Florence & the best of Tuscany Guide
Piazza del Duomo and around
First-time visitors to Florence inevitably gravitate towards Piazza del Duomo, beckoned by the pinnacle of Brunelleschi's dome, which lords it over the cityscape with an authority unmatched by any architectural creation in any other Italian city. Yet even though the magnitude of the Duomo is apparent from a distance, the close-up sight of the church and the adjacent Baptistery still comes as a jolt, their colourful patterned exteriors making a startling contrast with the dun-toned buildings around. Each of these great buildings is as remarkable inside as out, and an ascent of the cathedral's dome will give you astounding views over the city to the hazy Tuscan hills beyond.
After exploring the cathedral, you can escape the crowds by climbing the Campanile, the Duomo's belltower, or visit the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, a repository for works of art removed over the centuries from the Duomo, Baptistery and Campanile. On a considerably smaller scale, the Museo di Firenze com'era – a short distance east of the piazza – is devoted to the evolution of the Florentine cityscape. If you're in need of a break after this architectural and artistic overload, you can recharge your batteries at one of the cafés on nearby Piazza della Repubblica, a square that was planned as a showcase for the capital city of the newly united Italy.