About Florence & La Spezia
Florence (Firenze in Italian) is a culturally vibrant city located in the heart of Italy’s Tuscany region. Around every corner you’ll encounter jaw-dropping architecture, like the terra-cotta-domed Florence Cathedral. The mild weather makes it ideal for exploring the city on foot—we recommend getting lost so you can meander the streets and interact with the friendly locals.
Thanks to the city's small size, you'll feel like a local in no time. You can explore the historic city center and beyond in less than 30 minutes. Florence is also an art lover’s dream! Must dos: visit the Galleria dell’Accademia—home to Michelangelo’s David, the world-renowned Galleria degli Uffizi, and the iconic Duomo. Explore the lesser-known Boboli Gardens and Palazzo Pitti. Art is a great way to soak in the culture and history of this wonderful city. The views from the Ponte Vecchio and Piazzale Michelangelo will steal your heart, but the food, culture, and people will make you want to stay forever.
To explore outside the city, you can easily hop on a bus and head up to the hillside town of Fiesole. You'll catch a full panoramic view of Florence and enjoy the peaceful Etruscan ruins. Siena, San Gimignano, and other Tuscan villages are also a short bus ride away. If you have the travel bug, trains and nearby airports make it easy and affordable to travel to Milan, Venice, Rome, and beyond in Europe.
The best way to experience Florence is simply to wander through its wonders. This is how you'll find the hidden gems not mentioned in any guidebook.
La Spezia, nestled in the Liguria region between the Tuscan Alps and the shimmering Mediterranean Sea, offers a uniquely captivating Italian Riviera experience. In this region, remnants of ancient civilizations are evident in the monuments, buildings, and streets of La Spezia and the enchanting Cinque Terre villages. The Gulf of Poets, officially the Gulf of La Spezia, stretching between Portovenere and Lerici, has served as a muse for renowned figures like David Herbert Lawrence, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Lord Byron. Anchored by the regional capital, La Spezia, this picturesque bay embodies the region's allure. Liguria's charm lies in its striking contrasts: rugged coastlines juxtaposed with sun-drenched beaches, and vibrant towns steeped in the history of pirates and poets.
La Spezia, a prominent port city, is home to the Italian Naval Academy, renowned for its naval and mechanical engineering programs. It also boasts a thriving shipping industry and world-class naval design studios. Beyond its historical significance, La Spezia is the birthplace of the Italian Futurist movement. Conveniently located within easy reach are the town of Sarzana, the renowned marble quarries and Apuan Alps of Tuscany, the historic city of Lucca, and the vibrant Tuscan Riviera towns of Versilia, including Forte dei Marmi and Viareggio.
