Arguably the most romantic city in Italy, this treasure chest of Renaissance culture has style in spades. Florence may be much visited but it has plenty up its frescoed sleeve to keep delighting and surprising visit after visit. Gliding down the Arno in a barchetto (Florentine gondolier) must rank as one of the most visually lovely experiences anywhere. Gaze at the Gothic marble facade of Santa Maria Novella church, the oldest in the city before exploring the treasure chest of masterpieces inside.

A fifteen minute's walk from the piazza is the renowned and recently revamped Uffizi Gallery, the collection, bequeathed by the Medicis in 1743 on condition it never left Florence, is unrivalled, including a room brimming with Botticelli paintings and ancient Greek sculpture. The atmospheric rooftop cafe, with its hanging garden, was once the scene of musical evenings for the Medici clan. From evenings spent wandering through lemon-scented gardens to dinners on moonlit piazzas, Florence is indeed a cultural feast in every sense.