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In the heart of Florence, just a short walk from Fortezza da Basso and from the Santa Maria Novella Station. The Hotel Monica is the ideal solution for a holiday concentrated on art and culture or for a business trip, thanks to the fact that it is close to the Fortezza da Basso, the enormous international conference center.
This friendly Florence hotel is also an excellent base for exploring the city and its surrounding area, moving into the nature and traditional tastes of this wonderful fertile land. |
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| HOW TO REACH US |
By car
Follow the directions for the old city center and for Santa Maria Novella Station from the motorway. Turn into Viale Spartaco Lavagnini near to Fortezza da Basso and then turn right at the first traffic lights into Via Santa Caterina d'Alessandria. Drive around Piazza Indipendenza until you reach the end of Via Nazionale and from there enter Piazza Stazione. Turn right into Piazza Adua; turn right and drive along Via Cennini until you come to the crossroads with Via Faenza where the hotel is located at no. 66.
By plane
To reach the Hotel Monica fromFlorence airport you can take a private taxi or the shuttle bus that stops right in front of the Central Station Santa Maria Novella. From there, go left, along the railway line, up to Piazza Adua and then turn right into Via Cennini until you come to the crossroads with Via Faenza where the hotel is located at no. 66.
By train From the Santa Maria Novella Station, go left, along the railway line up to Piazza Adua. From there turn right into Via Cennini until you come to the crossroads with Via Faenza where the hotel is located at no. 66. |
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| Discovering the old city center |
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Just a few minutes from Hotel Monica we can find the Basilica of San Lorenzo where it is possible to see the wonderful interior designed by Brunelleschi and Michelangelo and which is home to the Medicea Laurenziana Library and the Medici Family Tombs.
A little further on we come across Piazza Duomo, dominated by Santa Maria del Fiore, the huge Gothic cathedral dating back to 1296 with its huge Dome decorated with frescoes by Vasari and Zuccari. To the right of the cathedral there is the famous square bell tower designed by Giotto.
The Baptistery of San Giovanni, one of the oldest monuments in Florence,, is located opposite the Cathedral and is built in Romanesque style. If we carry on down the charming medieval streets, we come to the wonderful Piazza della Signoria, a true open-air museum with Palazzo Vecchio, the Neptune Fountain by Ammannati, the copy of David by Michelangelo and the Loggia della Signoria that houses statues by Cellini del Gianbologna.
In addition to the square you will also find Ponte Vecchio, one of Florence's most famous symbols, the bridge lined with antique craftsmen's shops that are still the pride of the Florentine people. After having this surge of art, why not relax in the peace and quiet of the Boboli Gardens, the green lung of the city, created by the Medici Family in 1500. |
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Fiesole
Fiesole is just 8 kilometers from Florence and is witness to the Etruscan roots of the people who settled in this area. The town stands on the top of a hill. It was founded in the 1st century B.C. and has attracted poets and writers such as Carducci and Boccaccio over the centuries. In addition to the archeological dig area, we recommend you visit the archeological museum that is full of original, well-preserved finds.
Vinci
This small town just 38 kilometers from Florence is famous for being the birthplace of Leonardo da Vinci, who is celebrated in the interesting Leonardiano Museum. The Museum, which is housed in the Conti Guidi Castle, has a large collection of models and machines designed by the great Tuscan scientist and also many incomplete designs.
Greve in Chianti
The “Gate to Chianti”, as it is commonly known, stands at 30 km from Florence and is a very popular location for food and wine lovers. The surrounding fertile land is where the famous Chianti vines grow, which produce the DOCG protected wines. There are pretty wine cellars in every corner of this lovely village where you can taste wines and also food prepared with local produce such as finocchiona, the local Tuscan salami containing fennel seeds and the cheese known as marzolino. |
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