One of the most beautiful and breathtaking cities in Italy, not to mention in the world, Florence is located in the heart of Tuscany. Captivating and rich with art and culture, the city of Florence is a historic artifact in itself. It is famous for flavor rich restaurants and is the Renaissance capital of the world -- its celebrated sons being Leonardo da Vinci, Dante Alighieri, Machiavelli, Fra Angelico, and Michelangelo. There is so much to be seen and done in Florence, and why not start the day at a piazza (square) where you can enjoy a cappuccino and people watch?

Famous things you won't want to miss are the Uffizi galleries, one of the most amazing art museums in the world, the Santo Spirito church, the Old Bridge (Ponte Vecchio) and the Duomo Cathedral Church (the most famous in Florence). The Uffizi is the oldest gallery in the world and houses a collection of the greatest works of the Renaissance. The Ponte Vecchio Bridge is the oldest bridge in all of Florence and was saved from destruction in 1944. The Academia is another wonderful musuem not to be missed which houses the original statue of David!

Summertime in Italy is gorgeous however very, very hot! There are lots of tourists and crowds everywhere. For a relatively quieter visit to the city, it's best to travel in the spring or early autumn, when the weather is cool and you won't find as many tourists as you would in the summer months. It's worth the time to spend at least 3 or 4 days in Florence, and if you can, travel the surroundings of the city as well. You can explore the region for weeks without getting bored once!