Considered the birthplace of Renaissance, Florence is the capital of Tuscany. Its historic center is one of the most visited in the world and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982. Florence is also in the top fifty fashion capitals of the world. The old districts still define the geography of Florence: you can know more information in the following sections about Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella, Oltrarno (San Frediano + Santo Spirito) and Duomo – Cathedral areas and their incredible artistic heritage. Habitat Apartments provide high quality apartments in central Florence, close to Ponte Vecchio, Uffizi Gallery and the Brunelleschi Dome.
Essential: the historical football celebrated in june
Famous for: nightlife
In three words: historic, trendy, imperishable
The Santa Croce neighborhood hosts one of the most beautiful piazzas in the Florence city centre- Piazza Santa Croce, with its imposing gothic basilica that has seen many changes in the history and identity of the city. From there the typical streets of Florence start spreading, as well as the stone buildings, trendy restaurants, artisan shops and new fashion stores.
HISTORY: Santa Croce is one of the most historical districts in Florence and the only one that spreads across both borders of the Arno river. Characterised by its blue color, it houses the most important part of the historic patrimony of Florence, the Ponte Vecchio – the only bridge that survived both bombings of the WWII, The Galleria degli Uffizi is one of the greatest museums in the world, with most of its exhibits thanks to the Medici’s legacy. Also there are the Basilica de Santa Croce – the meeting point of illustrious minds in the history of Florence and the National Library, seriously damaged by the tragic flooding of 1966.
AMBIENCE: The neighborhood reflects perfectly the soul of Florence, full of tradition and history, showing ´pictures´ that reflect the intact memories of an ancient magic. At the same time, it is one of the most touristic areas in the city, always crowded during the day, as tourists queue to admire works of art. Moreover, after sunset young people from all over the world gather to enjoy what the city has to offer. Santa Croce, in fact, is one of the main venues of nightlife in Florence: clubs, discos and bars fill this special place. There’s something for everyone and there is nothing better than finding an apartment in Santa Croce Florence. From there you have easy access to the different areas of the city.
PLACES: Don’t miss the Piazza Santa Croce wit the Basílica. The names of famous characters of Italian history lay on its interior, such as Alfieri, and you can appreciate impressive works of art, along with Giotto’s frescoes. The Museo dell’Opera di Santa Croce is located just next door, with Cimabue crucifix, Taddeo Gaddi’s and Andrea Orcagna’s paintings and the Capella Pazzi, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi.
The Bargello, with the National Museum: an antique building, built in 1255 that is now is a museum, dedicated to Brunelleschi’s sculptures, as well as some from Michelangeloo, Cellini, Giambologna and Donatello.
The Badia Fiorentina, just in front of the Bargello, is the oldest monastery (978) with its famous “Cloisters of Oranges” and a masterpiece from Filippino Lippi. Close to here you can find the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnology, also Dante’s House.
The beautiful Synagogue was built by the end of the year 800, with precious mosaics. The Jewish Museum documents the history of Jewish people in Florence and houses a rich collection of objects of worship.
The Uffizi Gallery and the Vasari Corridor present some of the most important artworks in the world. In the Uffizzi there are masterpieces from Italian and foreign artists, such as Cimabue, Giotto, Masaccio, Fra Angelico, Leonardo, Botticelli, Michelangelo, Piero della Francesca, Rafaello, Caravaggio, Rubens, Rembrandt, Durero, Goya among others. The Vasari Corridor was built by Vasari in just 5 months, requested by the Medici family, and for safety reasons to connect the Palazzo Vecchio and the Palazzo Pitti: it’s a high street that features today a series of portraits and passes on the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in the city, famous worldwide for its architecture and the typical jewelery shops.
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