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Piazza Frescobaldi - Ponte Santa Trinita- Church of Santa Trinità- Palazzo Strozzi Piazza Signoria - Uffizi - Ponte Vecchio -Palazzo Pitti.

This itinerary brings us to the heart of the historical center of Florence where we advise you to visit some historic sites, but at the same time let yourself stray on the side streets to discover hidden areas of the city.
This itinerary is intended to be walked starting from Piazza Frescobaldi where you can get to by taking bus no. 37 or the shuttle service from the Relais Certosa.
Suggested Period: All year round.

DESCRIPTION OF ITINERARY
Arriving in Piazza Frescobaldi you immediately notice Ponte Santa Trinità (Saint Trinity Bridge) and on the right the Fontana dello Sprone, a work of Andrea di Michelangelo Ferrucci. Dating back to 1608, this unique and decorative urban feature comprised of a large mask that spurts water into the shell-shaped basin underneath it, exalting the edge. The water is drinkable and around the piazza are food stores, antique shops and restaurants.
Walk across the bridge that was destroyed by the retreating Germans in 1944 and reconstructed on 1952 by R. Gizdulich and is a true copy of the bridge designed by Ammannati. It has a long and checkered history - it collapsed several times when the Arno flooded; the original, in wood, was originally built in 1252. Later, it was replaced by a stone bridge, which also collapsed in 1333. It was at that time that Taddeo Gaddi rebuilt it, but in 1557 it was again ruined. Cosimo I asked Ammannati to design a new one. At the four ends, you can notice four beautiful statues depicting the Seasons installed in 1628 with the zodiac signs and the emblem of Cosimo I. If seen from the river, it appears to be following the navigator.
After you cross Ponte Santa Trinita, from where you can enjoy a unique panorama of the Florentine palaces,  on the right, you can see the Palazzo Spini-Feroni. This fortress palace from the late thirteenth century, still with Guelph-type, was one of the first works by the young Arnolfo di Cambio, a student of Lapo Tedesco. The palazzo currently houses the shoe and fashion museum of Salvatore Ferragamo, as shown by the shops on the ground floor donated in 1560 by Pope Pius IV to Cosimo I dè Medici who wanted it installed there. In fact, it was exactly on that site that he got news of the victory at Marciano by his troops against the rebel Pietro Strozzi. The column, of excellent porphyry, came from the Roman baths of Caracalla.
Finally, the church of Santa Trinità which was founded in the second half of the 11th century outside of the Roman walls, which ran along the present day Via Tornabuoni, was enlarged and gothicized at the beginning of the fourteenth century.
The façade, in pietra forte was built according to a design of Buontalenti at the end of the sixteenth century. Inside, there is a basilica with three naves on an Egyptian cross plan. Notice the lateral chapels lightly raised with respect to the floor of the naves.
The Cappella Sassetti has a cycle of frescoes portraying stories of Saint Francis of Assisi and the shovel with the Adoration of the Shepherds. All of these works are by Domenico Ghirlandaio and date back to 1450-1485. They are works of a mature Renaissance art; the outlines of the figures are precise and the play on light make the paintings even today appear luminescent.
Notice how contemporary Florence can be recognized in the background of the scenes as can influential people of the time; for example in the fresco "La conferma della regola" you can notice the figure of Lorenzo the Magnificent next to the banker Sassetti with the Loggia dei Lanzi in the background. Walking towards Via Tornabuoni you encounter Palazzo Strozzi, a splendid Renaissance palazzo in pietraforte, begun in 1489 under the direction of Simone del Pollaiolo called "Cronaca" according to a design by Benedetto da Maiano at the request of Filippo Strozzi, who wanted it for his own family. The palace has the aspect of a small fortress with a rectangular base, on two floors. According to the style of the 15th century, the façade is symmetrical and linear, massive on the ground floor and smoother and more slender on the upper floors. Continuing with our itinerary in the heart of Renaissance Florence, from Piazza Strozzi, we go into Via Porta Rossa and continuing on the left, we arrive at the market of Porcellino with its many interesting stands with handcrafted straw baskets, items in lace, handbags, and leather goods.
The market is held under a loggia that was completely rebuilt between 1449 and 1551 by Giovan Battista del Tasso, at the request of Cosimo I. Formerly it was the site of the fabric market and is commonly known as "Loggia del Porcellino" named after the statue in the middle of the piazza of the wild boar, a 1612 work of Pietro Tacca, which is a marble copy of a classical-era sculpture preserved in the Uffizi Museum.
From the market of the Porcellino, continue on Via Guicciardini, where the most famous jewelry shops begin and continue on to Ponte Vecchio. Or you could go into Piazza Signoria to admire the Palazzo Vecchio and go down small streets like that of Via de Georgofeli where the Academy of the same name is located.
The academy was founded in Florence on June 4, 1753, by Ubaldo Montelatici, Lateran Council member, aimed at cultivating the art of farming in Tuscany, by means of well-regulated experimentation and observation.
This was the first example in Europe of a public association of "devices intended for the improvement of Agriculture". The secondary entrance, which contains the Torre dei Pulci was completely redone after the terrorist attack of 1993.
From here we suggest that you go towards the Uffizi and by continuing the corridor by Vasari until you get to Ponte Vecchio where you can admire the work of Florentine goldsmiths and a view of the River Arno from the central loggia.

Besides being the symbol of the city, Ponte Vecchio, famous for the jewelry shops that line it giving it a romantic and vital aspect, was reconstructed in 1345 by Taddeo Gaddi and Neri di Fioravanti to replace the ancient Roman bridge which had collapsed many times due to the flooding of the Arno. It has been crucial in the history of Florence; in fact, it was the only bridge in the city that was spared by the Germans during their retreat in 1944. It has three large arcades and hosts a bust of Benvenuto Cellini by Raffaello Romanelli.
On the side streets on the other side of the Arno you find small restaurants that are worth visiting.
Continuing on, you arrive in Piazza Pitti where you can get the Relais Certosa Shuttle or catch the bus back to the Hotel.