The "Divine" city lies between the hills of the Arno Valley and is idealized by a diaphanous, amber light which helps to mingle art and life gracefully, like no other city in the world. From a Roman garrison outpost, Florence grew to the incredibly powerful Comune and Signoria of the 11th and 12th Century. Anatole France wrote: "The God who made the hills of Florence was an artist", and centuries of Florentines have been artists, they invented the Renaissance, in a word the modern world.

For nearly three centuries, from Giotto’s time to Michelangelo’s, Florence was the hub of the universe, generating ideas that form the cornerstone of 20th Century thought. 500 hundred years after the Renaissance, Florence remains a Renaissance city. The streets in the center are still paved with uneven flagstones, and away from the main thoroughfares they are so narrow that the jutting eaves on opposite sides almost touch, keeping you dry on a rainy day if you hug the ochre-yellow walls. On a sunny day, look up at the skyline, at the terraces, the towers with odd gargoyles or coat of arms smoothed by time. 

The brown stone palazzi still seem to bristle as in expectation of forays by bands of Guelphs and Ghibellines. Indeed for many Florentines, little has changed since the times of Giotto and Florence is still the center of the universe.Through the year Florence is a delight. Winters are cold but well compensated by the lack of lines waiting to enter the Museums and by a good musical season. 

Spring and Fall are probably the best with their profusion of fresh produce and typical dishes. Be careful to check dates of Trade Fairs and Shows (especially the Pitti fashion Show - there is one for Ladies, one for Men and one for Children for each major season!) as Florence becomes VERY FULL!! 

When shopping in Florence bear in mind the Florentine character, which is unique in Italy and is as remarkable a legacy of the Renaissance as any church or monument. At all social and economic levels Florentines share a profound respect for two skills: craftsmanship and business, the activities that made Florence the richest city in 15thC Europe and which account for its modern prosperity. The Florentine shopkeepers are probably the most powerful political lobby in the city.

The most magical walk in Florence is down the Lungarno. Swallows fly over the domes of the many churches and the patched rooftops of the houses. The iron lampposts along the river, look as though they were still lighted by gas. Rowers in long boats occasionally skim over the surface of the fast-flowing yellow river, which gurgles beneath the arches of stone bridges. 

The Ponte Vecchio, with its goldsmiths shops elbowing for room on either side, dates from 1345, and the tiny jeweler’s boutiques that seem stuck to the sides of the bridge were once butcher shops. In the distance, atop one of the hills crested with cypress trees, sits the incredibly beautiful church of San Miniato, with its perfectly proportioned Romanesque facade.