Florence  (Tuscany: pop. 60,000 [ MAP ] 

Florence (Firenze in Italian)  is a town of Etruscan and Roman origins. Very active in the Medieval Ages  as an independent commune, refined by Renaissance arts and enriched by the Medici family. Cradle of  the pure Italian language, of civilization, and art, it is  a very important center of culture  and tourist destination for its historical remains and for its environmental  and artistic suggestions.  Florence is also a city of incomparable indoor pleasures. Its chapels, galleries and museums are among the most famous in the world, (Uffizi, Pitti, Bargello, Accademia etc. ) and its academies boast distinguished origins and glorious traditions; its libraries represent stores of high culture; its theaters were a model of style for all of Europe and the gardens are incomparable examples of Italian garden architecture. An absolutely breathtaking city, Florence has so much to offer the international visitor that every day it is a wonderful experience, full of surprises and delight. The streets of Florence radiate the charm of Italian culture. The centro storico (historic center), where visitors spend most of their time, is a tight tangle of medieval streets and piazze (squares).  Visitors can reach with ease the two most often visited sights, the Duomo and the Uffizi, in less than five minutes. The walk from the most northerly point, San Marco with its Fra' Angelico frescos and the Accademia with Michelangelo's David, to the most southerly, the Pitti Palace across the Arno, should take no more than 30 minutes. From the Santa Maria Novella rail station across town to Santa Croce is an easy 20 to 30 minute walk.