Boboli Gardens
The Boboli Gardens behind the Pitti Palace are one of the earliest formal Italian gardens, covering a hillside with grottoes, fountains, and cypress-lined paths. Entry is paid at a modest price.
Square in Florence
Piazza della Signoria is Florence’s political heart, an open-air sculpture gallery dominated by the Palazzo Vecchio and a copy of Michelangelo’s David. Free. The Loggia dei Lanzi along one side holds Renaissance and Roman sculptures behind no barriers and no tickets. Cellini’s Perseus, Giambologna’s Rape of the Sabine Women, and more are displayed in the open air. Budget travelers get world-class sculpture for free.
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Other places worth the walk, and what each one costs.
The Boboli Gardens behind the Pitti Palace are one of the earliest formal Italian gardens, covering a hillside with grottoes, fountains, and cypress-lined paths. Entry is paid at a modest price.
The Baptistery of San Giovanni is an octagonal Romanesque building directly facing the Duomo, famous for Ghiberti's gilded bronze "Gates of Paradise" doors. Entry requires a ticket (included in the Duomo complex pass).
The Florence Cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore) is the heart of the city, topped by Brunelleschi's dome. Entry to the cathedral itself is free.
The Galleria dell'Accademia houses Michelangelo's David, one of the most famous sculptures in the world. Entry is paid.
The Medici Chapels (Cappelle Medicee) are the funeral chapels of the Medici dynasty behind the Basilica di San Lorenzo. Entry is paid.
Palazzo Medici Riccardi was the first Medici family residence and the prototype for Florentine Renaissance palace architecture. The courtyard is free to enter.
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