Top 10 Florence experiences

This ingenious and noble dome atop the Florence cathedral is an unparalelled feat of Renaissance engineering, and a climb up between it layers offers an amazing peek into the genius of its architect, Brunelleschi. The dome is also the crown jewel of the Duomo grouping, which also includes the cathedral itself, the baptistery's Gates of Paradise, and a museum of statues by Michelangelo and Donatello... » more

The streets around the Medici family church are now filled with a daily outdoor market of leather goods, T-shirts, and other excellent Florentine souvenirs. I get much of my holiday shopping done here (who doesn't appreciate a leather wallet or belt straight from Florence?)...... » more

Learn more than any guidebook (or website) could provide with your very own Florence giude. Stroll the medieval streets learning about everything from the Medici and Michelangelo to Dante and Galileo... » more

Instead of just returning home to rave about the amazing Tuscan dishes you had in Florence, why not return home armed with the skills and recipes to be able to replicate them?... » more

Sit down to a traditional Tuscan dinner of five or six courses lubricated by plenty of excellent wine that will last for hours, leave you stuffed for days, and give you a meal to recount for the rest of your life... » more

Florence makes some of the world's best ice cream, called gelato, and no visit is complete without indulging. Gelato is a Florentine institution—a creamy, sweet, flavorful food item on a different level entirely from what Americans call "ice cream."... » more

Head south of Florence to the storybook hills of the Chianti Classico wine country to sample vino straight from the vine (well, after fermentation and all). You can rent a car and go it alone, but escorted tours start as low as $59 per person, taking care of all the logisitics and entry fees and providing a professional guide—and a designated driver so everyone can indulge... » more

The Etruscan village next-door, a Tuscan hilltown just a city bus ride from downtown. Most of what people come to Fiesole to do is simply wander the streets for a break from the big city sights and a taste of small town Italy. But, as you stroll, do take the time to pop into a few of the the town's (admittedly modest) sights... » more

Florence's traditional fiaschetterie are modest little wine shops-with-a-bar named for the fiasche, or straw-bottomed flasks, in which Tuscan wines were once delivered from the vineyards. Although these flasks are now only found bottling cheap table Chianti and destined to become candlesticks, at a fiaschetteria you can still get a sandwich, platter of meats and cheese, or even a simple dish or two along with your tipple... » more

You can rent your own scooter or take a guided Vespa tour to explore Florence the way most Florentines do: by motorino. Just follow these safety rules and in no time you will be weaving in and out of traffic and escaping the tourist hordes to head out and discover the amazing hills hemming the city center... » more

This 3-hour fresco painting workshop will take you back five centuries to when some of the greatest artists the world has ever seen painted in Florence. It provides a hands-on experience and includes an art history lesson and instruction on painting techniques. Whether you’re a beginner or a nuovo Botticelli, this for-all-ages tour is educational and enlightening. And because this is a private workshop with a maximum of six participants, you can tailor the experience to your liking and get more attention from the instructor... » book

The "Vasari Corridor"—now lined with Renaissance and baroque portraits and peekaboo views over the Arno—was built for Cosimo I de' Medici so the Duke could walk from his home at the Pitti Palace to his downtown "uffizi" ("offices" in old Florentine) without having to mix with the hoi polloi on the streets... » more

To Italians, calcio (soccer) is something akin to a second religion. You don't know what a "fan" is until you've attended a soccer match in a country like Italy, and an afternoon at the football stadium can offer you as much insight (if not more) into Italian culture as a day in the Uffizi. ... » more