Destinations
Region: Tuscany, Italy
Known for: Renaissance art and architecture, the Duomo, the Uffizi
Nearest airport: Florence Airport, or Pisa (1.5 hours)
Best season: April to May, September to October
Florence is, in a very real sense, where the Renaissance actually happened. Wealth from banking and the wool trade funded an extraordinary run of artistic and architectural patronage from the 14th through 16th centuries — an output of lasting significance that’s wildly out of proportion to the city’s modest size.
Stand in front of the Duomo and you’re looking at Brunelleschi’s dome, completed in 1436 and, for centuries, the largest dome ever built — an engineering feat people still study today. The Uffizi Gallery holds one of the great Renaissance art collections anywhere, Botticelli and Michelangelo and Leonardo all under one roof. And the Ponte Vecchio, the city’s oldest bridge, has hosted shops — mostly goldsmiths now — continuously since medieval times.
What you’ll notice once you’re here: Florence packs an unusual density of Renaissance-era sites into a genuinely compact, walkable centre. Most of what you’ll want to see sits within a 20-to-30-minute walk of everything else, which makes the city far more manageable on foot than its cultural weight might suggest.
Want the full story? See the separate guides covering the Medici-funded Renaissance, what to wear for both church visits and the city’s general climate, and a practical 3-day itinerary covering the major museums and landmarks.
