Fiorenza within the ancient circle, where she removes again and third and ninth, was in peace, sober and modest. She had no chain, no crown, no adjoining skirts, no belt that could be seen more than the person. (Paradise XV, 97-102)

Dante Alighieri and Florence are inextricably linked in a relationship of love and hate that has accompanied the entire life of the poet. In the heart of the city, a few steps from the Bernini Palace Hotel, we can find a neighborhood of unchanged charm, where you can still breathe the ancient Florence lived by Dante and walk on the same stones on which the poet passed on: we speak of the “Dante’s district”.

It is a small secret treasure chest in Florence made of narrow streets and squares and it includes Piazza della Signoria, the church of Orsanmichele, the Torre della Castagna, the Oratorio dei Buonomini di San Martino and the Badia Fiorentina.

The House of Dante is museum, a nineteenth-century replica of Dante Alighieri's home. Inside the museum you are guided through a sensory and historical journey and you will have the opportunity to meet the poet in all phases of his life: here is the Dante man, the Dante soldier, the Dante politician and the Dante Poet.

A few steps from Dante's House is the church of Santa Margherita de' Cerchi, authentic, ancient as well as the place where the marriage between Dante and Gemma Donati was celebrated and where legend has it that Dante also met his "muse" Beatrice.

One of the best preserved towers in Florence, this was the place where the Priors met and voted on decisions using chestnuts placed in a bag (hence the name, chestnut means castagna in italian language). Who knows how many times Dante stopped in front of the tower, perhaps weighing and critiquing the decisions that were being made internally.

This ancient confraternity built around 1400 was established to help wealthy families who had fallen into disgrace. Here you can find numerous frescoes attributed to the workshop of Domenico Ghirlandaio and between the lunettes you can admire the depictions of life in Florence in the fifteenth century. An uncommon stop from the traditional tourist circuits but no less worthy of a visit.

Florence is full of the spirit of Dante and our advice is always to experience the city trying to identify with a citizen of that ancient time. Our Concierge is always ready to provide you with the best suggestions and assistance on the best places to visit.