Tips to Tour the Birthplace of Renaissance – Florence
Florence is the capital of the Tuscany region in Italy and is credited to be the birthplace of the European Renaissance. 
Italy is an extremely popular tourist destination because it is home to some of the greatest artistic treasures and architectures of the world. Florence is the perfect destination for those who love art, architecture and heritage as the city boasts of many such sights. So, if you are planning to visit, come to Florence with plenty of time.
One of the best and comfortable ways to tour Florence will be to purchase the Firenze card. This card gives travelers free access to public transport as well as free entry to a large number of museums in Florence. The Firenze card also allows one to jump reservation procedure in some cases. The Firenze card does not come cheap so it is worth its price only if you plan to visit a lot of museums for three days.
The Uffizi is one the most famous museums in Florence. Travelers usually have to wait hours in the line to get in.
However, one also has the option to make an advanced reservation and skip the wait, but it costs extra. The time saved is well worth the money. The Uffizi houses many Renaissance paintings including Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus. One can book in advance over the phone as well as online, though the phone booking is considered a better option. The Bargello and Academia Gallery are also quite popular among tourists for housing paintings by Michelangelo.
Besides museums, Florence has many attractions like the Santa Maria del Fiore which is a beautiful cathedral and its dome is representative of the Renaissance. The Santa Croce, Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio are amongst the many other beautiful sights of the city. Viewing some of these sights requires paying an entrance fee and can be expected to be quite crowded during the tourist season. While in Florence one must take time out to
take a stroll down the Boboli gardens. The Boboli gardens are located behind the Pitti palace and allow one to view Florence and its numerous structures in a relaxed way.
Florence is a beautiful city to walk and view its various sights. The best way to absorb the essence of Florence is to walk its narrow lanes that cannot be accessed by buses or cars, but one should be careful with regard to scooters in the lanes. While packing for a trip to Florence, it would be wise to pack a pair of stylish yet comfortable shoes.
Another way of touring Florence is on bicycles, there are many bicycle renting centers in the city. Florence is a crowded city therefore one has to be very alert while riding bikes. Many hotels in Florence offer their guests free bicycles. Apart from these, the bicycle rental shops in Florence often organize guided bike tour which can be great fun.
