Things to Do in Florence

Florence is the cradle of the Renaissance — a compact, walkable city that holds more masterpieces per square metre than almost anywhere on earth. Things to do in Florence begin at the Uffizi Gallery, home to Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Primavera, Michelangelo's Doni Tondo, and hundreds of other Renaissance works. The Duomo, with Brunelleschi's iconic dome, dominates the city's skyline and rewards the climb to the top with views across Tuscany. The Accademia holds Michelangelo's David — still breathtaking after five centuries. Beyond the art, Florence is a city of extraordinary food: lampredotto sandwiches from market stalls, ribollita and bistecca alla Fiorentina in family-run trattorias, and Chianti from vineyards visible from the city walls. The Oltrarno neighbourhood, across the Arno from the tourist centre, offers a quieter, more local Florence that rewards an afternoon of wandering.