Your property in Florence
From central apartments with stunning rooftop terraces to managed properties in landmark palaces or villas in the surrounding hills, anyone can find their perfect property in Florence.
The city, known for being the cradle of the Renaissance art movement, has an exceptional range of premium properties on offer, with the likes of the Four Seasons-managed Palazzo Tornabuoni, a restored 15th Century palace, offering truly unique luxury.
Inside Florence
Florence’s deep history can be traced back to Roman times, but it is arguably during the Middle Ages when the city truly began to flourish by producing the art and architecture it remains known for today.
The city’s significance led to it becoming one of Italy’s first Unesco World Heritage sites, and its huge number of iconic features, such as its Duomo, the Uffizi and Galleria dell’Accademia galleries, and the Ponte Vecchio – the city’s oldest bridge – make it an absolutely magnificent city to own a property in.
Florence benefits from a warm climate, which can become hot in the height of summer. It isn’t uncommon for many of the city’s residents to escape to the countryside in August, prompting lots of the businesses, shops and restaurants to close for at least two weeks if not the whole month.
Landscape
The compact city centre is easily navigable on foot, making the task of exploring its vast array of treasures fairly effortless.
Florence is divided by the Arno river, which runs from east to west, passing through nearby Pisa before it enters the Ligurian Sea.
The city is also the capital of the Tuscany region, one famous for its food and wine, meaning Florence is surrounded by countryside that offers outdoor activities such as hiking in national parks through to tours of vineyards.
Education
Several outstanding international schools are based in Florence, including the International School of Florence, one of the oldest such institutions in Europe.
The cosmopolitan city also hosts the Canadian School of Florence and the French curriculum led Lycée Victor Hugo.
Families in Florence have excellent further education options too, with the University of Florence ranked as the 11th best university in Italy, while several other top-performing institutions are located in nearby cities.
Activities and Entertainment
Just strolling around the city and taking in its breathtaking beauty will keep many occupied but the city does offer opportunities for stunning panoramas, including atop the 414-step tower of the Campanile or the roof terrace of the Villa e Giardino Bardini.
With the Arno river dissecting the city, there are also plenty of opportunities for leisurely paddleboarding or canoeing through the centre of the city, while touring on terra firma can be done by various methods, including Vespa, Segway or bike.
For a more laid back experience, the city is full of spectacular gardens, including Giardino Torrigiani, Europe’s largest privately owned green space within a historic centre, while the Via de’Tournabuoni accommodates the city’s most expensive shopping strip.
Art and Culture
Florence is first and foremost a city of art, with exhibits such as Michaelangelo’s David sculpture in the Galleria dell’Accademia, and Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus painting in the Uffizi Gallery, helping attract millions of visitors to the city each year.
The architecture in the city outshines many others in Europe, with its seminal Duomo, and its striking red-tiled roof designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, acting as the dominant centrepiece, while the city also has a large number of historic churches and fortresses, including the Fortezza da Basso, a concert, performing arts and exhibition venue housed in the 16th Century fort.
For a truly Florentine experience, the city claims Calcio Storico as its own sport, a physical spectacle merging football, rugby and wrestling disciplines. The city’s four teams compete in a tournament that takes place in the Piazza Santa Croce in June. For a conventional game of football, the city hosts the top-level AFC Fiorentina football team.
Food and Drink
Florence takes pride in its local creations just like all Italian regions and claims several recipes and dishes as its own, such as salt-free bread, crespelle alla Fiorentina (crêpes stuffed with spinach and ricotta), salted cod, grilled steak (bistecca alla Fiorentina), and bean-focused meals.
Various delicious desserts also have their origins in Florence, including zuccotto – a sweet ricotta, candied fruit and nut cake – and schiacciata Florentine, a sweet cake often with a layer of crème pâtissière. Perhaps most importantly, gelato was created by Florentine Bernardo Buontalenti, after whom a flavour is often named.
Florence sits in Tuscany, Italy’s oldest wine region, dating back to the 8th Century. Its native red Sangiovese grapes are used to make Brunello di Montalcino, and blended with others to make the famous Chianti, while the Vernaccia grape produces the crisp and citrusy Vernaccia di San Gimigano. Beyond wine, the wider Tuscan region is renowned for its after-dinner digestive drinks, such as Alkermes and Vermouth.
Accessibility
Florence is easily accessed by air from abroad or by land from within Italy and across mainland Europe.
The city’s airport, often called Peretola, lies just 5 kilometres north-west of the city and serves domestic and European destinations, while Pisa International Airport – Tuscany’s busiest – also connects to many European destinations.
Florence has superb rail connections, with the 160-mile journey to Rome possible in just under 90 minutes, while the city is also well-located for access to the country’s motorway system via the A1, which runs both north and south.