The Florence Cathedral, the Galleria degli Uffizi, the Bargello museum are all on the same side of the Arno river. But the “diladdarno” or “oltrarno”, the other side of the city of Florence, it is no less so!
Discovering Florence: or the “other side” of it…
Gardens of Florence
The south bank of the Arno river offers a great mix of culture, urban landscapes and great food.
Crossing the Arno, maybe through Ponte Vecchio (literally: the Old Bridge), one of the most beautiful bridge in the world, let you get to Piazza dei Pitti, and well: that could be already enough!
In Piazza dei Pitti you’ll find the Palazzo Pitti (the Pittis were Medici family’s bankers) with its Museo degli Argenti, wich enshrines the treasury of the Medicis, and above all the Giardini di Boboli – Boboli’s Gardens – a classical XVI Century Italian Garden.
Two more little but not less interesting gardens a stone’s throw from Palazzo Pitti and Giardino di Boboli are the Giardino Corsi, with its hothouse, and the Giardino Bardini, an example of Renaissance Garden.
At the source of Renaissance
Piazza del Carmine, with its auster skyline, is an headlong into the Renaissance by itself; moreover, the Santa Maria del Carmine church which dominates this Florentine square treasures the Cappella Brancacci, one of the Masterpieces of the early Renaissance painting.
On the walls of the Brancacci Chapel you literally behold the Renaissance in the making, as the “Medieval style” of Masolino gives way to the linear perspective used by Masaccio.
The view of Florence par excellence
Last but not least, the perfect spot to see Florence in all its beauty is on the south bank: the celebrated Piazzale Michelangelo – with its Michelangelo’s David replica – offers a breath – taking view of Florence: go there at sunset for an experience you will never forget!
The south side food
While you are hanging around in the diladdarno, don’t forget to try great venues such as the Osteria Santo Spirito or the Trattoria da Ginone.
Finally it is definitely not on the tourists’ trek, but “Da Giorgio” is a restaurant and patisserie which will bring your Florence experience to a higher level…