Historic Florence is a repository of Renaissance art and architecture. The capital of Tuscany is teeming with masterpieces, including the landmark Duomo, which is capped by Brunelleschi’s iconic dome, the largest masonry vault on Earth; and the Pitti Palace, Florence’s vast royal residence behind which lies the expansive and stunning Boboli Gardens. Florence also boasts the Uffizi Gallery, one of the planet’s most revered museums, which houses works of art by Botticelli, Caravaggio, Michelangelo and more; and the Ponte Vecchio, a medieval bridge spanning the Arno River that is lined with jewelry shops.

In addition to Florence, Tuscany is a treasure trove of awe-inspiring hilltop towns and villages, including San Gimignano, famed for its skyline of medieval towers; and Cortona, an ancient Etruscan city that today is one of the main cultural and artistic centers of the Val di Chiana. Tuscany is also home to Pisa and its world-famous Leaning Tower and the Island of Elba, once a place of exile for Napoleon Bonaparte whose former residence is now a museum.