City of Florence

Florence is the capital of the region of Tuscany, it enjoys of a population of around half a million inhabitants, this city is located on the banks of the Arno, between the Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian seas, almost in the middle of the Italian peninsula. Florence possess industries and craft, commerce and culture, art and science. Being on the main national railway lines, it is easily accessible from most important places both in Italy and abroad. The Florence "Vespucci" airport, where both national and international airlines stop, is located 5 Km. from the city centre. The main motorway, A1, connects Florence with Bologna and Milano in the North and Rome and Naples in the South. The motorway A11 to the sea joins it to Prato, Pistoia, Montecatini, Lucca, Pisa and all the resorts on the Tyrrhenian sea. There is also motorway which connects Florence to Siena. The climate is temperate but rather variable, with breezy winters and hot summers.

The Chianti area, between Florence and Siena, is one of the most beautiful countrysides in Italy and a famous wine production area. Tourism and crafts produce abundant sources of income (jewelry, embroidery, footwear, leatherwork, ceramics, wrought-iron and basket work, lace and reproduction furniture).

Florence attracts a high proportion of international travelers to Italy. The city is a live centre of culture, and coordinates periodical exhibitions and art festivals. Industry, though consisting generally of small and medium-sized firms, has fairly important precision engineering, optical, pharmaceutical, chemical, metallurgical, publishing and textile sectors. The economy of Florence is based mainly on the services sector, as the city is an important commercial centre. The traditional centuries-old banking and financial sector continues to flourish.

Florence is a complicated city for beginners, the total volume of people crammed into this centre of this Renaissance city can be overwhelming. But visiting out of season, when the queues are shorter and all is more calmed. Nearly all of the main sights in Florence lie within the "centro storico". However, there is so much classic art that even given the city's small size, it's impossible to see it all in a short visit. Go for quality, not quantity and don’t feel as if you have to see it all.