The city, which graces the Arno River in central Italy's Tuscany region, has captured the hearts and minds of just about every visitor who has ever been there. Florence (Firenze) is known as ‘the jewel in the crown of Italy Renaissance', an amazing outburst of activity from the 14th to the 16th centuries that completely changed the Tuscan town and the world. Under the benevolent eye (and purse) of the Medicis, Florence blossomed into an unrivaled repository of art and architectural treasures by geniuses such as Botticelli, Brunelleschi, Cellini, Donatello, Fra Angelico, Ghiberti, Giotto, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Since the 19th century, it has been visited by millions wanting to see Michelangelo's David, Botticelli's Birth of Venus, Brunelleschi's dome on the Duomo, and Giotto's campanile (bell tower).

The city is small but remarkably beautiful, and mostly pedestrianised. Today, as before, most of the action in Florence took place between Piazza del Duomo and Piazza della Signoria, the city’s civic heart. Here, in the historic centre, Dante – forefather of the Italian language – first glimpsed his muse, Beatrice. Here, the Florentine Republic rose and fell. And here, Savonarola’s ‘Bonfire of the Vanities’ blazed.

Walking is the most pleasant way to visit most destinations and even those who are in the city for business engagements will want to spend some time strolling through the narrow Mediterranean-styled streets and piazzas. At first glance, Florence might seem a bit foreboding. Architecturally, it's not a Gothic fantasy of lace like Venice. Many of its palazzi look like severe fortresses – they were built, after all, to keep foreign enemies at bay. But these facades, however uninviting, mask treasures within, drawing thousands of visitors who overrun the narrow streets.

It became a mecca for travelers, particularly the Romantics, perhaps because of the views of the Ponte Vecchio and the Arno at sunset; perhaps because Florentine food and wine delight the palate. Maybe it’s because the city has not changed all that much since the 15th century.

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