Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Comprising three elliptical arches of the utmost elegance - the first of their kind ever
used in bridge construction - this bridge was designed in the 1560s by Ammannati,
though its arches, reminiscent of the tombs in Cappelle Medicee, have led some to sus-
pect Michelangelo's hand. Destroyed by Nazi bombs in 1944, it was reconstructed from
the original stones retrieved from the Arno.
Local Life
Stazione di Santa Maria Novella
Most people rush through Florence's main station without a second glance, but in fact it's one of Italy's great
modernist buildings. Built in the early 1930s, the station's plain facade mimics the rough stone of churches such
as San Lorenzo, while the red-and-white striped marble floors recall the city's official colours.
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Parco delle Cascine
When fresh air beckons, follow locals to Florence's largest city park for a frolick around
fountains and across green lawns, a play in toddler-friendly playgrounds and a summer-
time splash in its open-air swimming pool. A hunting reserve for the Medici, Peter Leo-
pold opened the park to the public in 1776 - much to the delight of England's Queen
Victoria, who frequented it during her sojourns in Florence.
(Viale degli Olmi)
OUTDOORS
