Known as the ‘Cradle of the Renaissance’, Florence is one of the world’s most enchanting destinations.

Wonderfully compact but bursting with culture and history, here, in this city strung along the banks of the River Arno, someone stopped the clock during the Renaissance. Its narrow, cobbled streets are lined with 15th and 16th century palazzi, and the medieval chapels and basilicas that sprung up during this golden time of artistic enlightenment.

At the heart of it all remains the Duomo, a vision of medieval, Renaissance and neo-Gothic perfection, crowned by the glorious dome that has dominated the skyline since the 1400s. Head up to the Piazzale Michelangelo to appreciate the city’s colours, a palette as dazzling as the ones of the artists who put this city on the map. You’ll find their, the likes of Botticelli and Michelangelo, paintings and sculptures in the world class museums and galleries that dot the city centre, a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Between cultural and artistic encounters, its best to pause and soak up the romance of this extraordinary city.