Best Car Rental Florence

Florence is a city located in the Italian province of Florence in the central part of the country. It has a large population and in fact, the most in Italy with around 370,000 people contained in its 102 square kilometer land area making it quite densely populated with around 3600 people living per square kilometer. The city is built around the River Arno and is rich in history, being a key contributor to the times of the middle ages. Florence relies heavily on tourism for its economy but does provide a significant contribution to the commerce and production economy of Italy. Millions of tourists visit Florence each year to take in the sights and rich historical sites around the city and explore the significance of the city in Italian history.

Florence, as with most of Italy, has a Mediterranean climate. In summer, warm and humid weather can be expected and in winter you can expect cooler temperatures with fairly frequent rainfall. The warmest months of the year, July and August can average high temperatures of around 21 degrees Celsius and the coldest, December and January, high temperatures of around ten degrees Celsius are not uncommon. On average throughout the year, Florence experiences average highs of 20 degrees and average precipitations of about 910mm for the whole year.

Tourists can enjoy many different sites in Florence and by far the most popular is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Visitors flock to the Duomo which was constructed in the 13th and 14th century, officially consecrated in 1436. It has a huge capacity, able to accommodate twenty thousand people and is famous for the construction of different color marble and intricate doors. Other very popular attractions amongst visitors to Florence are the Piazza della Signoria, The Camipanile Bell Tower and Ponte Vecchio, all of which hold a great significance to the local population and as such, tours are usually very passionate and deep with history.

If you?re travelling to Florence, the best way to experience the city is by car because getting around to all the incredible sights the city has to offer is always challenging for people visiting and more often than not, a second visit is needed. Visit Tripindicator.com for an easy way to find the best deal on car hire in Florence as well as book a hire car for your arrival.

History Florence

The origins of Florence, like many great Italian cities stems back to the Roman era, as a settlement for Caesar's Colonies. For the sake of defence, the city was set and the meeting point of 2 streams, the Arno and The Mugnone, where the oldest locations had previously been located. The invasion of the Barbarians decreased the importance of Florence as a stronghold for the Romans, however in 405, the city managed to halt the hordes of Radagaisus, but succumbed to the Gotho-Byzantine war. This lead to a feudal system being implemented in the 8th Century, and the city grew on this, where in the 11th century it became more important in the region of Tuscany because of the cities involvement in the reform of the church. During this period between the 13th and 14th centuries, the lower and middle classes were accentuated, while the wealthy merchants had a stronger grip on the power within the city.

Towards the end of the 14th Century, the lower class managed to broadened the base of democracy.In 1859, Tuscany became part of Unified Italy and Florence was the capital city of Italy for 5 years between 1865 to 1870, after the Second Italian War of Independence. The historical part of Florence underwent extensive reconstruction and renovation, which unfortunately completely destroyed the Old Market and the Jewish Quarter, which is located near to the present day Piazza della Republica. This square can be seen to represent the urban stratification which the city suffered during the 19th Century. This lead to an anonymous geometrical layout of the buildings. Fortunately though, some monuments have been left intact and we can still see them today, except with no connection to the buildings around them.

When to go Florence

Visiting Florence is a soothing experience for any tourist, whether that be to experience to wonderfully diverse and rich culture, of to watch in awe at the marvelling architecture or whether that be to experience the sounds and scenes of the world famous Florentine operas and concert performances. The months of May and early June is the best time to visit, as the days a long and the evenings are warm, while the days stay cool enough to be enjoyable, whether that be roaming the historical streets or lounging on a sun bed in the hotel pool. September and October are equally good as the sun is still hot and the baked autumnal feel of the golden and reddening leaves gives the place a really rustic and relaxing vibe.

July and August are generally very hot and humid with many other tourists trying to make the most of the hot climate. However, most Italians leave their hot cities in the Summer and escape to the likes of France and Germany, the place is deserted of all local life and feels like a tourist town. Also the restaurants and shops are all closed for the holiday season and this makes any recreational shopping or eating difficult and often not enjoyable. You will see the locals desert their shops and businesses for the midday sun and disappear into their thick white washed walls of their terracotta roved house for a very long siesta to escape the heat.yMm5k0v_hVc

Weather Florence

The City of Florence is situated in the basin of the Arno Valley and is enclosed by hills on all sides, making a natural barrier to the worst of the weather. However due to its position in the mountains, it faces a fairly unsteady climate. The summer in Tuscany is extremely hot, with highs of 35 degree C, while the average temperature remains at a warm 23-24 degree C and incredibly humid afternoons and evenings, when the sun has baked the earth for the morning. It is best to keep out of the sun at lunch time as it can be unpredictably vicious, as the sun is much closer to you than further north. The winter is sometimes bitterly cold with a chance of frost and ice, but mainly dry and short ending in mid March.

Snow is hardly seen and rain is often short lived and light, making it pleasant to experience, with the deep shadows casting a new light over some of the monuments and buildings to be found. The leading into spring is dry once again with mainly blue skies and delightful soothing sunshine, warming and lifting the occasional morning mist and making way to a luscious green and flourishing countryside. A gentle breeze often accompanies this tranquil and harmonious scene. The autumn is very much the same with a few more showers and deep gold and reds littering the ground with warmth and light. While the Autumn and Springtime remain the best time to visit Florence and Tuscany as a whole, with gorgeous countryside either flourishing or ripening, June to august are considered the most uncomfortable time to visit the city with scorching temperatures that are hard to endure. You will see all the locals scuttle into their cool brick built houses for the middle of the day for a long siesta.

Arrival Florence

The Amerigo Vespucci International Airport is located on the outskirts of Florence, just 5 kilometres from the city centre, and serves both International, European and local flights. It a modern airport with very comfortable and spacious amenities aimed at making your travelling as comfortable and easy as possible. The main attraction of the airport is it's close location to the city and the ease of getting into the city from it, via train, bus or taxi. It is 1 of the 2 main airports in the Tuscany region of Italy and is therefore very popular for holiday airlines with regular flights from all major airports running even more frequently in the peak seasons. Once you have landed at the airport and quickly passed through the arrivals' procedure, there are many different easy and cost effective ways to get into the city centre.

The Voainubus Airport and Shuttle Bus ATAF 062 is readily and frequently available from the arrival's door, and transfers you directly to Florence town centre. If you are heading for somewhere outside the city centre, as is often the case, then the bus station is located right next to the train station and you can either take the train to your destination, of the superb bus infrastructure with many ATAF bus stops located across the city will be able to get you to your destination. There are option options too. If you prefer an easier and more independent options, then there is a very highly recommended taxi service. There are 2 companies which operate in Venice: Radiotaxi and Taxi Socata, which both provide an equally good service with little changes in price between the 2, and it is extremely easy to find one to take you to your destination. Whichever way you choose to travel, it is extremely easy to quickly get settled in to enjoy such a brilliant and inspiring city which lies before you.

Best locations Florence

Florence is a beautiful and inspiring city with something new and exciting to discover round every corner. It has a number of museums, historical sites of importance, monuments, churches galleries and much more to explore. Palazzo Vecchio, or the Old Palace, is the most important civil building in Florence and was designed by famous architect Arnolfo di Cobio in 1299. It was initially the seat of the Priors of art and the Signoria. In terms of Galleries, The Academy Gallery is one of the best known museums of art in Florence, and it has a lot to offer in the way of sculptures by world famous renaissance and pre-Raphaelite sculptors such as Michelangelo. Works of his include David, The Four Prisoners and the Pieta of Palestina.

Florence was indeed the city where Michelangelo was educated and trained as a sculptor and artist. There is also the Iffizi Gallery, which is one of the greatest museums in the world. It is the former offices of the famous Medici Family and displays some of the finest artwork in their family collection. The museum of history and science is an important part of maintaining the history of Florence. It displays as well as series of important scientific instruments. It houses the proof of Florence's interest in science from the 13th Century onwards. It is this which makes it a location which you can't miss out on during your stay in Florence. The cathedral is dedicated to Santa Maria del Fiore and its architecture is typical of Italian Gothic design and structure, also designed by Arnolfo di Cambio (1245-1302) one of the greatest gothic architects of his age. The cathedral was completed in 1367 and is completely covered in coloured marble to imitate the earlier Baptistery which stood in it's place. It is a fantastic place to visit and truly represents to whole atmosphere and ambience of the city which can be seen throughout.

Night-life Florence

Florence is the epicentre of art and history within central Italy, making it a very rich and diverse culture to be explored with and number of opportunities for fun and entertainment. With many bars, restaurants and discotheques, you can not only enjoy the atmospheres inside the clubs and bars, but there is also a lot to enjoy outside. There is still lots to see in the moonlight, and the effect of this on the monuments and buildings is beautiful and awe inspiring.

There are a lot of theatres and playhouses where you will find a series of operas, music and dance to rival the best in Europe. Because of the creative passion in Florence, there is a lot to explore in terms of musical theatre and dance, with the best performance venues for operas and concert recitals being the churches such as Santo Stefano. There are also a variety of venues providing alternative music such as jazz and swing which can be found around the city. For those who prefer a slightly louder and more upbeat Musial genre, then there is plenty of scope here too. The evening entertainment and leisure in Florence has a reputation for catering for the affluent and middle aged, but like every university town there is lots to do for the younger ages too. The hub of nightlife excitement for the more energetic is to be found around the San Marco and Santo Spirito quarters. The sizeable population of British and American students ensures a supply of bars showing English T and films.

City of destination Florence

Florence is the Capital of the Tuscany region of Italy, a beautiful and picturesque area which demonstrates Mediterranean Italy at its finest hour. Originally a farming a and rural region of Italy, the landscape is filled with rolling fields of various arable crops and wild grasses. It is situated in the bottom of the Arno Valley and sprawls onto the hills on the north and south extremities of the city.

With a population of nearly half a million, the city is always bustling and alive with the energy and passion of Florence. It is split by the Arno River, which lies between the Adriatic and Tyrrhenian seas, almost centre of the Italian Peninsula. In the city centre, it is alive with the bustling of industries, commerce and crafts and trades in many forms from sculpture to carpentry. There is also a very large science and arts base, with the history of the city and this is echoes throughout the architecture and the design of the buildings and shops. Also the layout of the city is very much intriguing and throws you between the traditional gothic and renaissance architecture, to the modern urban commercialism which fills the city with new life and exuberance.

With an Internationaland National airport only 5 kilometres from the centre of Florence, as well as the temperate and moderate climate, the city is a great site for tourists to soak up the gorgeous culture and architecture, and the city caters for tourists. A particularly beautiful area not for outside the city is the Chianti area with the most beautiful countryside within the Tuscany region, and is located but a stones throw from Florence with Sienna also in easy reach. There are plenty of hotels and restaurants at your disposal with very good recommendations and reviews which will make your stay all the more enjoyable.