Florence is a walkable city and even that the museums and some churches are very expensive there are many smaller churches and many parks, plazas and neighborhoods that you can visit during your walks.  As there are many markets selling leather products and clothes and souvenirs, as well as fruit and vegetable markets.

Florence has an impressive past, a strong past.

                The Medici's were a powerful family that made Florence a center of culture and through their patronage of the arts it brought to the city painters, sculptors and architects like Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael becoming a beautiful city and the cultural center of Europe and the cradle of New Humanism. Besides it was one of the most important cities politically, economically, and culturally in the world from the 14th century to the 16th century. It is also attribute as being the birth place of the Renaissance.

Cosimo was the first Medici in power, he was succeeded by his son Piero, who was succeeded by his son Lorenzo who was a tyrant. During their reign there were many murders and intrigues.  Most of the Medici’s after Lorenzo rued from behind the scenes making them even more powerful.

Of course I went to see the Medici’s palace, which is very nice, no as grand as the French palaces but still nice. The rooms are adorned by frescos and by many of the tapestries used during this era.

The most famous painting is located in the chapel and depicts the Medici’s with the three wise men. It is a beautiful fresco however you are not allowed to take pictures of it.

All the rooms are very ornate and they are decorated with crystal chandeliers and tapestries.

Now a day the building is use as a municipality where town meetings are conducted.