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Florence: how is it possible to describe in few words the overwhelming beauty of this great town? It is impossible and the risk is to become ridiculous. The glory of Florence is rooted in its past: it has been the city where artists and genius were born and offers great buildings, formidable galleries and treasure-crammed churches. Even long after it had been eclipsed, Florence remained stubbornly determined to excel in appearance: and its skyline, with its rooftops and lofty domes, is indeed a picture. One of the joys of visiting Florence is coming upon the Duomo: you'll marvel at its towering cupola and its majestic campanile (bell tower), as well as at the stunning mosaics and bronze doors of the Baptistery. The enormous dome was built in 1296 by Arnolfo di Cambio and finished by Brunelleschi in 1343, while its interior features frescoes and stained-glass windows by some of the Renaissance's best: Vasari, Zuccari, Donatello, Uccello and Ghiberti. Near the Dome there is the campanile (bell tower), 84 m-high, designed by Giotto in 1334. For decoration, it boasts 16 sculptures of prophets and patriarchs (by Donatello among others) and bas-reliefs , which provide a veritable encyclopaedia of medieval thinking. Some of the most beautiful palaces in Florence belong to the XIV: Palazzo Vecchio for example, and Palazzo Davanzati, or the Loggia di Orsanmichele. Palazzo degli Uffizi, a Vasari project, was on the contrary built in the XVI century. If you cross the old Ponte Vecchio there is the Pitti Palace, one of the most visited sites on the southern bank of the Arno. This huge building was designed by Brunelleschi for the Pitti family, rivals of the Medicis. The palace houses a gallery of modern art and a costume collection. Famous Palaces are the Strozzi Palace, one of the city's most impressive Renaissance palaces; the Rucellai Palace, and the Pazzi Palace, attributed to Brunelleschi. Surrounding the rear of the Pitti Palace are some of Florence's most precious parks: the Boboli Gardens.

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