Overview
Florence, Italy, may mean different things to different people. To some, the beauty of the Tuscan countryside draws them in. To others, it is all about one word: food. While there is no such thing as “Italian” food, there are regional dishes, and in Tuscany that is beef. To many, like me, Florence is history. While not as old as the Etruscans, who inhabited this part of the Italian peninsula starting around 900 BCE, or even the Romans, who founded the city of Florentia in 59 BCE, Florence was one of the most important cities from the late medieval to the early modern eras.
Florence is a special city. It can be argued that it was the most important city in Western culture. It’s home to some of the most iconic art in the early modern age. It is also home to the creation of architecture, politics, and business. Did you know that accounting was invented here? It is hard to name the most famous resident of Florence. From people who only need one name: Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, Botticelli. To the pope who excommunicated Martin Luther. And we can’t forget the Medici family that supported many of the greatest artists of all time.
Visiting Florence
Florence is so much more than the big tourist sites. Yes, don’t skip the Uffizi, the Duomo, and the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze (where David is on display). But if you wander the streets, you will see a whole other city. A city of dicotamoy. From the latest fashions to the immigrant vendors on the streets of the Central Market, Florence is for sale. Unless you have some pressing reason, stay in the old section of the city. Around the Palazzo Signoria,m ideally. Eat where locals eat, in the many dining places on the streets in the area.
My second visit to the city was in March 2026. Unless otherwise indicated, all of the images are from that trip. Also, don’t forget to check out the related articles, which go into detail about various topics.
Affiliate Links Policy
Unless you are a brand new Internet user, you know the drill about affiliate links. They do NOT add to the cost of any product you purchase. And I get a few micro-cents from the purchase.
My personal policy on affiliate links I have on my website is this: I only promote a product or book that I use or read myself and personally paid for the item. This is not a review site where every product is great, every book should be the next best seller, and as Garrison Keillor said: “. . . all the children are above average”.
I also don’t hide affiliate links in the text of an article. All affiliate links are in a separate box at the end of an article. In addition to links at the end of articles, there is a page where I give my reason for every link on the site. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, email me. I am a real human, not some chatbot. Email address: adminmark@markstravels.com or use the contact form on this page.
