The cradle of the Renaissance
Florence packs an astonishing amount of art into a compact, walkable centre. The Medici bankrolled the Renaissance here, and the results fill the Uffizi, the Accademia and dozens of churches, crowned by Brunelleschi's great dome. Beyond the museums it's a city of leather workshops, gelato and hearty Tuscan cooking, with the Chianti hills and towns like Siena within easy reach.