 The capital of Tuscany, situated about 30 minutes from the guest house, is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance and recognised all over the world as one of the cradles of art and architecture. With its numerous historic buildings, monuments and rich museums (including the Uffizi Gallery, the Palatina Gallery, the Bargello and the Pitti Palace Museums), it is known as one of the world’s most beautiful and important cities. The heart of Florence is Piazza della Signoria with the imposing Palazzo Vecchio, the gallery of sculpture masterpieces in the Loggia dei Lanzi and the nearby Uffizi Gallery, one of the most famous art museums in the world. Not far away is the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the religious centre, with its majestic cupola whose shadow, in the time of the Grand Duchy, was said to cover the whole of Tuscany. The vast cathedral is accompanied by the magnificent Campanile di Giotto bell tower, one of the most beautiful in Italy, and the Baptistry of San Giovanni with its famous bronze doors including the golden “Gates of Paradise”.
 The River Arno, which runs through the middle of the city, has played just as important a role in Florence’s history as the people who live there. Throughout history, the local population has had a love-hate relationship with the Arno which has brought them both flourishing trade and disastrous floods. The Ponte Vecchio, one of the bridges that cross it, is one of a kind in the world with its picturesque jewellery shops in the little houses built on it. Crossed by the Vasari Corridor, a raised path between Palazzo Vecchio and Palazzo Pitti, the Ponte Vecchio is the only bridge in the city to have survived the Second World War unscathed.
 The old town can be admired in its entirety from the surrounding hills, particularly from the Belvedere Fort, the Piazzale Michelangelo with the Romanesque Basilica of San Miniato al Monte, and the Fiesole hill which affords one of the most impressive views of the Arno Valley.
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