The capital of Tuscany and the spiritual home of the Renaissance, this is where history lives - Florence.
A visit to Florence (Firenze) is a must for any art lover. UNESCO estimates that 60% of the world's most important artworks are in Italy, with over half of them located in Florence. Situated in the northwest of Italy, surrounded by the wine-growing hills of Chianti, the city attracts rapture and frustration in equal proportions. It seems every building holds a masterpiece, demanding attention and often gobbling up funds. The streets are narrow and dark, enclosed on either side by granite palaces, and even the open spaces are crowded with babbling tour groups.
This city can overwhelm its visitors, with priceless art and historic architecture from the golden age of the Renaissance. The first sight of the Duomo's implausibly large, red cupola- an engineering miracle of the 15th century - is breathtaking. Medieval and Renaissance palaces, churches and monuments follow one another in dizzying succession. Even the retreating Nazis, bombing bridges as they left, stopped short of bombing the Ponte Vecchio, moved by its absolute uniqueness. Florence's combination of unequalled beauty with centuries of history is a heady mixture.
Essentially it is still a proud, provincial town, with a conservative mentality. You sense that its citizens pay a certain price for living in an open-air museum. Don't be surprised if you find the Florentines a bit cold and stand-offish. I fact, those who deal with the masses of tourists are often the least cordial. But among the Florentines are many who will offer the visitor a warm smile and helpful gesture. And the vitality of this small city, the robustness of its cuisine, the enduring beauty of its architecture and the richness of its treasures will always educate, exhilarate and dazzle those who go to see it.
Let Sasha guide you through this city - famous and yet waiting to be discovered…
