ABOUT FLORENCE

Although the surrounding area was mostly populated by the local Etruscan people, Florence was founded by the Romans in 59 b.c.. The birth of the Italian Renaissance began here during the 1400's. During the unification of Italy, in the late 1800's, Florence served as the capital of the new Italian State. Florence currently has a population of about 500,000. The climate is temperate. A great percentage of the world's most important works of art are located in Florence. Major works by Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaello, Brunelleschi and Lorenzo Ghiberti are all located here in Florence. This is also where great writers such as Petrarch, Dante and Boccaccio lived and wrote their literary masterpieces. Florence today is a modern city with much to offer the visting tourist. From historic churches, such as Santa Croce to museums like the Uffizi, food, wine and leather goods...a visit to Florence is a must on any trip to Italy.