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Destination:

Florence


Getting Ready

topBrief History

Over the centuries, movers and shakers from all fields of discipline have walked the streets of Florence. A hub of art, science, philosophy and commerce, Florence has been home to such famous figures as Julius Caesar, Dante, Machiavelli, Michelangelo and the great arts patron, Lorenzo “the Magnificent” de’Medici. Before Julius Caesar founded Florentia in 59 B.C., the Arno River wound through quiet Tuscan countryside. During Roman times, this was a walled military outpost whose Latin name meant “the flourishing one.” Indeed, Florence prospered as a trade center and grew steadily before gaining status as an independent republic in 1198. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the city’s merchant and banking families rose in prominence and the local currency, the florin, became so widely used that it was almost the Euro of its day. Around 1300, the great poet Dante was exiled amid two centuries of clashes between supporters of the popes (the Guelphs) and the Holy Roman Emperor (the Ghibellines). The Medici banking clan, one of the world’s wealthiest families, eventually assumed power and began a longstanding tradition of supporting the city’s art and architecture. The Medicis were also patrons of design, poetry and music, and their rich cultural incubator reached a creative crescendo in the 15th Century. The house ruled until 1737, when the House of Lorraine, related to the Habsburgs, ascended to power and co-opted Tuscany into the Austrian empire where it remained until joining the newly formed United Kingdom of Italy in 1861. Florence was capital of the Kingdom of Italy from 1865 until 1871, when the modern capital was established in Rome. Unlike Rome, Florence suffered severe damage in World War II, when all of its bridges, save the famed Ponte Vecchio, were bombed. Severe floods caused more damage in 1966, but Florence remains forever a place where art is exalted.

topBooks for Adults

The City of Florence, Historical Vistas and Personal Sightings
R.W.B. Lewis • Cultural Portrait

Literary historian Lewis creates a personal and vivid tour of the city he has often called home. Interweaving Florence's history with personal observations, it’s a loving ode to the city’s charms.
Buy now

The House of Medici, Its Rise and Fall
Christopher Hibbert • History

The fascinating story of the powerful dynasty that shaped Florence’s political, economic and cultural history for centuries. It’s a great preparation for visiting Florence, where the influence of the Medicis and the artists they supported is still very much in evidence. Buy now

The Italian Renaissance
J. H. Plumb • History

A well-written overview of the Renaissance age and its artists and thinkers. The first half documents the growth of commerce and the spread of ideas, with chapters on Florence, Milan, Rome and Venice. The second half contains biographies of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and influential women of the Renaissance. Buy now

Galileo's Daughter, A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith and Love
Dava Sobel • Biography/Memoir

Based on surviving letters from Sister Maria Celeste, Galileo's illegitimate daughter, to her father, it’s the story of Galileo’s Inquisition trial for arguing that the Earth moved around the Sun.
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The Agony and the Ecstasy, A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo
Irving Stone • Literature

A page-turning, fictionalized account of the struggles, obsessions and triumphs of master painter and sculptor Michelangelo ¬– and a good introduction to Renaissance Florence and Rome. Buy now

A Room with a View
E.M. Forster • Literature

This classic tale of love among the middle classes, set largely in Florence, skillfully contrasts the repressed culture of England with the more sensual Italians. Buy now

The Light in the Piazza and Other Italian Tales
Elizabeth Spencer • Literature

Mississippi native Spencer presents six captivating tales of Southern women who fall under the spell of Florence. The title story is now a Broadway musical. Buy now

topBooks for the Kids

Dante's Daughter
Kimberley Heuston • Literature • Young Adults

Set in 14th-century Italy and France, it’s the historical tale of Antonia, daughter of the brilliant but self-absorbed poet, who struggles to become an artist in her own right. Buy now

Leonardo Da Vinci
Kathleen Krull • Biography/Memoir • Middle Readers (Age 9-12)

The first volume in the Giants of Science series, this book describes da Vinci’s life and times in vivid, conversational language. Krull highlights the artist’s scientific approach to understanding the human body and nature. Buy now

Leonardo's Horse
Hudson Talbott and Jean Fritz • Biography/Memoir • Family

Fritz presents an inventive dual biography: Leonardo da Vinci, who labored for years on a giant bronze sculpture of a horse, never finished; and Charlie Dent, an American who in 1977 vowed to complete what Leonardo began. Buy now

Leonardo, Beautiful Dreamer
Robert Byrd • Biography/Memoir • Middle Readers (Age 9-12)

A large-format, gorgeously illustrated introduction to the life, work and ideas of da Vinci, whose genius amazed the world. Buy now

Starry Messenger, Galileo Galilei
Peter Sis • Biography Memoire • Young Readers (Age 4-8)

In simple prose, Sis chronicles Galileo's life and evokes the Renaissance world he lived in. Filled with extraordinary pictures, the book is an appealing introduction to science and Italy. Buy now

topDVDs

Letters to Juliet (2010)
Directed by Gary Winick, starring Amanda Seyfried, Gael García Bernal

In Verona, Italy the beautiful city where Romeo first met Juliet there is a place where the heartbroken leave notes asking Juliet for her help. It s there that aspiring writer Sophie finds a 50-year-old letter that will change her life forever. Buy now

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)
Directed by Audrey Welles, starring Diane Lane, Sandra Oh and Lindsay Duncan

In this adaptation of Frances Mayes' bestseller, a recently divorced writer is urged to get out of her funk by taking a trip to Italy. Once in Tuscany, she decides to radically change her life by buying and renovating a villa in the countryside. Settings include Arezzo, Cortona, Florence, Montepulciano, Positano, and Salerno. Buy now

Tea with Mussolini (1999)
Directed by Franco Zeffirelli, starring Joan Plowright, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Cher, and Charlie Lucas

Zeffirelli’s semi-autobiographical tale about an illegitimate boy raised by an Englishwoman and her expatriate friends in Fascist-era Florence. The women’s sheltered existence is shattered by the outbreak of WWII. Buy now

A Month by the Lake (1995)
Directed by John Irvin, starring Vanessa Redgrave, Edward Fox and Uma Thurman

At a luxurious Italian lakeside villa, an attractive red-headed guest has her eye on a handsome, well-to-do bachelor. But when he's more interested in a beautiful young flirt, the mischievous redhead goes to outrageous lengths -- including a fling with a passionate younger man -- to reel in her wealthy catch!  Buy now

A Room with a View (1985)
A Merchant-Ivory Film starring Helena Bonham Carter, Julian Sands and Maggie Smith

Lucy Honeychurch struggles for individuality and true love in this enchanting story about a group of English tourists on holiday in Florence and their reunion back home. Buy now

topPacking List

Clothing depends on when you travel and what you plan to do. You only need to dress up for the grandest restaurants or occasions. But don't be too casual. Italians generally dress far better than most Americans. Polo shirts and khaki pants will fit in much better than jeans and Ts, even for the kids. Many churches do not allow you to enter with bare knees or shoulders. Also remember that dress codes are even more conservative in rural areas. Bring comfortable walking shoes.

Be prepared for some rain and cool temperatures any time except high summer. I would even bring a sweater in summer, because nights can be chilly.

Pharmacies are great in Italy for most anything you'll need, but don't forget to bring your prescription drugs.

Bring second pair of glasses or contacts if you wear them.

Bring sunscreen, a hat or visor and mosquito repellents in summer.