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Florence in italian Firenze is the capital of the region of Tuscany in Italy the city is considered a cultural artistic and architectural gem. Florence is an open-air exhibition of art and culture. It is famous worldwide, the heart of the Renaissance period and the home of the fine arts and literature. Florence has powerful symbols of Italian and European culture in every nook and cranny, to the extent that it is hard to identify this city with just one symbol.

It may be the sculpture of David by Michelangelo, or perhaps the romantic Ponte Vecchio, or Giotto’s bell tower, but Florence could also be represented by famous people such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo or Dante Alighieri, to name but a few.

So many lookers in such a good-looking city! Naked like Michelangelo’s David or rugged up in the latest winter fashion by their own world-class designers, Florentines and their city never fail to impress. Already in need of oxygen after admiring their art, visitors are mesmerised by the vision of locals at aperitivo time, effortlessly strutting, flirting and evidently enjoying life. At times it seems nothing much has changed since the days of the Medici.
Of course much has changed.

Florence’s short-lived stint as capital of Italy in 1865 was like a shot of adrenaline. The city bulldozed, constructed, rearranged avenues, wiped out whole quarters and tore down the medieval walls. And so the scene was set for the modern regional capital of Tuscany. Along the broad viali (avenues) that encircle old Florence a confusion of endless traffic tears around in chaotic style. Horns honk and brakes squeal as Florentines dart in and out of lanes in search of a break in the traffic. Ignorant of fear, motorini (moped) riders dash in and around larger vehicles, as if protected by some divine force.

FLORENCE TRAVEL GUIDES
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Virtual travel of Florence Italy
http://www.italyguides.it/us/florence/florence_italy.htm

Florence travel video videos
Walking tour, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza della Signoria, back streets, Hot Pot cafeteria - tasty and quick- Santa Croce, depart by train. Café Rivoire,  Palazzo della Signoria, small lanes, neighborhood cafes, Oltrarno.  Florence SM Novella, city at night, Pitti Palace, street markets, Accademia, David, Piazza della Signoria, train departure. Comments: most beautiful city we ever saw,” says one of our travelers as we reflect back - shopping on the Ponte Vecchio, visiting the Duomo, eating at Ciro and Sons and more. see these travel video
http://www.tourvideos.com/Florence-Italy-travel-videos.html
http://www.tourvideos.com/Florence-Italy-travel-more-videos.html

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/florence

http://www.travelplan.it/florence_guide.htm

http://goitaly.about.com/od/italytraveltips/ss/budget_italy_4.htm

http://goitaly.about.com/od/florenceitaly/tp/florence-free.htm

http://www.tripadvisor.it/Tourism-g187895-Florence_Tuscany-Vacations.html

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-191501765-florence_vacations-i

http://www.boo.com/italy/florence/reviews

http://travel.aol.com/travel-guide/Florence--Italy:52-destination-review-all

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Flo rence-151105/TravelGuide-Florence.html

http://www.aeroporto.firenze.it

http://www.comune.fi.it

http://wikitravel.org/en/Florence

http://www.welcometuscany.it/tuscany/florence/florence.htm

http://www.aboutflorence.com/firenze/

http://www.firenze-online.com/

http://www.firenzeturismo.it/

Florence By plane
Florence's Amerigo Vespucci international airport (IATA: FLR) (known to locals as "Peretola") has good connections to the center of the city, which can be reached in about fifteen minutes by taxi or bus. The Ataf-Sita "Vola in Bus" ("Fly by bus") service costs €5.00 one way, and makes the circuit between the airport and the central train station every half an hour from 5:30AM to 8:00PM, then once an hour afterwards.

Note that 5:30AM bus leaves from the corner of Valfonda and Piazza Adua which is north of the train station instead of from the ATAF-SITA bus station which is on the west side of the train station. You can buy the ticket on the bus.

Much cheaper flights to destinations throughout Europe can be found at Pisa airport. Low-cost airlines which fly to Pisa include Thomsonfly, Easyjet, Ryanair, Transavia, Wizzair and HLX. Pisa airport and Florence are connected by rail and by bus. Both leave from and arrive at the main entrance to the airport. The bus station in Florence is immediately across the street from the main railroad station, "Firenze SMN". Train schedules are available at www.trenitalia.it. Bus schedules are available at www.terravision.eu/florence_pisa.html. The buses run more often. Some trains do not arrive at the main railroad station, and others require a change at Pisa Centrale.

Florence By train
Modern, fast Eurostar trains connect Florence with Italy's main cities, and local trains from other parts of Italy and express trains from around Europe arrive in Florence. The main station is Firenze Santa Maria Novella, on the edge of the historic old town. Other small stations are Firenze Campo Marte (near Florence Stadium) and Firenze Rifredi. If you take an Intercity train to Florence, you may need to change at Rifredi for another train to Firenze S.M.N. The transfer between stations via train is usually already covered by your train ticket (to check for this, your train ticket should not differentiate between the Florence train stations and will simply say "Firenze"). If you happen to have a long wait for the transferring train, it is also possible to take a bus to the city centre, but this is probably not covered by your train ticket.

You might want to consider the overnight train connections to Florence from Paris or most German towns. You can sleep comfortably.

Florence By car
Florence is connected by good highways to the rest of Italy. The easiest way to get in and out of the city from the A-1 Autostrada, which connects Florence to Bologna, Milan and the North, and to Rome and the South, is to use the "Firenze - Certosa" exit. This is the same route for those leaving for or arriving from Siena on the "Fi-Si" highway. If you are arriving from or leaving for Pisa and the West on the A-11 Autostrada, it may be best to go by way of Firenze-Certosa and use the A-1 to connect to and from the A-11.

Driving in the historic center - inside the wide "viale" where the old city walls were (and still are, on the southern side of the Arno)- is strictly prohibited, except for residents with permits. Enforcement is by camera, and is ferociously efficient. If you drive in the prohibited areas, you will be tracked down, and you will receive stiff fines in the mail.

There is a very strictly defined route to get in and out of the city for car rental agencies in the Via Fineguerra and the Borg'Ognissanti, just south of the Firenze SMN railroad station. If you rent there, be sure to ask at the office how to get in and out without violating the ZTL.

Parking in garages and parking lots is expensive, costing upwards of €1 per hour.

There are three kinds of parking places on the street: white, yellow and blue. White is for residents only, yellow ones are reserved, so you can park only on the blue places. The price is €1 per hour and you have to pay from 8AM to 8PM (12 hours). Leave the ticket inside the car in a visible place. Attention: you need coins for the parking - the machine won't accept banknotes or cards.

You can also find 'free' parking at all hours at "Piazzale Michelangelo" on the south side of the town. However, there are time limits for how long you can leave a car, which are rigidly enforced, and if you violate those limits, your car will be towed. It's about a 20 minute walk to the city centre (down the stairs and across the Arno). It has gorgeous views of the city as well.

Florence By bus
Bus stops have clear, schematic labelling of the routes and are all named according to the street name or major landmark nearby. They do not always give an indication of bus times, however, so it is sometimes difficult to figure out how long it may take till the next bus arrives. Tickets must be bought in advance from Tobacconists or newspaper sellers, and are usually valid for one hour over the whole network, so that you can just hop on and off at will. 

Eating and Drinking in Florence: Sitting at a bar on Piazza della Signoria can be very expensive. Restaurants on or near the square are costly, too. Walk just a few blocks from the tourist crowds and you'll find less costly options. Here are suggestions for inexpensive places to eat in Florence, many of them popular with locals.

Florence has an excellent central covered market, worth a visit even if you don't want to shop. It's a great place to assemble a picnic lunch. More about Florence San Lorenzo Market.

Sight-seeing in Florence: Florence is an architectural treasure trove with many beautiful buildings to be observed. Many churches are free and hold important artworks. Florence is easily explored on foot so there's no need for transportation. Wandering around the city and walking along the Arno River are good ways to spend the day.

• Top Free Things to Do in Florence
• Florence on a Budget from about.com's Budget Travel