Walk with me over the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) as I share the history of this beloved bridge that was spared in WWII and today is filled with charming shops filled with unique gold and other jewellery.

Upon arriving in Piazza della Signoria, Florence’s main square, you will see the fake David and the buildings of the Florentine city hall and county government offices, as well as Neptune’s Fountain and Loggia dei Lanzi.

It’s hard to imagine the sheer size of the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore, also referred to as the Duomo of Florence, until you turn a corner and are overwhelmed by the beauty and height of Brunelleschi’s famous dome, Giotto’s colorful Bell Tower, and the carved bronze Baptistery doors across from the entrance of the main church.

This is the quintessential core of Florence, ancient Roman forum but today filled with Neoclassical buildings but still the center of its buzzing life.

The most beautiful and best preserved example of civil Renaissance architecture, home to a prestigious local family until a century ago.