FLORENCE
THE CRADLE OF THE RENAISSANCE
Florence is romantic, charming, and totally irresistible, where you can enjoy world-class art and fine Tuscan cuisine! Few cities are so compact and so full of exceptional masterpieces of art and architecture! The urban structure on the banks of the Arno River in northeastern Tuscany has barely changed since the Renaissance, and its narrow cobbled streets are filled with elegant 15th and 16th-century palaces, medieval chapels, frescoed churches, marble basilicas, and world-class art museums filled with paintings and sculptures by Botticelli, Michelangelo, and many other artists. The Italian fashion industry was born and raised here. Local-born fashion designers Guccio Gucci and Salvatore Ferragamo opened haute couture boutiques in Florence in the 1920s. They have been a symbol of shopping in the Tuscan capital ever since. World-class fashion houses adorn the lace-lined Via de' Tornabuoni and Pandora's box of specialist boutiques selling all manner of beautiful objects parades alongside family-run workshops in a glorious tangle of medieval streets. Watch the work of fourth-generation Florentine goldsmiths and shoemakers, buy artisan fragrances reminiscent of the Florentine countryside and the Tuscan sea breeze, and know that the Fiorentina label is one of the best international labels! High-quality food products sourced locally are one more thing that makes Florentines proud of their culinary traditions! Florence is surrounded by wine-rich hills, making it a true gourmet paradise where good food and wine are simply a must! And the sunsets here are delightful - the palette encompassing all the familiar shades of soft pink, orange and fiery amber bathes the whole city! Surprisingly small, Florence looms large on the list of must-see places worldwide - and not just for its incomparable treasure trove of art. Rich in culture, history, faith, and food, the Florentine lifestyle is enviably sweet! Florence is everything that La Dolce Vita describes...!