As Florence’s only royal palace, Palazzo Pitti is a must-see on the city’s tourist trail. It's also the largest museum complex in The City of Lilies. At some 32,000 m2, this is a residence fit for absolute rulers - from grand dukes to kings and emperors. The Palatine Gallery has works by Raphael, Titian, Rubens, and more.

Palazzo Pitti has come a long way since its original incarnation as the residence of ambitious banker Luca Pitti. Lavish touches adorn stunning architecture at this massive Renaissance palace on the banks of the Arno. Start your visit off like a Tuscan Duke by sidestepping the line-ups and waltzing right in.

Once inside the palace’s beautiful royal apartments and you'll see an eclectic mix of sumptuous memorabilia including furniture, paintings, and fine sculpture. You'll also get an incredible sense of intimacy – decorated with glorious gilding and stucco, these are the rooms where the residents actually lived. And with beautiful period furnishings such as four-poster beds (smaller than you might imagine), you really do get the feeling that you're among royalty.

The Palatine Gallery melds four centuries of high-style Tuscan living with Renaissance and Baroque paintings. It includes beautiful artworks by Raphael, Titian, Rubens, Pietro da Cortona - and many more. In another flair of the personal, the Palatine Gallery isn't organized chronologically, nor by school of painting. Instead, the arrangement reflects the tastes of the former residents.

Beyond the Palatine, explore the Museum of Costume and Fashion (five centuries of dress, accessories, textiles, and stage costumes), the Modern Art Gallery (Italian painting and sculpture from the 18th to early 20th century with a Tuscan focus), and temporary exhibition spaces that host rotating shows in fashion, design, photography, and contemporary art.

A visit to the Palazzo Pitti and Palatine Gallery will give you a sense of the everyday opulence of the aristocratic families who called the shots during the Renaissance.