Florence Florence has an attractive historic centre, with some interesting architecture, including fine Renaissance palaces and the famous shop-covered bridge, the Ponte Vecchio. But Florence's most popular, most famous and most unique tourist attractions are those on display in the town's museums and churches. From Michelangelo's iconic and kitsch-ified David to the delicate paintings of Botticelli, Florence is home to some of the world's finest art. The birthplace of the Renaissance is now a crowded tourist honey pot packed with visitors being shepherded from one masterpiece to another. Florence is a place to attack with a shopping-list of attractions, not a destination for a relaxing, atmospheric Italian break. On this page we offer some tips for getting the most from your holiday, and will also be building a run-down of some the town's most interesting sights.

Florence Florence has an attractive historic centre, with some interesting architecture, including fine Renaissance palaces and the famous shop-covered bridge, the Ponte Vecchio. But Florence's most popular, most famous and most unique tourist attractions are those on display in the town's museums and churches. From Michelangelo's iconic and kitsch-ified David to the delicate paintings of Botticelli, Florence is home to some of the world's finest art. The birthplace of the Renaissance is now a crowded tourist honey pot packed with visitors being shepherded from one masterpiece to another. Florence is a place to attack with a shopping-list of attractions, not a destination for a relaxing, atmospheric Italian break. On this page we offer some tips for getting the most from your holiday, and will also be building a run-down of some the town's most interesting sights.

Florence Florence has an attractive historic centre, with some interesting architecture, including fine Renaissance palaces and the famous shop-covered bridge, the Ponte Vecchio. But Florence's most popular, most famous and most unique tourist attractions are those on display in the town's museums and churches. From Michelangelo's iconic and kitsch-ified David to the delicate paintings of Botticelli, Florence is home to some of the world's finest art. The birthplace of the Renaissance is now a crowded tourist honey pot packed with visitors being shepherded from one masterpiece to another. Florence is a place to attack with a shopping-list of attractions, not a destination for a relaxing, atmospheric Italian break. On this page we offer some tips for getting the most from your holiday, and will also be building a run-down of some the town's most interesting sights.

Milan When you visit this city, you will encounter Italy's financial center, offering an array of businesses, fashion districts and a wealth of art to explore. Take the time to experience the variety of monuments, museums, as well as churches the city has to offer. Art creations by Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci can be enjoyed throughout this city or you could embrace the exciting cultural scene by checking out La Scala, the numerous fashion shows here, as well as great nightlife selections.

Naples The islands of Procida, (famously used as the set for much of il Postino), Capri and Ischia can all be reached quickly by hydrofoils and ferries. Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast are situated south of Naples. The Roman ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum (destroyed in the A.D. 79 eruption of Vesuvius) are also nearby. As well, Naples is near the volcanic area known as the Campi Flegrei and the port towns of Pozzuoli and Baia, which were part of the vast Roman naval facility, Portus Julius.

Rome The Greater Rome area is full of attractions for all ages. Piazzas, churches, ruins and architectural masterpieces are only part of the Eternal City magnetism. For art lovers, Rome is the world richest city. Rome also teems with sound, starting before dawn lasting into the night. Church bells meld with honking horns to create a cacophony that somehow seems fitting for bustling streets lined with modern-day boutiques, shops, produce stalls and other kiosks now standing alongside antiquities. For the new millennium, Rome went all out to scrape away decades of grime and pollution, revealing more of the city original glory and making classic attractions -- from the Colosseum to Trevi Fountain and Piaza Navona -- sparkle again. Whether filthy or clean, Rome monuments stand as an ever-present reminder of its status as one of the greatest centers of Western civilization when all roads once led to Rome.

Venice More than 100 separate islands interspersed by some 150 canals with at least 400 bridges make Venice a navigational challenge for anyone attempting to see as many attractions as possible in what inevitably is too short a stay. No matter how much time is allotted, this city of romance has a way of making visitors feel their sojourn should be longer, the better to become lost in Venice -- happily, soulfully steeped in the watery maze of a surrealistic city like no other. For those who like to keep their bearings, signage just about everywhere along the narrow streetscapes points the way to major landmarks like the Rialto Bridge, St. Mark, the train station and the heart of the city. Central Venice divides into a half dozen neighborhoods -- Castello, Dorsoduro, Cannaregio, Castello, Santa Croce and San Polo.

Venice More than 100 separate islands interspersed by some 150 canals with at least 400 bridges make Venice a navigational challenge for anyone attempting to see as many attractions as possible in what inevitably is too short a stay. No matter how much time is allotted, this city of romance has a way of making visitors feel their sojourn should be longer, the better to become lost in Venice -- happily, soulfully steeped in the watery maze of a surrealistic city like no other. For those who like to keep their bearings, signage just about everywhere along the narrow streetscapes points the way to major landmarks like the Rialto Bridge, St. Mark, the train station and the heart of the city. Central Venice divides into a half dozen neighborhoods -- Castello, Dorsoduro, Cannaregio, Castello, Santa Croce and San Polo.