Experience Florence, Italy

Florence is renowned as one of the most cultural and historical cities in the world and is packed full of amazing architecture and places of significance. As the capital of the Tuscany region of Italy, Florence has a population of 383,000 and a wider metropolitan population of 1.5 million. This wonderful city lies in the central region of Italy and has a well developed rail network with connections to Pisa and Bologna.

During ancient history, Florence was once a Roman city and then developed into a thriving medieval commune. It is hailed as the birthplace of the Renaissance movement and throughout the 12th, 15th and 16th centuries, was one of the most important cities of the world. Notable residents of Florence included Machiavelli, Lorenzo Medici, Dante, Michelangelo, Donatello, Galileo and Raphael.

Today, tourism is undoubtedly a major part of the economy of Florence and an average of 13 million people visit the city each year. Aside from tourism, Florence has a major industrial sector and is a producer of such goods as furniture, rubber, chemicals and food. Industrial districts such as Prato-Pistoria have historically exported high-quality goods such as Vespa scooters. If you are looking for a dose of culture and want to see fantastic buildings such as the Duomo, Florence will not disappoint.

Florence's attractions largely center on art – from the works hung in the Uffizi and the Galleria dell'Accademia to the architecture of the Duomo and the Palazzo Pitti. But all of the beauty hasn't been captured in stone and canvas; make a retreat to the verdant Boboli Gardens, take a walk along the Arno and over the Ponte Vecchio or eat your way through Firenze's cafes, gelato shops and ristorantes.

Florence Airport, Peretola, Italian: Aeroporto di Firenze-Peretola and formally Amerigo Vespucci Airport, is the international airport of Florence, the capital of the Italian region of Tuscany. Address: Via del Termine, 11, 50127 Firenze FI, Italy. Code: FLR. Elevation: 144′