Florence, ITALY
Airing Date: Jun 21st, 2004
Florence is famous as the birthplace of the Renaissance movement and for completely transforming the world with its art and culture. It's a must-see capital of Tuscany, with some of the greatest artworks and architecture on the planet.
Think of Leonardo, Michelangelo and Botticelli and you'll start to get the feeling that is Florence. Since the 19th century, Florence has been visited by millions of tourists and continues to attract visitors worldwide.
The Piazza Dell Duomo is the number one must-see. Built over 600 years ago, it was designed by the architect Brunelleschi. He was so keen to get the project finished that he built bathrooms and kitchens up near the top of the dome so that the builders never had to go home. It was quite ingenious thinking because as it was, it took almost 20 years to build!
You can't miss the Piazza Dell Duomo's iconic pink, white and green colours and its towering cupola with magnificent bell tower. It features an enormous dome and stunning stained glass windows. It's also right next door to one of the cities oldest buildings, the Baptistery. You can climb the 463 steps to the top of the cathedral for around $7. The view from the top is said to be heavenly.
The next place to stop off at is the Uffizi, one of the world's greatest art galleries. It was built in the mid 16th century by the architect Giogio Vasari and is one of the city's key attractions. Unfortunately, the gallery's popularity means that you may have to queue for two hours to get in, but it's well worth the wait.
The Uffizi is home to more than 1000 paintings, including Botticelli's famous The Birth of Venus. The Gallery dell Academia is home to one of the most recognisable sculptures in the world, Michelangelo's David, who turns 500 this year.
Florence isn't just about art and architecture. It also has some of the best shopping around, with great labels and even better fakes.
You can also buy superior leather from the leather school Scuola del Cuoio, which trains the best leather craftspeople in all of Florence. Leather master Francesca Gotti explains to visitors how to pick genuine leather from its smell, texture and price.
Some leather handbags could set you back the price of a small car, but there are bargains to be found at San Lorenzo's market, where you can negotiate yourself a good deal. The markets have an array of merchandise and are open Monday through to Saturday.
Your final stop should be the Ponte Vecchio, also known as the bridge of gold. It crosses over the Arno River and was once lined with fishmongers and butchers. These days, it's one of the most glamorous places to be seen. It's overhanging with jewellery stores and crammed with visitors and big spenders who've come prepared to do some serious shopping.
