Very little of the layout of the city has changed in central Florence since the time of Da Vinci so every move you make is in the footsteps of the great thinkers and artists who called this city home. People travel all of Europe for a taste of it’s history and culture, but for a small city, Florence is absolutly drenched in history and influence.

While only a small city-state, the ruling classes of Florence were incredibly wealthy and the city was most famously home to what was effectively their ruling family, the Medici.

Although the city was responsible for producing some of the finest and most beautiful pieces of art work ever produced, it was far from being politically stable and all the plotting, intrigue and backstabbing that went on was more than enough to make the most bizarre TV drama look dull.

Even a little research in to the Medici and others who lived through the Renaissance period will give you a much greater appreciation of the historical wealth of the city and the people who have called it home.