAS ABLE TO LIVE “THE BEST LIFE HE COULD EVER WISH FOR.” AND SO BEGAN THE BEGINNING OF BENHEART
https://www.benheart.it/pages/bens-world
We got to meet Ben in person and his personality is even bigger than his hair.
The leather goods in his shop are hand made and out of the highest quality leather. Everything in the store is beautiful! You can even purchase customized pieces like belts that are made right there in his shop while you wait. Ben and his staff go above and beyond to make sure you don’t just shop at his store but you have an experience – and that we did!
The Art and Culture of Florence
THE CATHEDRAL – Duomo
You can’t got to Florence without taking a tour and stopping to admire all the famous architecture and art this city has to offer. Of course the biggest landmark in the city is the Florence Cathedral (Duomo di Firenze). To put in perspective It is the 4th largest Cathedral in the world!
One of the most interesting parts of visiting this Cathedral was walking through the Cathedral Museum. The museum is filled with great exhibits and models to explain how this amazing dome was built. The museum was actually established in 1891 and in it you will also find original works or pieces that have been removed from the cathedral for preservation. And the other advantage of going to the museum is that there is a rooftop terrace which allows you to get an up close and personal view of the dome.
THE SCULPTURES AND MONUMENTS OF FLORENCE
The sculptures are also a huge part of why Florence is so popular for visitors. And the star of the show is Michelangelo’s statue of David. To see the original statue of David you will need to head to the Accademia Gallery of Florence but the first stop should be the Palazzo Vecchio. Here is where you will find various statues, including a copy of Michelangelo’s David, that replaced the original in 1873, and the group of Hercules and Cacus by Bandinelli.
To visit the Accademia Gallery to see the original “David” you will most likely be standing in a very very very long line. You should buy your tickets in advance but even then you will stand in a long line waiting for your time slot. It helped having a guide because there was so much confusion as to which line, where to stand, etc and having a guide made it so much easier. We had a time slot and arrived 10 minutes early and still had to wait for close to 45 minutes to get even close to the entry.
The museum is huge and we didn’t stop to see every single thing, we did browse the rooms and of course stood in the crowd to see David. It is massive when you see it inside the museum. And walking around it you can really appreciate its detail. And since it is really hard to see perspective from the photo above, the size of this sculpture is 17 ft high – which is equivalent to a 2 store building (or an adult giraffe and many like to compare it to!)
The Modern Nomads 
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