Sublime

surprisingly well-produced 3-D movie about the city, offering tasteful and evocative slices of Florentine life and lingering images of the big landmarks (free, 13 minutes, in Italian with English

download my series of free audio tours that illuminate some of Florence’s top sights and neighborhoods: my Renaissance Walk, the Accademia, and the Uffizi Gallery (see sidebar on here for details). For insight with

To the east of Pitti and the gardens, perched high on the hill, is the magnificent-view Church of San Miniato; just below that sits Piazzale Michelangelo (with Florence’s most popular viewpoint), and tucked below and between there and the river is the lively and funky little San Niccolò neighborhood, with lively bars and trendy restaurants. Farther

Florence was the most civilized city in the world, and the chief source of the Renaissance.

There was no place then, and few places ever, that offered a more stimulating environment for creativity than Florence in the 1400s. Its economy, once dominated by unskilled wool-spinners, had flourished by becoming one that, like our own time, interwove art, technology, and commerce. It featured artisans working with silk makers and merchants to c

$$ A Durmì is a happy little affitta camere (guesthouse) owned by lovely Graziella, Gianni, and their two daughters, Elisa and Chiara. Their sunny patios, green leafy gardens, six immaculate modern rooms, and five sunlit apartments make a welcoming place to stay (Db-€60-110, extra bed-€20; 3-4 person apartment-€90-160—no minimum stay required; ask