A Cultural Break in Florence: On the Banks of the Arno

This world-renowned museum is known for the breadth and quality of its Italian art collections, which extend from the Middle Ages to the Baroque era. There are works by Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Piero della Francesca, Paolo Uccello, Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael and Bellini and Titian. Naturally, there's a long queue to get in. This is where your guide and priority pass come in handy. You'll also have a priority pass for the Grande Museo del Duomo. It offers access to the various sites of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, including the church, bell tower, baptistery and Opera del Duomo museum. Marvel at Michelangelo's The Deposition, Donatello's striking Penitent Magdalene and the bronze panels of Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise. There's no better way to round off a morning of culture than by sampling some Tuscan wine , with cheese and cold cuts.

Oltrarno. Across the Arno river is the left bank. The area maintains its industrial feel although gentrification is on the horizon, but the many local workshops are resisting it as best they can. And, of course, there's the Pitti Palace and tower houses there, which shows that gentrification has been on the scene for quite some time now. Accompanied by a private guide, you'll explore iconic neighbourhoods and buildings, such as the Santo Spirito, which features the architectural work of Brunelleschi. Just like the Brancacci chapel, in the church of Santa Maria del Carmine, whose frescoes are amazing, you'll see, for example, the famous Expulsion from the Garden of Eden by Masaccio. Like the Giardino Torrigiani, 42 acres of luscious plants and trees give a Renaissance feel to a 19th-century development.

Iconic Florence

The red roofs and dome of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence rise up between the banks of the Arno and Tuscan mountains. The city's splendour owes much to the reign of the Medici family, especially evident in its Renaissance palaces and churches. There's also a whole array of art galleries and museums to be explored, as well as over 150 antiques dealers. Food lovers shouldn't miss out on a 'bistecca alla fiorentina' (Florentine steak) or pasta with white truffle. It goes without saying that the Uffizi Gallery is one of the most stunning in the world. However, it's also worth seeing Pitti Palace, the Galleria dell'Academia, the Specola and its fantastic collection of wax anatomical models, the History of Science Museum, which has a section dedicated to Galileo and the Convent of San Marco with its paintings by Fra Angelico. Then, head over to see the royal villas dotted around the nearby countryside, such as Villa Medicea di Careggi, Villa di Castello and Villa di Pratolino-Demidoff. And if you're confused by the wealth of things to do and are unsure what to do next, use our local Concierge is at your service.