Few nations, let alone cities, can boast of having nurtured such a remarkable heritage of artistic, literary, scientific and political talent as Florence, or Firenze. The roll call of artists and writers who lived and worked in the city is extraordinary – Dante, Donatello, Botticelli, Michelangelo and Machiavelli, to name but a few. Renaissance Florence remains very much intact and in evidence at every turn. However, its historic palaces, great churches, exquisite sculptures and countless other works of art are not crumbling relics but still a vivid and functional part of everyday life – worked in, lived in, prayed in, prized by present-day Florentines and accessible to all. Florence is far from being austere and haughty. Alongside the museums, art galleries and historic churches there are designer shops, beautiful piazzas, chic restaurants and cutting-edge clubs. It’s a city of a thousand secrets.
