ART OF GOLD

Renaissance hub Florence is one of the world’s great art and culture destinations, with an unreal array of historical treasures in the heart of the city.

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From Michelangelo's monumental sculpture David to the many gems in the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, there is a phenomenal amount to see within Firenzes ancient walls and it’s not all Botticelli, Brunelleschi and ancient churches.

If you love your food and wine, then the Tuscan region's capital won't disappoint. Every meal on our trip, whether at a high-end ristorante or a conveniently located trattoria, was exceptional.

And one of the most pleasing aspects of a city break here is the accessibility: you can experience so much within walking distance of the main centre.

First stop Pisa

The most popular way for Irish visitors to travel to Florence is on Ryanair through Pisa Airport, which is about an hour away on a train (and a little longer in a car).

You could also fly into Rome and take a high-speed train from there which takes between 90 minutes and two hours. There are more regular flights to Rome from Ireland but it suited our schedule to fly to Pisa instead.

It would be a waste travelling to Pisa and not visiting its world-renowned Leaning Tower and so we flew in late and stayed overnight in a quaint family-run hotel that was about ten minutes walk from the city’s main attractions of the Leaning Tower, Duomo and Baptistry. It was a thrill the next morning to climb the 296 steep, narrow steps of the tower and the view of the city from the summit is superb. There was a convivial atmosphere on the green lawns outside where crowds were enjoying picnics and taking silly snapshots.

Welcome to Florence