Tickets for Pienza & Montepulciano: Day Trip from Florence + Montalcino Wine Tasting

For lovers of art and history, there is no more special place to visit than Florence's Uffizi Gallery. Open to the public since 1765, this former magistrate's office on the banks of the Arno welcomes some two million tourists a year. The Uffizi's collection is laid out in chronological order from the 13th up to the 17th century, so visitors get to experience the evolution of Italian art, from the introduction of realism and perspective of Cimabue and Giotto up to to the High Renaissance of Da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael, and finally to the Baroque chiaroscuro of Caravaggio. A visit to the Uffizi is a unique chance to commune with the protagonists of the Italian Renaissance. When planning a trip here, always remember that the Uffizi Gallery is closed on Mondays.

Visitors to Florence's Accademia Gallery invariably come for one reason – to see Michelangelo's magnificent statue of David. David has been on display here since 1873 along with the artist's Slaves and St. Matthew. On a trip to the Accademia – originally founded in the 1780s – you'll also be able to take in an important collection of Renaissance paintings by the likes of Botticelli and Ghirlandaio, see the remarkable original plaster cast of Giambologna's Rape of the Sabine Women, and the charming Museum of Musical Instruments.

Since it was opened to the public in 1436, Florence's most famous landmark, the Duomo (or Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore) is a must-see city landmark. In fact, its towering size means you can't miss it. Filippo Brunelleschi's red-tiled dome is a wonder all on its own, but the architecture is as impressive inside as it is on the outside. Climbing to the top of this stunning cathedral affords great views of the city.