Florence and Tuscany

Florence is the cradle of Renaissance art and architecture, surrounded by countryside and long green farms. Its historic centre joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1982, crowned by Brunelleschi's cathedral dome.

The Uffizi holds Renaissance masterpieces, and the Galleria dell'Accademia holds Michelangelo's David. The Ponte Vecchio crosses the Arno with its goldsmiths' shops, and Piazzale Michelangelo looks over the whole city at sunset.

Florence is the base for day trips into Tuscany: the Val d'Orcia, with its hills and cypress lines, a World Heritage site since 2004, and the small town of Pienza. Fast trains reach Rome in about 1 h 30 and Venice in about 2 hours.