By Michael Hanna

Italy’s ideal climate, animated people and passion for cuisine make it a perfect destination for independent travellers seeking much more than a one dimensional package holiday.

Choosing where to start a trip of discovery in Italy is difficult with so many must sees but Florence, as the capital of Tuscany and the birthplace of Renaissance is a great option. Florence’s stunning architecture, rich culture, fascinating history and famous romantic atmosphere make it one of Europe’s top city break destinations.

Tuscany is said to be the most beautiful region in Italy and the cultural and historical impact of Florence is overwhelming. The city is like a museum in itself and the historical centre is best seen on foot. The centre is very atmospheric and strolling around the city discovering medieval spires, narrow streets, galleries and spectacular architecture is an amazing experience. The famous Michelangelo “David”, the wonderful Duoma and the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) are must see sights that you will never forget. Be sure to reward yourself with a delicious flavour of ‘gelato’ or powerful ‘espresso’ in a street side café or just rest your weary feet and take the chance to watch the stylish and graceful Italians strut their stuff.

Hiring a car will let you explore the beautiful Tuscan countryside or Italy’s picturesque coastline. A very pleasant drive takes you to the Chianti region which is found between Florence and Sienna. This is a truly beautiful part of Italy and perfect for a vineyard tour where you can sample the famous local wine.

The Tuscan coastline is another area to discover. The beaches are beautiful with clear water at a perfect temperature for swimming. The Tuscan coastline has great character too with its ports, bays, charming villages and ancient rocks. It is an ideal place to relax and unwind after your city experience. For further information on Florence, Tuscany and Italy see the Italian Tourism site.

Such a trip is made easy with car hire in Florence being in abundance. You will find that most large car hire companies in Florence.

See Florence and Tuscany as it should be seen. There is so much on offer in this magical region that has to be seen to be truly appreciated.

About the Author
Author:
Michael Hanna

About Michael
Michael is a keen writer, and internet marketer living in Scotland.

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By Marcos

Versilia is a the name of part of the coast of Tuscany in the province of Lucca.
It stretches between Marina di Massa on the north and Massaciuccoli Lake on the south.
It is a very renomated zone of national and international appeal for bathing and summer holidays.Its main centres are:

Versilia occupies the north-western part of Tuscany, between the ridge of the Apuan Alps and the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The area includes the Communes of Viareggio, Camaiore, Pietrasanta, Forte dei Marmi, Massarosa, Seravezza and Stazzema, the Regional Park of Migliarino-San Rossore-Massaciuccoli to the South and the Park of Apuane to the North. It is close to art cities such as Lucca (20 Km), Pisa (21 Km) and Florence (100 Km).

Economy

Versilia economy is extremely various. Along the coast predominates the touristic and receptive activity with more than 650 hotels for every kind of need and means, from five-star luxury hotels to the boarding houses, from residences to camp sites, and e few farm holidays. This activity influences also the fields of commerce, bathing and restoration. In the hinterland, besides the growing of tourism, prevalent activities are still those linked to marble extraction and working. In Viareggio the yard activity for pleasure-boat has developped. This is one of the most important in Italy. In the agricultural field dominates the floriculture activity that has a commercial result in Viareggio Flower Market, without forgetting horticulture and the culture of olives on the hills.

Climate

Versilia enjoys a peaceful mild and temperate climate all year long. The average temperature goes from 10°, during the winter, to 25°, during the summer. Due
to the vicinity of the Apuane to the sea, rains are abundant during the whole year; whereas during the summer there are short but strong thunderstorms.

Things to do

It is possible to come to Versilia on holidays during the whole year.
During the summer, when the sun heats the sandy beaches, the vicinity of the Apuane mitigates the heat and the climate becomes pleasant with windy days and fresh nights. During the day, it is possible to enjoy oneself on the beach and take a plunge in the sea, or a walk within the green of the pine forests, on the hills or on mountain paths, or take a visit to art cities and small villages well known to mass tourism.

During the night, there is only the embarrassment of choosing, from night clubs to open door theatres, from shopping to cultural exhibitions, from gastronomic feats (“sagre”) to simple walks. Following the trend of Capannina in Forte dei Marmi and Bussola in Focette, two night clubs that are the symbols of the golden years, in Versilia are gathered pubs, piano bars and disco bars, discos, and other meeting places where music trends are able to satisfy every needs, from jazz to opera, from classical music to the latin-american one.

About the Author

Marcos is Webmaster of Guida Versilia .
Guide about Versilia (in Tuscany), with information on towns, local history, seaside vacations, tourist information, accommodation activities and events.

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by Ken Charnly

Taking a vacation should be relaxing especially for an agritourist. Agritourism is the new way to spend a holiday. Agritourists in a quiet farmhouse in the peaceful countryside and only venture out when they want (something is wrong with the previous sentence). Agritourism Tuscany Forte dei Marmi in the beautiful Tuscany offers that and so much more.

Tourism in Italy has always been high because of it’s gorgeous art, intriguing history, beautiful landscape, and amazing food and wine. The region of Tuscany is thought to be an area frozen in time because of its old world charm and slow pace. Forte dei Marmi, now a beautiful agri-tourist area along the Tuscan coast, was once just an import center for marble.

The ruins of the historic Marble Warehouse built in 1618 by Cosimo de Medici still look over the now booming tourist town. The center of Tuscany is closed to traffic, so visitors can take a leisurely tour through the prestigious boutiques and art galleries or lunch at one of the open-air cafes without the distractions of noisy cars. In the Tuscan’s summer, there are artistic events held every day and an agritourist don’t have to miss the children’s theater that puts on puppet and marionette shows.

Tuscany is the perfect place for travelers to spend Farm vacations at Forte dei Marmi and for those who want to forget their real lives for awhile, come and enjoy forte dei marmi. Most of the agritourist take a seven-night get- a-way in a completely furnished apartment decorated with the old world Italian charm.

Stroll through the private gardens in Tuscany that are fully equipped with everything an agritourist guest could want for their Italian holiday. Tuscan agritourist Guests will enjoy the breathtaking view that, on a clear day, reaches the Spezian Islands and Corsica. For a more athletic trip, mountain bikes are available for some private country touri

Ken Charnley is a personal finance enthusiast with http://www.online-loans-pro.com/ dedicated to quality information on online loans. For all your online loan needs visit and Apply For Loans Online

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You can define Florence as the city of “pleasance, elegance, excellence, opulence, magnificence. In fact, you may need lot more beautiful adjectives to describe the city completely. Certainly, Florence has floral pleasance, architectural elegance, artistic excellence, cultural opulence, and renaissancial magnificence.

Florence is one of the most fantastic cities of Italy. The heart of Tuscany resting on the Arno River was the capital of the Kingdom of Italy from 1865 to 1870. Long ruled by the Medici family, Florence is often considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. The city is known for its scenic beauty and richness of its art and architecture. Surely, Florence gives you numerous reasons to visit its exotic sites, but here are top rated 10 reasons to visit the city.

Santa Maria del Fiore (Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore), the iconic domed cathedral of the city, is the best-known site and renaissance architectural gem of Florence. The basilica, famous for its dome designed by Filippo Brunelleschi, is also known as Duomo or Florence Cathedral. The magnificent cathedral has literally become the symbol of the city.

Giotto’s Tower, sited adjacent to the Duomo, is one of the notable sites in Florence. The lofty campanile tower is designed by Giotto, the eminent renaissancial Italian painter and architect from Florence. The majestic tower has 414 stepped, which you can climb to have magnificent 360-degree view of the Duomo.

Baptistery of St John (Battistero di San Giovanni) is a splendiferous religious edifice in Florence. It is believed to be the oldest building in the city. The Baptistery is famous for its beautiful interior and three sets of magnificent and artistically important bronze doors. Baptistery stands in the Piazza del Duomo, just to the west of the Duomo.

Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi), housed in the Palazzo degli Uffizi, a palazzo in Florence, is one of the oldest and most renowned art museums in the world. The museum offers marvellous collection of classic masterpieces, renaissance paintings & sculptures, which include the works of the masters, such as Cimabue, Duccio, Giotto, Simone Martini, Paolo Uccello, Piero della Francesca, Fra Filippo Lippi, Andrea del Verrocchio, Hugo van der Goes, Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Piero di Cosimo, Albrecht Dürer, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian, Parmigianino, and Caravaggio.

Fountain of Neptune or Bartolomeo Ammanati’s Fountain of Neptune, in the heart of the city, in the Piazza della Signoria (Signoria square), in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, is a remarkable fountain in Florence. The fountain is a masterpiece of marble sculpture at the terminus of a still functioning Roman aqueduct. It was designed by Bartolomeo Ammannati (1563-1565) and some assistants, such as Giambologna.

Bargello, also known as the Bargello Palace or Palazzo del Popolo (Palace of the People), is a famous art museum, located near Piazza della Signoria. Officially known as the National Museum of the Bargello, the museum features the wonderful works of renaissancial lords including Michelangelo, Donatello, Ammannati, Bandinelli, Andrea and Jacopo Sansovino, Desiderio da Settignano, Giambologna, and Antonio Rossellino.

Palazzo Vecchio, the huge Tuscan Gothic crenellated fortress-palace, is one of the most significant public places in Florence. The town hall of Florence is one of the most impressive town halls of Tuscany. Overlooking the Piazza della Signoria with its famous copy of Michelangelo’s David statue, the Palazzo Vecchio is a symbol of the commune of Florence.

Pitti Palace (Palazzo Pitti), situated on the south side of the River Arno, a short distance from the Ponte Vecchio, is a grand Renaissance palace. The palace was originally the town residence of an ambitious Florentine banker, Luca Pitti. The Medici family bought it in 1539. Presently, the palace exhibits the collection of the Medici family’s artistic treasures.

Boboli Gardens (Giardino di Boboli), behind the Palazzo Pitti, comprise famous park of Florence. The gardens are nice place for pleasuring, walking, and enjoying wonderful views of the city and the countryside south of the city. The gardens are known for their famous collection of sculptures dating from the sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries, and Roman antiquities.

Ponte Vecchio, a medieval bridge over the Arno River, is the oldest and most famous bridge in Florence. Often the bridge is described as Europe’s oldest wholly-stone, closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge. The bridge is a great tourist trap, famous for jewelry shops built along it, since the days of the Medici.
Author Info:

Author writes for Holiday Velvet, a website providing listings for Florence apartments, hotels, villas, Bed & Breakfasts for Florence vacation

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by Luca Az

Winding through the Tuscan hills, the wine roads offer travel itineraries within remarkable viticulture areas which are characterized by vineyards and wine cellars and also by landscape, historical attractions in a frame where all kinds of comfort is offered to welcome tourists.

Along the wine road signs point out clearly places for lodging, especially farm holidays. Information services are available all over an area where vineyard control is guaranteed by strict quality standards. Any time of the year is suitable to participate in these itineraries, whose beauty reveals itself in various ways at any change of season.

The approach to wine is not only characterized by the simple act of tasting it, but it goes along with visits to vineyards, tastes of typical dishes and attendance to cultural events.

Tuscany is the first region, among all the others in Italy, which has promoted the realization of these itineraries.

Tuscany, which is well-know for its extensive and fascinating landscape, is as well as famous all over the world for its good quality wines and the special taste of its gastronomy.

Along the wine road itinerary in the Tuscan region, and even beyond the beaten tracks, a full patrimony of culture and popular knowledge is offered to those who really want to appreciate the high value of discovering tastes and emotions in relation to wine and all life’s aspects associated with it.

Along the road wine in the Pisan Hills you can found an important project named La Mia Toscana (My Tuscany), that offers tourists solutions in fascinating itineraries. You can choose from the wine and gastronomic itineraries (Tuscan cooking classes, wine tasting and tasting of other typical products, escorted gastronomic excursions), to trekking itineraries (escorted excursions on the Tuscan hills, by foot, on mountain bike, horse-riding), cultural itineraries (escorted excursions in the discovery of medieval villages, castles and handicraft products, Italian language lessons) up to relax and comfort itineraries (with treatments at the Thermal baths) and to golfing (in combination with culture, gastronomy and art).

Pisa Airport “Galileo Galilei” is the main destination for Tuscany and central Italy (after Rome), and is served by several airlines operating hundreds of weekly flights to national and international destinations. Numerous companies offer charter flights to and from a number of European and non-European destinations. Flying to Pisa is really cheap and easy: the most important low cost flights companies reach Pisa, and the airport is 5 minutes away from the centre of the town by bus, train or taxi.

Since 1995 committed in organising tours in Tuscany, Wine Tasting in Tuscany and specialised in incoming Tuscany.

Article source: Expert Articles

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by Adam Peters

How to create the Tuscan style of decorating in your kitchen by using accessories and colors in imaginative ways.

The newest rage in decorating schemes is actually an old idea. Many people are now decorating their kitchens in the old Italian styles, such as from Tuscany and Umbria. The earthy colors used in this type of decorating are becoming very popular and when mixed with some of the interesting reproductions of old world art and architectural features they really create a striking room. Here are some great ideas for giving your kitchen the look of the Italian countryside.

Colors
The landscape in the Tuscan countryside contains such colors as golds in the old walls and buildings, deep greens of the poplar trees and the bright colors of the pottery the region is famous for. For a genuine look, you don’t have to invest a lot; just buy one or two accent pieces of Majolica pottery and imitate the colors in this pottery in the rest of your kitchen. You will find that stones of slate or terracotta make perfect choices for flooring or counters, and will pick up the Tuscan colors of your pottery.

Lighting
The lighting in this style is subdued and soft, and newer modern light fixtures would not work. One of the most popular style to recreate the ambiance you want is to choose light fixtures of wrought iron. You may want some brighter lighting in the work area, but a recessed light that does not interfere with the style would be a better idea than something in chrome or stainless steel.

Accessories
You can find a lot of accessories in this style today, since it has become such a popular style. But it is more fun and interesting, and you will have a more unique look if you shop around in antique stores for items that would complement the style and you could picture in an Italian kitchen. Pottery or ceramic bowls, water pitchers and vases can be of real Majolica pottery, or look like it. If you are replacing your dinnerware to go with the kitchen, a set of Majolica ware is a striking way to carry the look all the way through. Some other genuine touches that imitate the Italian kitchen is ropes of garlic hanging by a window, borders with grape vine designs, and a lot of greenery, preferable herbs and small plants in decorative pots.

Using these ideas, you can quickly create a charming kitchen that is warm and cozy and looks like the kitchens we admire in Italy. The rustic colors you desire can be created either by buying new accessories that are reproductions of Tuscan style, or you can scour the antique shops and find pieces that complement this style.

About the Author
Adam Peters is the author of many resources on decoration related topics published at http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com . A focused website that offers the best articles on italian decorating and italian style.

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by Robert Carlton

Tuscany, Italy is the place that movies are filmed and fantasies run wild. Perhaps it is the cities of Florence, Pisa, or Livorno that invoke feelings of culture, art, or arouse the senses to the smells and taste of the Chianti region. The fact is that Tuscany is home to some of the most famous tourist destinations in Italy. It is here that budding artists come to learn from the masters. It is here that the world of fashion takes it cues. And it is in Tuscany that romantics rekindle the flame and celebrate their love.

The Cities of Tuscany

Florence is perhaps one of the most famous cities in the area known as Tuscany. The Uffizi museum after all is home to such masterpieces as “The Birth of Venus.“ Originally built to house the Tuscan administrative offices, the top floor now houses masterpieces by Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Caravaggio. Each visitor to Florence must also stop in and gaze at Michelangelo`s “David,“ on display at the oldest art academy, the Galleria dell Accademia. The Ponte Vecchio is a landmark that literally translated means “old bridge.“ It was built in the 1300s and has withstood floods and wars in order to continue to hawk some of the world`s most wonderful 18 and 24k gold products and leather goods.

Chianti is known for its wines which are famous around the world. Tourists to Tuscany can enjoy the world`s finest wines while enjoying the picturesque countryside.

Siena, also located in the Chianti region houses a gothic cathedral and paintings by medieval masters, Duccio and Simone Martini. The Renaissance and Etruscan history are evident in each landmark of the region.

Piza is best known for the Leaning Tower whose construction began in the 12th century, but starting sinking into the ground after only 3 stories were completed. It stood this way for 90 years and was finally completed by the son of Andreo Pisano, Tommano Simone and Giovanni de Simone almost 200 years after it was started.

Hillsides and Waysides

Part of the beauty and mystique of Tuscany is its countryside. The rolling hills that slope down to the coast are dotted with vineyards and villas. There are working farms and vacation villas suitable for the most adventurous tourists or those who demand first class accommodations. Tuscany car rentals allow tourists to explore each tiny village at their own pace and on their own schedule.

The Heart of Commerce

Emerging as a real business centre, Tuscany is home to thriving businesses in the furniture, leather, fashion, and manufacturing industries. These businesses keep the region in the 21st century while the people and culture keep one foot in the past.

If romance, tradition and culture are your idea of an ideal vacation, then Tuscany is for you. On the other hand if shopping and the face pace of a thriving city are your style then you will also find it in the Tuscany region of Italy.

Concentrating on latest developments in tuscany tours, the reviewer writes articles predominantly for http://www.tuscany-italy-guide.com . You can find his writings on Tuscany Italy over at http://www.tuscany-italy-guide.com and other sources for Tuscany italy tips.

Article source: Expert Articles

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by Roberto Tommarello

Located 12 miles away from the coastal town of Piombino, lies the beautiful island of Elba (popularly called isola d’Elba by Italians), Elba is an island that is rich in history, and is one of the most popular tourists destinations in Tuscany. Known for its fine sand beaches and fantastic weather, Elba has been visited by millions of tourists from the world over, in fact such is the demand for accommodation that there are numerous holiday homes (case vacanza in Italian) in Elba, that are available for families and couples to stay in.

Over the years easy access, and fantastic locales have made Elba flourish, and the tourism industry is now booming in Elba. Every year more and more people have started looking to Elba for not just tourism, but for its secluded beaches, and as a place for some R&R. One of the most striking features of tourism is the number of case vacanza Elba has to offer, located all over the island, these holidays homes have allowed more tourists to enjoy a comfortable stay, without having to pay an exorbitant amount on hotel and lodging fees. In fact the reason for the success of holiday homes is that unlike hotels or bed and breakfasts, a person can literally choose from a vast variety of locations, all over the island.

In essence a case vacanza allows a tourist the flexibility of choosing not just the location, but also the amenities he or she wants. Depending on the size of the family, tourists can choose from a double bedroom holiday home or if its just a couple on their honeymoon, a one bedroom holiday home is enough. The advantages of a holiday home in Elba are many fold as a Holiday home also allows a tourist the flexibility of choosing a location of his choice, not all tourists to Elba come for purely tourism purposes, most people prefer to have some peace and quiet, and spend quiet evenings alone with friends and family. A case vacanza located on a secluded beach is just the ideal thing for tourists looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of a busy city life.

Depending on the taste or a tourist, the number of people to accommodate, and also the location there are a vast variety of holiday homes available all over the island of Elba, most travel agents actually recommend using a holiday home in Elba, as there is so much variety and the locales are virtually unrestricted. It is a good idea to consult a online site to get a much better idea of not just the pricing, but to actually view some of the locales that are available with the numerous case vacanza that are available all over Elba. The next time you are planning a visit to Italy, make sure that the case vacanza isola d’elba (holiday homes in the island of Elba) has to offer are on your list of places to stay in. Just keep your options open, and you will add a whole new perspective to your visit to the Island of Elba.

About the author:
Roberto is the author of this article on case vacanza isola d’Elba (holiday houses in Elba island). Find more information about appartamenti isola d’Elba here.

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by Andrew Caxton

How a visit to the Tuscan region will make you want to come back again and again. Many of the things that you can see and do in the region of Tuscany.

If you have visited the Tuscan region of Italy once, you are sure to come back again. There is so much to do there, that you will need to come back to complete it all, but you will also want to come back just to experience the same pleasures once again. No matter what kind of vacation you like, Tuscany will have something for you to enjoy.

The most popular places to stay in Tuscany are the beautiful old farmhouses or the quaint B&Bs. Even though these accommodations can be full of old world charm, you will also find many activities besides just enjoying the history and the ambiance. There are water sports, historical sites to visit, like the Tower of Pisa and local customs to view and enjoy, such as wine making and olive processing.

If you prefer, you can stay at a luxurious hotel, but there is so much charm and beauty in the old castles, villas, farmhouses and B&Bs that that is the recommended route. You can view some of the special treats of Tuscany, such as olive oil production right on the farm you are staying at!

One of the most fascinating activities is watching the production of two of the most famous products of Tuscany: wine and olive oil. You can take a tour of a winery and taste the famous Chianti or Tuscan wine, and of course watch the olives being pressed for the delicious oil of the area. Don’t forget to buy a bottle or two for a souvenir.

The wines of Tuscany are superb, and they have to be to go with the wonderful Tuscan style of cooking. Fresh pasta served with meats in various sauces and of course famous Italian bread to go with everything.

The taste is not the only thing that is satisfied here. The eyes have a feast when you drive along the coast to try out some water sports such as swimming or windsurfing, or to have a day of fishing. The Mediterranean is nearby for all of these activities. Of course, many of the places where tourists stay have wonderful pools for the use of their guests.

Another popular activity in the region is to rent a bike and make a tour of the countryside. Here you will have a closeup view of the famous monuments, such as the ancient churches that the region is known for.

You will agree that it is so hard to decide what to do on this trip, that you have already started planning your next one!

About the Author:
Adam Peters enjoys writing about italian style for http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com . For additional information on italian style tuscan theme accessories subjects have a look at his web.

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by Katy Hyslop

You have just arrived in the Renaissance capital of the art world with a couple of days to spare, so where do you go and what highlights can you see in such a short time? This is the guide for you to get the maximum out of a short stay in Florence.

14:00
Now is probably a good time to familiarise yourself with the central city, if it`s late summer it will be beginning to cool down and hopefully the crush of the tourist crowds will be starting to diminish. The centre of Florence is easy to walk around as the streets are narrow and most are closed to traffic.

Starting off around the main station there is the Piazza Santa Maria Novella with the church that gives the train station its name. Opposite the church there is the Piazza Nazionale and a road which leads down to the Piazza del Mercato Centrale. Here there are a few market stalls selling leather goods, souvenirs and other items. The 2 famous buildings to see here are the Cappelle Medici and the San Lorenzo e Biblioteca Laurenziana.

15:00
You will see the Duomo before you reach the piazza it resides in as you walk down Via Borgo San Lorenzo. The squat building in front of the cathedral is the Baptistery, built on the foundations of a Roman temple. The golden doors facing the cathedral are replicas of an original set made by Lorenzo Ghiberti and regarded by Michelangelo as the `doors to paradise`. But the sight most visitors are bowled over by is Brunelleschi`s dome, the cap on the already impressive Chiesa Santa Maria del Fiori. Standing guard beside it is the campanile, or bell tower built by Giotto.

The view from the top of the Duomo is incredible on a clear day and well worth the trek to the top. Entry to the church itself is free but there is a charge to make the climb. You can also climb the bell tower but run the risk of the bells going off at some point and there is no lift if you need assistance to get back down.

16:00
Many of the original works that were used to decorate the exteriors and interiors of the baptistery, church and campanile are house inside the Museo dell`Opera del Duomo, behind the cathedral, the museum rooms that catalogue the history of the buildings. There are many pieces by Michelangelo, including his Pieta that he partially destroyed, which was finished later by a student. The original baptistery doors are housed here along with Duomo plans from Brunelleschi, statues and bas relief`s by Donatello and others.

17:00
Walking down Via Roma you will reach Piazza della Repubblica, the edges are taken up with expensive hotels and even more expensive cafes. There are some stalls selling various touristy type things, including more belts, wallets and handbags. Keep walking down Via Calimara until you reach the loggia that houses more market stalls. Here you can test your skills at spotting a fake leather item although you don`t want to make this too obvious. Better still you can drop a coin from the mouth of and il Porcolino`, the bronze statue of a boar, and make a wish.

17:30
Looking straight ahead you will see what resembles a crowded street rising up at the end of Via Porta Santa Maria. This is actually a bridge, the Ponte Vecchio, the ` Old Bridge`, which was the only one spared by the Nazis in WWII. The original shops were butchers, dropping their leftovers into the Arno below. The stench got up the Medici`s noses in the 16thC so much that Grand Duke Ferdinando I ordered them to move out and the more aesthetically pleasing goldsmiths to move in. This is also one of 3 bridges in the world to house shops.

18:00
Make your way back to the northern end of the bridge where there is a covered colonnade heading left alongside the river. This was built as a secret passageway for the Medici`s as they walked above the populace between the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace. At the far end of the walkway you can look back to see the rear of the shops as they overhang the river below.

Behind you is also the entrance to the Piazza Degli Uffizi, a three sided piazza filled with statues and busts of famous artists from over the centuries, and of course home to the world famous Uffizi Gallery. The collection inside is second only to that of the one held at the Vatican in terms of artistic significance. Giotto, Fra Angelico, Lippi, Botticelli, Da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo` the list goes on. The gallery is closed on Mondays and needs at least half a day to get around, as well as to be booked in advance if you wish to view it in summer. The piazza is commonly filled during the summer with outdoor exhibitions, street artists and performers, mainly to entertain the long meandering line of tourists queuing up to get in.

Carry on through the narrow piazza away from the river until you reach Piazza Signoria. This wide open space is most recognisable by the statue of David, a copy put there in 1873 as the original had to moved inside the Accademia to protect it from the elements. Underneath the loggia is a collection of other famous statues including The Rape of the Sabines, Hercules and the Centaur Nessus, by Giambologna and Cellini`s bronze statue of Perseus.

The main space is overlooked by the rather imposing statue of and Il Nettuno`, the watery figure of Neptune standing at the opposite end of Palazzo Vecchio. Close by is the mounted figure of Cosimo I Medici and the bronze plaque that marks the spot where the priest Savonarola was hanged and burned for heresy in 1498. For the super sleuths there is a another sculpture to look out for. On the wall of the Palazzo Vecchio is the carved outline of a mans face. One legend tells that Michelangelo, in a fit of pique, was proving to Donatello he was able to sculpt great works of art, even with his hands behind his back.

18:30
Inside Palazzo Vecchio the entrance shows ornate ceilings and wall decoration for this building was once the seat of Florentine government during the 13th and 14th Centuries. For a fee you can view the opulent apartments upstairs that were occupied by Medicis and other notables as well as reach the battlements for another view out over the city.

The remainder of the evening can be best spent wandering the narrow streets and enjoying a meal from one of the many restaurants and trattorias. Later on there is the night life as many bars and clubs open up after 10pm and carry on until very early in the morning.

08:00
Florence is a tourist magnet all year round so an early start is essential if you don`t wish to spend countless hours queuing. A surefire way to avoid this is to part with a little extra cash in the busy summer months and pre book your tickets online or over the phone. You then pick them up at a designated time from the ticket office with your booking number. This way you can easily get to see the Uffizi and possibly another museum in the same day. To do this simply log onto www.firenzemusei.it or www.weekendafirenze.com or book through your hotel.

The Uffizi opens at 8.15am, closing at 7pm, with the artworks divided between a series of rooms all featuring a certain artistic style or period. The gallery is not restricted to just greats of the Italian renaissance but the collection also includes works by German and Flemish artists. To appreciate much of the work you would need to devote at least several hours to get round.

15:00
Either as an afternoon escape or a morning alternative there is also the Galleria Dell`Accademia, most famous for its prize possession, Michelangelo`s David, the original sculpture that stood in Piazza della Signoria. The 5m tall statue was carved from a single slab of marble which some tales relate as having a fault line running through it. Michelangelo was said to have found it at abandoned at the rear of the artisan school and decided he would use it to create a symbol of Florentine spirit.

The Accademia also has other well known statues, paintings and carvings by many artists on display, well worth an hour or two looking around.

For a plesant way to round off the day there is a walk up to Piazzale Michelangelo from the southern river bank, where you will find yet another copy of Michelangelo`s David, a bronze version overlooking the city. A great place to watch the city change colour at sunset and sometimes there are public events held in the piazza during the summer.

17:00
If there is still enough energy left to view one more church Chiesa di San Miniato al Monte is worth the extra effort. Situated in the parklands up behind Piazzale Michelangelo the exterior is one of the best examples of Tuscan Romanesque architecture while the interior is home to some extraordinary 13-15th C frescoes.

08:00
Depending on your time table you may have time for another set of museums or just a gentle stroll in the park. Head up to the Pitti Palace, another Brunelleschi creation for a wealthy banker that was eventually taken up by the Medici family. Inside are a series of museum rooms all dedicated to various items such silver, porcelain and renaissance clothing as well as more modern artworks from the 18th and 20th Centuries.

11:00
When the art intake has finally reached its limit there is respite in the shape of the Boboli gardens to the rear of the palace. Designed in the mid 16th C it contains typical grottoes and garden follies of the renaissance aristocracy. A chance to leave the narrow streets and tourist crowds for a while.

Your time in Florence is at an end but you may still have a chance to do a bit of that last minute shopping before bidding farewell to all the masters.

Katy Hyslop has spent the past 6 years travelling, tour guiding and generally hanging around the European tourism industry. She is now based in Italy and in charge of keeping the crew under control at Plus. If you want to know more on what to see or where to stay in Florence click here.

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