A beautiful Renaissance palace located in Florence, Italy, with a classical museum, designed by the Medici Family

The Galleria dell’Accademia – or Accademia Gallery – in Florence, Italy, is without a doubt most famous for its sculptures by the great Renaissance artist, Michelangelo. His Prisoners, his St. Matthew and, above all, the magnificent statue of David within the Tribune are what first draw most of the hundreds of thousands of visitors the museum welcomes every year. The main halls at the Accademia also offers visitors works by great Italian artists such as Sandro Botticelli, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Pontormo, Andrea del Sarto, Allessando Allori and Orcagna, to name just a few of the painters. Many of the works of art that were commissioned by and were part of the collection of the powerful Medici family were donated to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany by the last of the Medici so that these magnificent works could be enjoyed by everyone and are part of the cultural patrimony of humankind.

Open-air market that has a cast-iron structure dating back to 1874, which offers a variety of food shops catering to local residents and restaurants.

One of the most important Gothic churches in Florence The Church of Santa Maria Novella might not be at the top of your list of places to visit in Florence but we highly recommend you place it on there. Architecturally, it is one of the most important Gothic churches in Tuscany. The exterior is the work of Fra Jacopo Talenti and Leon Battista Alberti. The interior holds extraordinary works of art including Masaccio's Trinità, Ghirlandaio's fresco cycle in the Tornabuoni Chapel and Giotto's Crucifix, among others.

This large city square contains the Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore, the third largest cathedral in the world after St. Peter's in Rome and St. Paul's in London.

Piazza della Repubblica is one of the main squares in Florence and marks the center of the city since Roman times. The Colonna della Dovizia or also known as the Column of Abundance marks the point where the cardus and decumanus maximi met and where the Roman forum stood. The present column dates to 1431 but the statue on top is a copy and the original is visible at the bank Cassa di Risparmio in via dell'Oriuolo. During medieval times the area around the column was densely populated with markets, tabernacles and churches...it was the center of the city. It was the location of the market and the Jewish Ghetto, who were obligated to live here by Cosimo I. Stories tell us that the column once held a bell, which was rung where pick pockets were found to be roaming this once busy market square to warn the shoppers to be careful

Is time travel possible? At Palazzo Vecchio it is, with a trip back into history to three eras. Palazzo Vecchio offers Roman ruins, a Medieval fortress and amazing Renaissance chambers and paintings. A microcosm where art and history have been indissolubly bound for centuries.

Open all of the time, along the pedestrian zone south of Piazza della Repubblica towards Palazzo Pitti Built very close to the Roman crossing, the Ponte Vecchio, or Old Bridge, was the only bridge across the Arno in Florence until 1218. The current bridge was rebuilt after a flood in 1345. During World War II it was the only bridge across the Arno that the fleeing Germans did not destroy. Instead they blocked access by demolishing the medieval buildings on each side. On November 4, 1966, the bridge miraculously withstood the tremendous weight of water and silt when the Arno once again burst its banks.

The Gallery entirely occupies the first and second floors of the large building constructed between 1560 and 1580 and designed by Giorgio Vasari. It is famous worldwide for its outstanding collections of ancient sculptures and paintings (from the Middle Ages to the Modern period). The collections of paintings from the 14th-century and Renaissance period include some absolute masterpieces: Giotto, Simone Martini, Piero della Francesca, Beato Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Botticelli, Mantegna, Correggio, Leonardo, Raffaello, Michelangelo and Caravaggio, in addition to many precious works by European painters (mainly German, Dutch and Flemish). Moreover, the Gallery boasts an invaluable collection of ancient statues and busts from the Medici family, which adorns the corridors and consists of ancient Roman copies of lost Greek sculptures.

Florence seen from above is a singular experience. Not just a perfect photo opportunity, but a moment of wonder. You are looking at the city that gave birth to incredible artists, amazing scientists and an enthralling history of discovery and power that has filled novels and movie theaters. No matter what time of day, you will find that Piazzale Michelangelo truly offers a stupendous lookout over Florence. Don't be surprised if you also see it written as Piazzale Michelangiolo, this is from the archaic Florentine pronunciation and most definitely the one you see on street signs or the brown and white signs that indicate historic landmarks. In any case, however you spell it, it is one site that should not be missed. It may be a classic tourist stop, but it never fails to capture the heart and imagination of those who follow the path to the very top.

This enormous palace is one of Florence's largest architectural monuments. The original palazzo was built for the Pitti family in 1457, designed by Filippo Brunelleschi and built by his pupil Luca Fancelli. The original construction consisted of only the middle cube of the present building (the middle seven windows on the top floor). In 1549, the property was sold to the Medicis and became the primary residence of the grand ducal family. The palace was then enlarged and altered; from 1560, Bartolomeo Ammannati designed and added the grandiose courtyard and two lateral wings