Insiders Guide To Santa Croce, Florence

The Piazza Santa Croce is a beautiful piazza, located in the heart of Florence in front of the Santa Croce Church, a truly amazing work of architecture and the site of Michelangelo's tomb. It's just a few minutes away from the Uffizi Gallery and other important landmarks, and is known to host the best restaurants in Florence.

Once the site of public gatherings, it's more likely to host souvenir sellers now, with artists showing and selling their work. Street entertainers are also not uncommon, and you'll find many wonderful gourmet shops and markets here, too.

The Piazza Santa Croce In History

Historically, the streets of Florence were very crowded, meaning that the only places available for assembly were the piazzas in front of the churches, where the people would gather before attending. The Franciscans took up assembling the poor into these squares to preach.

While the friars insisted the area shouldn't be used for secular matters, it wasn't long before the square was used for tournaments, games, feasts and other major gatherings. This is one reason why this piazza contains no central monuments - to add one would have been to render it less useful for gatherings.

Things To See And Do In And Around The Piazza

There are a number of interesting historical attractions in the area, including the church, the Palazzo Antellisi (a sixteenth century patrician home which is currently being rented as apartments), the Casa Buonarroti (owned by Michelangelo and now home to much of his early work), the Museo Horne and many others. A synagogue, built in the late 19th century to be a "temple worthy of Florence" and a Jewish museum are also nearby.

Periodically, aggressive football matches (calcio fiorentino) are played in costume, just as they were in the Renaissance and Medieval periods. This happens every June, and is most definitely a sight to see!

The Santa Maria Maddalene dei Pazzi Church is hard to find - just an unnumbered door located on Borgo Pinti, but it opens into an attractive Renaissance cloister with Baroque renovations. The Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce is another excellent choice for interested tourists - a museum located in part of the Santa Croce church convent, harboring many beautiful artworks. It forms three sides of a lovely courtyard, and is accessible from the church's right aisle.

Transport And Accommodation

The piazza itself is traffic free, and the nearest railway station is Santa Maria Novella. However, bus 23 stops at via De' Benci, just a hundred meters from the piazza and within sight of the church tower, making it relatively easy to reach the area via public transportation. Parking in the city center is difficult, so tourists are advised not to drive unless necessary.

This is an attractive area, near all the important tourist sights, so one popular choice is to look for Florence apartments near Santa Croce. They offer all the comforts of home, and exploring the city is easy from Santa Croce.