Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/604887
Florence | 35 floRence Firenze, a city of red-tiled roofs jauntily baking under a golden Tuscan sun, steals hearts in a sigh. There's much to be said about the birthplace of the Renaissance and seat of the legendary House of Medici, famous patrons of the arts. Considered one of the most architecturally beautiful cities in the world, its buildings are as easily recognizable as the famous works of art by Botticelli, Michelangelo, da Vinci, and Raffaello housed in the esteemed Uffizi Gallery. Among the most well known landmarks stand the orange-domed Duomo, the Cattedrale Santa Maria del Fiore, and its bell tower, Campanille di Giotto, the trio rising high above the buildings that make up Florence's heart. The Ponte Vecchio— literally translated as "old Bridge," dating back to the 1300s—connects the old and new towns, with jewelers, art dealers, and souvenir shops giving visitors reason to stop and admire the craftsmanship of the famous Florentine gold designs, leather goods, and views of the Arno River from the bridge. When the sense of sight is exhausted, those of scent and taste can easily take over. World-famous cuisine, accented with virgin pressed olive oil and washed down with the region's celebrated Chianti, rouse taste buds to dance. Inhale the bouquet of fine wine, the green scents of farm-fresh produce, and feel the sun on your back as you do so. That's all it takes to realize why people fall so in love with Florence.