Top Rated Attractions in Florence

Renowned for its panoramic views of Florence and the Arno valley, this terrace is a popular spot with locals and tourists. Created as part of major restructuring of the city walls, Giuseppe Poggi's sumptuous terrace is typically 19th-century. In 1871, Poggi designed a monument base dedicated to Michelangelo. The monument itself was to be composed of copies of Michelangelo's works, including David and the Medici chapel sculptures from San Lorenzo. Upon the terrace's completion, Poggi designed the hillside building, now a restaurant, as a museum for Michelangelo's works.

Once a private theater for the grand dukes of Florence, the Teatro della Pergola has been a popular concert hall for over three centuries and is thought to be the oldest theater in Italy. The Main Hall and the 400-seat Saloncino host events such as the Orchestra da Camera Fiorentina and were home to the first performance of Verdi's Macbeth. For information on upcoming events and show times, visit their website.

The lovely Via de' Tornabuoni is situated right in the center of the centro storico, and is a shopping mecca for those who visit Florence. Named from the famous Tornabuoni family whose palace lines the street and is currently a private apartment complex. Via de' Tornabuoni was once the premier shopping street in the city, but recent development has forced many of the independently operated businesses out, i.e., Seeber International Bookstore, Doney's. Nearby is via della Vigna Vecchia, an off-shoot of Tornabuoni which leads down towards the Arno, which also has numerous swanky, luxurious shops. Nonetheless, many major shops line these two streets, such as Loro Piana, Gucci, Salvatore Ferragamo, Emporio Armani and Tiffany's.

One of the most prominent art museums in the world - Uffizi Gallery, is located in the Uffizi Complex that dates back to 1581. Much of the collection was bestowed upon the state of Tuscany by the Medici family in the 1700s to ensure that the work of some of Italy's greatest artists would remain where it belonged for the benefit of its people. The gallery consists of 40 rooms showcasing the work of some of the world's most renowned Renaissance masters, including Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Caravaggio and also includes Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera. Works of distinguished Flemish, Dutch and German painters are also on display here. The corridors and ceilings are anointed with splendid frescoes and lined with 16th-century Roman sculptures. Originally built to house legislative and administrative offices, the Uffizi Complex is a work of art in itself, designed by the noted architect, Giorgio Vasari.

Outdone only by St. Peter's in Rome and St. Paul's in London, the Cathedral of Florence is the third-largest church in the world. Although the foundation stone of this architectural jewel was laid at the site of the Roman basilica of Santa Reparata in 1296, it remained structurally incomplete until 1436. The original Gothic design was laid-out by Arnolfo di Cambio, however, by the time it was complete, the cathedral came to be a collage of styles favored by the many commissioned to oversee its construction and the prevalent tastes of that moment in time. The majestic dome, one of the cathedral's defining features, is the ingenious work of Filippo Brunelleschi while the fresco that covers its interior is a vivid depiction of the Last Judgment envisioned by Giorgio Vasari. The neo-Gothic facade was added by Emilio De Fabris in the 19th Century - a masterpiece of green and pink marble, generous artistic flair and numerous sculptures. The fruit born of the loving devotion of some of Italy's most revered master artists, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore is truly a vision beyond compare.

Although the Baptistery's precise origins remain unclear, its foundations are known to date back to Roman times. The central doors are stunning works of art, depicting scenes from the Old and New Testament and they have been called The Gates of Paradise. Lorenzo Ghiberti who worked on them from 1403 to 1424 designed these ornate doors. Inside, the octagonal structure is richly decorated with Roman columns and gilded column heads. The floor's marble inlay features Islamic-style patterns and the apse is decorated with 13th-century mosaics. Coppo di Marcovaldo and Cimabue were among those involved in the cupola's decorative mosaic work.