Florence, Italy

What to expect in... Florence

12. Outdoor markets

Maybe you'll find some good knock-offs.

Florence is the home to a number of pricy fashion brands, some of which I've even heard of—Salvatore Ferragamo, Emilio Pucci, and Gucci.

11. Nude statues
They're dramatic too!

10. Time

People here spend more time with family and friends than Americans do. But not as much as southern Italians (who aren't known for being the biggest workers.)

9. Economic hardship

Even though this is one of the wealthier Italian cities, the economy has been dragging for many years. Unemployment is high across the country, particularly among young people.

8. Opera 
Modern western opera was born in Florence.

7. Pedestrian streets and piazze

People here love to be outside. You'll find lots of public squares, pedestrian streets, and outdoor tables.
The Boboli Gardens are really nice to walk around in too.

6. The view over the city

You can't beat that!

5. Pasta

There's so many types of pasta. They're very particular about it.

4. Il Duomo

In Europe, cathedrals can get old. The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore keeps it fresh though.

3. Wine and grapes

Florence is in the famous wine-producing Tuscany region.

2. Museums

80+ museums for one small city. It's overrun with tourists, which sometimes outnumber the residents. Places like these aren't that exciting to me.

1. Renaissance

Florence was a factory for geniuses like Da Vinci, Dante, Machiavelli, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael.

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