Palazzo Vecchio has stood over Florence’s Piazza della Signoria for more than seven centuries, its crenellated walls and soaring Torre di Arnolfo giving it the look of a fortress. Built as the seat of the Florentine Republic and later transformed into a Medici residence, the palace remains the city’s town hall as well as a museum.
Inside, the immense Salone dei Cinquecento is lined with battle scenes painted under Giorgio Vasari for Cosimo I de’ Medici. Look for the words “cerca trova” — “seek and find” — on a tiny green flag in one fresco, a detail that has fuelled theories about a lost Leonardo da Vinci painting. The richly decorated apartments and Bronzino’s intimate chapel of Eleanor of Toledo offer a contrast to the hall’s grand scale.
Climb the tower for views across Florence’s rooftops, then spend time in the piazza, where a replica of Michelangelo’s David stands near the open-air sculptures of the Loggia dei Lanzi. Book ahead in peak season and check ticket options if you want to visit both the museum and tower. Early weekday mornings tend to be quieter; the tower has a steep climb and may close in bad weather.