Florence: Santa Maria Novella
In Florence, my home base was near Santa Maria Novella, one of the many historic churches. This basilica seems like an underrated tourist site to me. Its close proximity to the samely-named train station means thousands of tourists must pass by it each day. It’s definitely worth stopping in and taking a look.
The first weekend I was in Florence, it was one of the meeting points for a large and colorful parade celebrating calcio storico – a sport that is the precursor to football (soccer, here in the U.S.).
Santa Maria Novella
Inside the church you’ll find a large crucifix by Brunelleschi – architect of the Florence Duomo dome, several nice artworks, and ornate chapels.
Santa Maria Novella
Not far from the church, on Via della Scala, is the Santa Maria Novella perfumery. Definitely worth a visit, this perfumery has been in business since the 14th century. Inside, the ornate architecture, compliments that high-qualty perfumes, colognes, and soaps. Great place for an authentic Florence product.
In an hour and a half, you can easily accomplish a tour of the church and some shopping at the perfumery. It’s a perfect stop either to/from the Santa Maria Novella train station.
For more Florence and Italy pics, check out my Flickr album.
