Palazzo Vecchio

The palace is a medieval fortress-like town hall and a powerful symbol of Florence’s political history and republican ideals. Construction began in 1299, designed by Arnolfo di Cambio. Originally, it served as the seat of the Signoria, the governing body of the Florentine Republic. Later, during their rule, the Medici family used the building as a temporary residence. The name Vecchio, meaning old, was adopted after the Medici moved their official residence to Palazzo Pitti. Today, the building still functions as Florence’s city hall, while parts of it are open to the public as a museum, offering a glimpse into the city’s civic and artistic legacy. Note: The visit route is divided into sections, and once you leave a section, you cannot return to it.

didn't visit the palace itself, only the open free patio with ornamental columns and wall painting, but i can imagine its pretty impressive fortress-palace. Tower is also possible to visit, but after climbing hundreds of steps to Dome and Giotto tower i was a bit tired.

Review of the free entry spaces. There was a small, yet exciting, museum exhibition which we enjoyed. The area to walk around shows these beautiful courtyards and a little bit of history from the last medici ruler. No queue, super chill thing to do when you have no plans.

Good place but be aware it is split into a museum part and a tower part. You will need 2 tickets - one for each. The museum part is pretty much available all day. The tower part on the other hand is first come first served and can disappear quickly. We tried at 10:30 one day and we failed to get a tower ticket. Was back at 9:15 the next day and got a 10 am ticket. If you cannot make the actual trip up the tower then but can get to the office at 9 when it opens then I strongly suggest you go at 8, get a ticket for when you can go that day and then come back later with said ticket. The views are great up the tower but it is well over 250 steps... And you will have already climbed a few just to get to the entrance There are some rest stops and a defib machine at the top. I strongly advise you rely on the rest stops if need be, rather than that defib machine :) Museum is another museum which you can read about in the blah blah or plenty of other reviews. By now I am pretty sure it is obvious the Tower is not for those with mobility issues - sorry. There are loos and lockers there to store your stuff Best if all it's not got any Uffizi type staff as the staff at Palazzo Vecchio are friendly and helpful and the place is set up for customers unlike afore mentioned Uffizi *spit*

Ma favorite place in Firenze, always! I love the Palazzo Vecchio as it’s very quiet and not so crowded compared to other famous places in Firenze or Italy. I also love the fact that there are some signs and descriptions in each room to explain the purpose of the room and the paintings and other objects inside the rooms. The staff working there is very nice and helpful too.

We are visiting it for the second time and I was impressed again. Especially by the paintings on the ceilings. And those in the Hall of the 500. Beautiful. When you enter a room, first look up! The second visit was at the end of February and it was very quiet. There was no queue for tickets and crowds of visitors in the halls. Very quiet. I recommend early spring to visit Florence. August is terribly crowded.

Loved it! With a love for architecture and a reader of Dan Brown's books, this was heaven. I even re watched the movie Inferno based on his book before arriving in Florence. We went on the Secret Passages tour which was amazing. Daisy our guide was knowledgeable and engaging, and extremely good story teller. We learnt so much about the Medici family! Going into the roof space above the Hall of 500s was certainly a highlight! After the tour we walked around to explore the Hall of 500s and other rooms further and ended up staring at Dante's death mask - slightly morbid, eerie but beautiful all at the same time. The only let down was not by the Palazzo but by Headout the tour operator - our tickets were not cheap and included a 3course tuscany lunch at a nearby restaurant but we forgot to ask about it when Daisy left us. So this lunch was not upheld. We had terrible difficulties contacting Headout and finally a week later we received a €42 credit for the 2 lunches which I personally felt was insufficient. I have written back to say so but it seems to have fallen of deaf ears. There's also no way to provide a google review of these operators, thus my adding it onto here

An obvious must-see, both for the beautiful building itself and for the art it contains. Will take you a couple of hours. Not too crowded.

All lovers of history should come here, even if you don't go into the hall, the plaza is wonderful. It can be a little crowded, but if you're in Florence this is a place that you should stop.

So many reviews about this historical plaza. Lots of beautiful statues and great spots for photo options. I just enjoyed walking around, exploring and taking it all in. The place is very busy, be prepared for tourists scams and pickpocketing. Our group didn't have any issues but we did see other groups constantly being approached. Very interesting watching workers clean the statues. They definitely take this time and are very careful.

In 1299, Florentines decided to build a palace that would be worthy of the city's importance, and that would be more secure and defensible in times of turbulence for the magistrates of the commune. The architect of the Duomo & Santa Croce church, began construction upon the ruins. This cubical building is made of solid rusticated stonework, with 2 rows of two-lighted Gothic windows, each with a trefoil arch. In the 15th century, decorative reliefs were added between the trefoils. The building is crowned with projecting crenellated battlement, supported by small arches & 9 painted coats of arms of the Florentine republic. These arches can be used for dropping heated liquids or rocks on invaders. In 1540, Medici the grand duke moved his official seat here to the Palazzo della Signoria. Medici moved to the Palazzo Pitti, renaming his former palace the Old Palace. The Piazza della Signoria, still bears the original name. He then commissioned an above-ground walkway, the Vasari corridor, from the Palazzo Vecchio, through the Uffizi, over the Ponte Vecchio to the Palazzo Pitti & moved the seat of government to the Uffizi. The palace gained importance as the seat of united Italy's provisional government from 1865-71, at a moment when Florence was the temporary capital of the Kingdom of Italy. Although most of the Palazzo Vecchio is now a museum, its also the symbol and center of local government. Since 1872 it has housed the office of the mayor of Florence, and it is the seat of the City Council. The tower currently has three bells; the oldest was cast in the 13th century.

You know me by now... 100s of review... not a history buff. Not a guy who likes museums. Not that big on cathedrals. Love to travel internationally but some things just aren't my jam. Don't be a dumb dumb and miss the Palazzo Vecchio. Honestly, you'll regret it. And if you've already skipped it, buy a plane ticket, fly back and visit. I drug my feet to the entrance... even contemplated with my partner to just go have a glass of wine and meet up with him later... boy howdy am I glad I didn't do that! The Palazzo Vecchio was one of those moments in Italy that I walked in and the slightest gasp escaped my lips. I've seen some cathedrals, I've seen some beauty but this one hits Top 10. How does it hit my Top 10? Well, we spent 3 hours there and I read nearly every placard... I don't read, I don't do history... I WAS ENAMORED. Truly, this is one of Florence's most significant buildings. It overlooks the Piazza della Signoria which is the perfect place to sit and absorb its exterior beauty after!

We visited Palazzo Vecchio with the four of us. We could simply have bought tickets and enjoyed a fantastic building. The ceilings and frescoes are amazing, the rooms spectacular and so are the views. What made the experience special, though, was the (English language) tour we booked and enjoyed in the end with only the four of us. The tour guide brought the palace to life, was able to bring history to life, put everything into context and even showed us parts inaccessible to others. Fantastic!

One of Florence's most significant buildings is the Palazzo Vecchio, a grand palace overlooking the Piazza della Signoria. Built-in the 12th century, the Palazzo Vecchio housed the powerful Medici family as well as Florence's supreme governing body for six centuries. From here, the city/republic was ruled. This titanic palace was the seat of power for the Medici family when they were the main engine of the Italian Renaissance. Since 1872, it has served in part as a museum and as the city town hall. Inside the museum, you will see artworks that include beautiful frescoes, sculptures, painted ceilings, intricate carvings. The David (the original is in the Galleria dell'Accademia) by Michelangelo was placed outside the Palazzo Vecchio as a symbol of the Republic's defiance also Hercules's sculpture is aligned with David's. If you enjoy great views (and don't mind a lot of stairs) this is a good alternative to the Dome Climb at Santa Maria del Fiore which is usually more crowded. Be sure to sign up early for one of the free tours, so you'll get to see some of the secret passages the Medici used to move among the rooms. in the Palazzo Vecchio we can find a series of hidden passages? These secret passages were built by the Medici to escape their enemies or to store valuables. For example, in the Stanza delle Mappe (The map room) is the map of Armenia, behind which there is an entrance leading to the dressing room of the Duchess Bianca Capello, who was the second wife of Francesco I. The Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace) is one of the most famous symbols of the city of Florence and certainly is a stop that can't miss in your visit to this city cradle of the Italian Renaissance.

Scenic view was amazing, I highly recommend visit this location. Excellent place to take photos at and just explore the area.

We were just wondering around Florence early one morning while walking from our hotel to Galleria dell'Accademia. During our stroll, we happened to come across the Palazzo Vecchio. We didn't go inside any of the structures, but it was awesome to see the entire area with hardly any other people around! There are magnificent statues all over the area, including a fantastic replica of the Statue of David on one side of the door entrance! This is also where the original Statue of David stood until 1873, where it was moved to it's current home. Flanking the other side of the doorway from David is another impressive marble statue of Hecules and Cacus. The castle its self was very impressive to see. as well as the adjacent Loggia dei Lanzi and it's beautiful collection of statues. One of these days, upon my return to Florence, I will see what I missed this last time and go inside to admire the courtyards for myself! 4 stars.

First off, if you have kids, sign up for the kids tour! It is fun for everyone. You have to sign up in advance and they do fill up. Our guide was awesome and had real artifacts for the kids to touch and feel. The tour covers a lot of history but really makes it come to life. Our guide was so great and patient and make the tour one of the best things we did in Florence! The best part is the end, where you get to go behind the ropes and through a behind a wall to a secret passage way. This leads to an area where the kids can dress up in the clothes of the time period of the Medici family. The whole thing lasts about 90 minutes and then you are free to explore on your own.

Statues, statues, and more statues everywhere. It's a beautiful building without a doubt and the tower is amazing. I wasn't able to climb it today as it was sold out and will be going tomorrow, but we were able to go inside and enjoy many of the art pieces. Rich in history in almost every aspect, there wasn't a face without a jaw drop to be found. It's that kind of place. Florence is a city rich in history and it might be one of the top artistic cities in the entire world. Any Eurotrip can become overwhelming in terms of what to hit and what to miss, but this spot is most definitely not a miss.

Very busy spot but so worth to walk and see it. It's very close to other popular spots. You can go in for free and walk around and take pictures. It's fill with so much history. If you want to go to the tower you must buy a ticket :)

Great spot to get the full view of Florence, duomo and all. It's quite the climb and definitely worth it. It cost around €12, a little expensive for a tower climb. Great stop though, would recommend.

This is a beautiful palace that should be on your 'to do' list when in Florence. Many of the rooms contain detailed frescoes and beautiful ceilings. There are so many photos already posted here it seems redundant to post more. If you are a fan of old and richly decorated palaces, you will enjoy Palazzo Vecchio. Note: use care not to confuse Palazzo (palace) with Piazza (open space). Palazzo Vecchio is an 'old palace'.

While the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral (aka the Duomo) was the center of Florentine religious life, the center of political and civil life was the Palazzo della Signoria. Named after the former ruling body of Florence (Signoria), it served as the seat of local government and became a symbol of the Florentine republic. When the Medicis became the de facto rulers of the city they used the building as their private residence. As they expanded their power the Medicis had control over Tuscany; the current name Palazzo Vecchio came into use when the Medicis moved their private residence to Palazzo Pitti across from the Arno River. They built the Vasari Corridor to link both buildings but much of the corridor is inaccessible to the public. While Palazzo Vecchio still is home to Florence's mayor and city council, much of the building is now a museum that highlights what the city was like during the Medici era. ADMISSION - €10 gets you access to the museum *or* Torre Arnolfo. (I cover Torre Arnolfo in a separate review: https://www.yelp.com/biz/torre-arnolfo-firenze?hrid=iBFuJOCJcYotFjoT_eClFw) - €4 gets you to the archaeological excavation of what was once a Roman theater of Florentia seating up to 10,000 spectators. - €18 gets you access to the museum, tower and archaeological site on the same visit. - Three official guided tours can be included in addition to the museum addition from €4. One is the official guided tour, one focuses on the "secret passages" while another retraces the scenes of Dan Brown's "Inferno" in relation to the palace. (I took the "Secret Passages" tour, reviewed here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/palazzo-vecchio-percorsi-segreti-firenze?hrid=cq913ugHBbgAfEB04dOzXQ) - Included in Firenze Card. The most significant room in the palace is the Salone dei Cinquecento (Hall of the 500), which was built by Savonarola when the Medicis were in brief exile and Savonarola wanted to establish a more democratic rule. It was modeled after Venice's Chamber of the Great Council inside Doge's Palace and to reflect Savonarola's austerity the room was devoid of decoration. When the Medicis returned to power Grand Duke Cosimo I entrusted Vasari to expand the hall and decorate it to exalt and glorify the Medici family, specifically Cosimo. This was emphasized in the coffered ceiling (which was raised by seven meters) and the walls that depict Florence's victories over its rivals Siena and Pisa. In the same floor are a group of apartments named after Leo X, a Medici who became pope. Each room is dedicated to a prominent member of the Medici family that illustrates their most significant endeavors. The floor above is divided into three sections, which contain various private apartments for members of the Medici family. 1. Apartments of the Elements: These rooms lie directly above the apartments of Leo X who was responsible for establishing the Medici duchy line in Tuscany. While the rooms themselves are named after Greco-Roman mythological beings, it is purposefully juxtaposed with the corresponding rooms below dedicated to a prominent Medici family as the room proportions are identical to one another. By doing so the House of Medici established themselves as "deities on earth" by linking themselves to the origins of the "deities in heaven". This section was made after the Medicis re-established themselves in Florence. 2. Apartments of the Eleonora of Toledo: Originally this section was part of the Palazzo della Signoria as the private apartments of the members of the city government, who were required to live in isolation. When Duke Cosimo took over he dedicated this wing to his wife Elenora. The rooms are named after famous heroines. A private chapel for Elenora is also located in this wing. 3. Apartments of the Priors: Also a part of the original Palazzo della Signoria, this section contained public rooms. Out of all the sections this section retained the look and feel of what Palazzo della Signoria was like before the Medicis took over. This section contained a chapel that also served as a treasury and an audience hall where the duke would granted audience to his subjects. - Hall of Geographical Maps: Not originally a part of this wing, Duke Cosimo had Vasari build a room that would serve as the family's "wardrobe" storing the family's possessions. In addition to highlight Cosimo's interests in geography and the natural sciences Vasari worked with a cosmographer. The ceiling depicts constellations while the walls contain wooden cupboards that contained maps of every single region that was known in the 16th century. The Medicis are strongly associated with the identity of Florence. By visiting Palazzo Vecchio along with Palazzo Pitti a tourist can make themselves informed on just how much the Medicis were involved in the city's affairs. As a person who didn't pay much attention in history class this was a great proper introduction to all things Medici-related.

We did a general tour AND a hidden passage tour of this old palace. Definitely interesting, like stepping back in time. Interesting to see where the Medici lived. Definitely recommend booking a tour directly through the Palazzo Vecchio website. Very affordable and worth it. They have a Michaelangelo sculpture there, with other artwork and architecture. A must see.

Palazzo Vecchio used to be the home of the Medici family (1540) who spawned a generation of popes, leaders, and even a few queens. Construction began in 1299 with architect Arnolfo di Cambio. The 'old palace' was once the city hall of Florence. It's massive and contains countless works of art. Outside are statues by various Florentine artists. One of which is Michelangelo's David which originally stood outside until it was moved to the Accedemia Gallery or Academy of Fine Arts in 1873. The replica was erected in 1910, where the original once was. The statue is next to the statue of Hercules and Cacus by Bandinelli. Inside, there are expansive frescoes that depict Florence's military victories over Pisa and Siena. The palace can be found in the Piazza della Signoria which is the main square in Florence. Florence does have many squares but this is the main one which used to be the political meeting place for all Florentines. The palace has been the home to the office of the mayor of Florence since 1872 and is also the seat of the City Council. It's a must visit if you're ever in Florence! Just along the palace, you'll walk into the Uffizi courtyard and on to Ponte Vecchio.

Overlooking the crowded Uffizi and the festive Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio is surprisingly overlooked by many tourists who are willing to wait in long lines at other sites. Such a shame as this old palace (That's what its name means in English) has been and is still Florence's city hall since the time before the Renaissance, and contains so many beautiful artworks! One of the few places that opens late in Florence, Palazzo Vecchio has opening hours that can go as late as 11 PM on all days except Thursday during the summertime, so you can definitely visit this place without sacrificing other destinations that close at the typical 5 PM! Here you will find the impressively huge gathering hall Sala de Cinquecento that is decorated on every wall. As you go further, you will find beautifully-painted fresco in the apartments that once belonged to the Medici pope Leo X and the residences the first Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo I. Despite the medieval barebone exterior, Palazzo Vecchio is quite colorful inside! Come early enough (before 9 PM) and you can climb the offset tower for one of the best views of Florence. It'll be less crowded to the Duomo dome! While the Duomo represents the religious aspect of historic Florence, Palazzo Vecchio is the civil counterpart. This palace usually has no crowd and even if it does, its enormous size makes it a non-issue. Either way, Palazzo Vecchio is a destination that you cannot miss for a full trip to experience historic Florence! Nowhere can you truly see how Florence's ruling family, the Medici, lived before they upgraded to the grander Palazzo Pitti. --- tl;dr version: 1) The often-overlooked "hidden gem" despite being prominent and close to headliners 2) Despite the bland exterior, many beautiful colorful art inside 3) One of the few late-opening sites in Florence 4) Must-go for the full experience of historic Florence

Tons of amazing sculptures lined the streets and entrance to this building. David the statue is the rockstar here. But I'm actually more partial to other statues here like the one of the hoplite with the severed head. Or the man wrestling the minotaur! Inside there's beautiful paintings and mausoleum spots for some pretty famous artist from Florence. Absolutely free to enter I may add! This is a must see area if you're checking out other attractions like the Duomo around the corner.

If you want to climb the bell tower, come early. My friends and I wanted to do this in the early evening, hoping to catch a glimpse of Florence as the sun was setting. So we got there at around 6 (the museum itself doesn't close until midnight on weekdays but the last entry to the bell tower is at 8) and they were SOLD OUT. WOMP. Nothing we could do about it. They did offer museum tickets to us for 1 Euro. I'm not sure if it was to compensate for the sold out bell tower, or if it was just special pricing for that weekend (we also got discounted tickets for the Uffizi and the Galleria dell'Accademia that same day). Although we didn't need it for that day, they do offer a student discount. Just make sure you have some form of student ID on you. The museum was nice, but it seemed small. Or at least it didn't seem as big as the Uffizi. It's also right by (or in?) the Piazza della Signoria. The view of the museum itself is pretty nice too. And it looks completely different at night, so make sure you come at both times of the day. FYI - you can't reserve tickets.

If you have an hour to an hour and a half, and want to do a museum but don't have enough time for the Uffizi, do the Palazzo Vecchio! It's cool how it's small with only two floors, so you can do it quickly and feel like you accomplished something in the area. It's an old Medici palace, with cool ceilings, paintings, and furniture. The first floor hall is gorgeous. The outside is also great for pics. Open til 11 on Mondays, which is the day all other museums are closed here.

The outside is wonderful but the inside is even more beautiful, the main hall is my favorite! A must on everyone's firenze itinerary

Palazzo Vecchio (which translates literally to "Old Palace") was originally established as the City Hall of Florence in medieval times (specifically the year 1302!). This is an attraction not to be missed when visiting Florence. The Romanesque Palace is an incredibly impressive Fortress which retains much of its original exterior appearance, although its interior was "updated" (ha!), meaning "re-modeled" (ha ha!) in the mid-1500's. During the brief period that Florence was the capital of Italy from 1865-1871 the Palazzo Vecchio housed the Parliament and Foreign Ministry. It is one of the most impressive sights to see throughout Tuscany. It is absolutely massive, constructed from large blocks, with an extremely tall lookout tower that immediately attracts your eye when viewing the Florence skyline even today. The top of the tower is roughly the same height as the top of the Duomo. The palace's main entrance is approached from a piazza (plaza) which includes many historic sculptures, including Michaelangelo's David (although the original marble sculpture is housed at the Accademia di Belle Arti, "Academy of Fine Arts"), as well as Benvenuto Cellini's Perseus with the Head of Medusa. These are awe inspiring sculptures that, again, are not to be missed. Michelangelo's original marble sculptue of David actually stood at the entrance from its completion in 1504 to 1873, when it was moved to the Accademia Gallery. A replica of the David, erected in 1910, now stands in its place next to Baccio Bandinelli's Hercules and Cacus. A trip to Florence would not be complete without including a visit to the Palazzo Vecchio!!

Things are often odds and especially when we start to speak about what we liked as a tourist during our holidays. Firenze is known as an open-air museum : each streets and piazza are already worth being seen. The duomo and other religious buildings are all decorated by sumptuous well-known pieces of art. Afterwards, as a tourist you have got famous museum to discover for which you have to make long files to enter. So it is already the third time I came to Firenze and I have never had the opportunity to visit the palazzo Vecchio situated on one of my favourite square. And that is really a pity because this palazzo is just amazing with its frescoes. Each of them is about a story : Greeks mythology, history of the city, allegories of virtues/life ages/nature... They are pure emotions. And as you maybe understood, you don't have to make any files to visit it. I was a bit deceived by the catalogue that doesn't reflect the beauty of the Palazzo. And even as we may take some pictures, the best souvenirs I will have will remain only in dreams and memories.

from our trip in 2009... very visually stunning area here. even with all the tour groups blocking most of the statues, the space is still amazing. the replica statue of David is one of the stars in the plaza. lots of other repica statues of, apparently, famous sculptures. maybe zuess and poseidon, i think. we're not big art buffs. there are several little cafes in the plaza that mama and i people watched from. and of course, we did so whilst sipping on some refreshingly cool prosecco. the people watching here is unparralled. they flow through the plaza like schools of fish. the plaza is fun and relaxing for just sitting around. sit on the steps or visit the cafes. if you're so inclined, stand in on one of the tours. cool spot.

It's a beautiful building and there is a huge statue of David in the front entrance. As you get in a large open area with a magnificent fountain with statues awaits. The ticket price was 10 euros each. There are several really long stairs to climb and of course no elevators available, so be prepared if you are going to the top for the view. It's a must visit when in Firenze.... And you cant miss it as its beside Galleria degli Uffizi and Piazza della Signoria.

Great stop in Florence. I recommend doing the town first early when there is no one there and working your way back down to the museum after the tower. Amazing views of the Florence from up there. Great architecture.

The Palazzo Vecchio looms above the piazza with its tall tower and we toured the aforementioned tower and the museum of the palace. Climbing to the top of the tower is not too difficult as you traverse a passageway of stone steps. The views from the top were incredible, with gorgeous views of the entire city. I was a bit letdown that a metal staircase at the top (enabling an even higher view) was blocked off. After the tower tour, we ventured to the museum which featured a vast collection of paintings, walnut painted maps (even one of California), a walk through of the Hall of Five Hundred, and seeing the death mask of Dante (which plays a key role in "Inferno" by Dan Brown). It was amazing the the Palazzo was a residence for the Medicis (it is massive!). Now it acts as the town hall of Florence.

This area was always fun to walk through because its bustling and great for people watching. Its also right next to the uffuzi museum and there are a bunch of really cool statutes to see. This is also where the "fake David" is located.

I had gone into the duomo back in 2000, but we didn't get in this time. It is too bad that it is just soon crowded these days. We thought it wouldn't be any problem getting a reservation online from Rick Steve's Guide, and perhaps we should have tried a week before. It was frustrating just to try and find the ticket office there. It was hard to find only to be told that there were no reservations left. Not only do you need a reservation, but you need a ticket. So it was a little bit frustrating. When we first got there there were many trying to sell us a ticket to get in to the duomo dome instantly, but we held off for a bit. My boyfriend ended up going back only to find nobody around. Our guess was that they were selling tix without a reservation. Might have been a scam. So we didn't get into the duomo part at all. Our intent was to get into the museum, but we only had a day there, so we just didn't have time. We did climb up the tower though to catch the stunning view. Worth the climb!! Sorry to see that wire mesh was put up there now though. Back in 2000 there was none of that. Still worth the climb.

Very cool Old castle. You need to climb to the top to get amazing views of Florence. Another must for a visitor to Florence.

If you take a Eurotrip, do NOT skip Florence Italy. I went on a 5 week Contiki tour of Europe and besides Rome and Paris, Florence probably had the most 'history,' meaning famous figures, art and stories you've heard or read in your younger years, but couldn't put a place or a monument to the story. The various statues of the famous artists (Michaelangelo, Donatello, etc) align the Palazzo walkways. The beautiful buildings that are thousands of years old, yet still stand strong. It's pure awe inspiring. Don't forget to stop by any pizza place nearby (they're all amazing) for the best pizza you'll ever have. Please get at least 3 and try them all, you will no longer be able to eat Little Caesars ever again.

Beautiful little plaza in the centre of Florence. Lots of different statues and architectural wonders to admire. At the moment and for a few months they have a big golden statue there... i'm not a big fan of it and it seems very out of place but the square itself is lovely!

I visited the Palace a couple of years ago - very interesting and a must see for those coming to Florence with an interest in the history of the Medici family. Admission was included with the Firenze Card. Huge rooms with many stairs to climb! Enjoy a drink and people watch in the Piazza della Signoria afterwards.

Palazzo Vecchio is a magnificent location for a civil wedding. Get married in a 13th century palace in the heart of Florence, practically for free! I could give you an extensive report of our wedding, but I'll stick to a quick pros/cons instead, for those seeking advice on the Florence City Hall as a wedding venue Pros: - The awe-inspiring Sala Rossa period room - Get married in one of the most amazing medieval buildings in Europe - Very inexpensive because it's a city hall, open for public weddings - Get married by one of the mayors or vice-mayors of Florence, Italy - The ceremony is entirely secular and very egalitarian. No religious elements, and both the man and the woman must promise to take on equal amounts of work in the household and in the process of raising children - You can have a quartet play during the ceremony - You get a free commemorative medal, made of solid silver, portraying the Palazzo Vecchio, as a wedding gift from the City of Florence. Truly amazing. - Beautiful decorative wedding contract in addition to the regular papers. Cons: - You must book exactly 6 months in advance to the date, and there's a very brief window during which you can successfully get a booking. Once the day is full, it's full. I strongly recommend hiring an experienced wedding planner who has gone through the process before and knows how to get through and get your desired date. I recommend Ben Singleton from Italy Weddings. If you start planning after the 6 month mark, it ain't gonna happen. - There's a steady stream of weddings, each 20 minutes long, so basically two per hour with ten minutes to empty/fill the room. A good wedding planner will help avoid a "clash of brides" and will ensure that everyone is in the room and seated within minutes. - The bureaucratic nightmare that comes with any dealings with the Italian government. Thank god our wedding planner took us everywhere we needed to go and would then tell us where to meet him again a few hours later. This will be practically impossible to do on your own. - Only men can sign the application for a wedding license. Ridiculously outdated, but at least the ceremony itself is great. Awkward moment for our wedding planner haha, when he'd had my husband sign, and I then asked: "Okay, where do I sign?" and he had to explain I wasn't allowed to. Overall, if you have a good planner to take care of the organizational details, the process will be a breeze for you, and you'll have the most amazing wedding ever. After our ceremony, we jumped in a horse drawn carriage outside, entirely unplanned, they just happened to be there, and rode through the city as people happily called out : "Viva gli sposi!" Bonus: We got to take all our wedding photos, after the ceremony, throughout the city of Florence. Amazing wedding album!

A huge surprise. Having more time than expected after the Uffizi we popped into Palazzo Vecchio. A gorgeous and sprawling palace where each room is rich with a story it's own. You can't help but love each and every room. Not an inch of wall or ceiling space is wasted. Simply gorgeous.