Florence is the capital of the region of Tuscany, on Italy's north-west coast and it overwhelms travellers with more artistic splendour per square kilometer than anywhere else. In a single day, you can look Michelangelo's David in the eyes, sway to the seductive rhythm of Botticelli's Birth of Venus, and climb the modern world's first great dome. You'll stroll streets walked by Leonardo; window-shop the high-fashion boutiques; lick lots of gelato; and end the day bumping elbows with hungry locals in a crowded osteria. Atmospheric trattorie abound, and there are clusters of lovely little eateries south of the Arno and near the central market in San Lorenzo.
