Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance, has
been a mecca for travelers since the 19th century, when English ladies
flocked here to stay in charming pensions and paint romantic watercolors.
These visitors were captivated by a wistful Botticelli smile, impressed by
the graceful dignity of Donatello's bronze David, and moved by
Michelangelo's provocative slaves twisting restlessly in their marble
prisons. Since then, thousands have followed in the footsteps of these
travelers, and who can blame them? The city is an artistic treasure of
unique and incomparable proportions.
