Steeped in renaissance history, this city is a photographer’s dream. You’ve seen the money shot – the sweeping views over Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo. Hop on a bus to this picture-perfect vantage point (at sunset, preferably) and catch the light as it bounces off the tiled tops of houses and churches spread across the view. Back in town, a trip to the stunning architectural feat that is il Duomo forms an essential sightseeing component of any Firenze trip. For a taste of Florentine history, reserve a couple of hours to meander the Museo di San Marco, followed by Galleria degli Uffizi for a fully immersive dip into the world of renaissance art. Next up? Before your next bowl of pasta, take in Palazzo Vecchio.

There’s almost no such thing as a disappointing meal in Italy, and some of the food-oriented nation’s finest dishes await travellers in Florence. With a little Florentine flare, even a simple Tuscan soup becomes a memorable meal. With produce freshly plucked from the Tuscan countryside, Florence’s food scene is an inimitable one – think sun-ripened tomatoes served in panzanella salads followed by freshly made pappardelle and perfectly cooked steak (bistecca alla Fiorentina) teamed with a better-than-decent chianti. And, all feasts in Florence really should end on a slice of zuccotto (if you enjoy tiramisu, trust us on this one).

Like a hazy mirror, reflecting light from Florence’s iconically beautiful buildings, the River Arno runs through many famed Italian towns. In Florence, visitors stroll, gelato in hand, over medieval bridges (complete, of course, with the padlocks of loved-up tourists) that cross the river. Pack a picnic (tip: the fresh fruit of Tuscany is a flavoursome treat to behold), and sit on the river’s grassy banks as elderly Italians cast a fishing line, in preparation for their evening’s meal. And, from your picnic point, take in the sight of Ponte Vecchio as it arches over Arno.

Shopping, you’ll see, is a recreational pursuit the Italians do almost as well as they do dining. From the San Lorenzo Market, where leather goods abound, to the large Italian designer stores in the city’s centre, to the jewellery stores built into the medieval stone bridge Ponte Vecchio, Florence offers you no excuses not to bring back gifts for the people back home.