Piazza del Duomo
The remarkable Duomo, with its pink, white and green marble fa?ade and characteristic dome, dominates the city's skyline. The building took almost two centuries to build (and even then the fa?ade wasn't completed until the 19th century), and is the fourth-largest cathedral in the world. The enormous dome was designed by Brunelleschi, and its interior features frescoes and stained-glass windows by some of the Renaissance-era's best: Vasari, Zuccari, Donatello, Uccello and Ghiberti. Take a deep breath and climb up to take a closer look, and you'll be rewarded by fantastic views of the city and an insight into how the dome was so cleverly constructed - without scaffolding (though there's plenty of that propping the dome up now!). The dome still defines the scale of the city, and no building in town is taller.

Giotto designed the cathedral's Campanile, and Pisano and della Robbia contributed bas-reliefs. It too is clad in white, pink and green marble. The Baptistry is adjacent - it's one of the city's oldest buildings, and was originally a pagan temple. The building is most famous for its gilded bronze doors. Those on the south are by Pisano, but it is the doors facing east (and in the direction of the cathedral) that are most talked about. Created by Ghiberti, they are known as the Gates of Paradise (a moniker believed to have been dubbed by Michelangelo). Created between 1424 and 1452, their beauty and sophistication mark them as one of the first products of the Renaissance. The Baptistry's ceilings feature gory 13th-century mosaics of the Last Judgment.
Behind the cathedral is the Duomo Museum, which features original panels taken from the doors of the Baptistry, Brunelleschi's death mask, equipment used to build the dome and an impressive sculpture collection, including pieces by Michelangelo.

Piazza della Signoria
The piazza was at the hub of Florence's political life through the centuries, and is surrounded by some of the city's most celebrated buildings. With its famous group of sculptures, the loggia looks a lot like an outdoor sculpture gallery; Cellini's magnificent statue of Perseus and Giambologna's Rape of a Sabine are particularly striking.
Guarding the Palazzo Vecchio is a copy of Michelangelo's oh-so-strokeable David. The palazzo has been Florence's town hall since 1322. Its characterful tower is another of Florence's symbols, and the interior of the palazzo was lavishly redecorated by Vasari. An elevated corridor called Vasari's Corridor leads from the palazzo, through the Uffizi, across the Arno by way of the Ponte Vecchio, and all the way down to the Palazzo Pitti. The private walkway was used by the Medici family as a way of visiting their scattered palaces without having to mingle with the masses. The walkway is lined, as if merely as an afterthought, with works of art.
Backing onto the loggia, and leading all the way down to the banks of the River Arno, is the famed Uffizi Gallery. The gallery's wonderful collection is arranged to illustrate the evolving story of Florentine art. Some of the most famous pieces are in rooms 7-18; they include Botticelli's Birth of Venus, Titian's Venus of Urbino, Michelangelo's Holy Family and Piero della Francesca's Duke & Duchess of Urbino.

If you make it out of the Uffizi with any energy and concentration left to spare, wander along the banks of the Arno towards the Ponte Vecchio. The famous 14th-century bridge is lined with shops selling gold and silver jewellery - a step up from the butcher shops that lined the bridge before Cosimo I decided glitter was better than gore. The bridge was the only one in the city to escape destruction during WWII.

Santa Croce
If you experience a peculiar giddy feeling after visiting the Church of Santa Croce, don't despair. It's probable that you've succumbed to Stendhal's Disease, an illness diagnosed in about 12 visitors to Florence each year, and dating from the French writer's own feelings of culture shock and bedazzlement when he visited the church in the early 19th century. Geometrically coloured marble decorates the building's fa?ade (added in the 19th century), but the real treats lie inside, where many famous Florentines lie in peace, hopefully immune to the tourist footfalls. The walls are lined wit tombs, and 276 tombstones pave the floor. The church's most famous inhabitants are Michelangelo, Macchiavelli, Galileo and Bardi. Its various chapels feature works of art by Giotto and della Robbia, and the serene cloisters were designed by Brunelleschi.
Santa Croce's museum features a crucifix by Cimabue, which unfortunately was severely damaged by the 1966 floods. Other churches which shouldn't be missed include the statue-filled Orsanmichele; Santa Trinit?, featuring frescoes by Ghirlandaio; All Saints', with frescoes by Botticelli and Ghirlandaio; Santa Maria Novella, which contains Masaccio's groundbreaking Trinity, along with other significant artworks; the popular SS Annunziata; Giambologna's San Marco; and the Church of the Holy Spirit, one of Brunelleschi's last commissions, and featuring Filippino Lippi's Madonna & Child.

Just around the corner from Santa Croce you'll stumble across Casa Buonarroti, a house which Michelangelo owned but never lived in. Today, you'll find a collection of copies of the master's work. You'll find the real thing, however, at the Accademia Gallery: David in all his glory.

Piazza San Lorenzo
This lovely area is redolent of Florence in its prime, when Cosimo was king and cultural creativity abounded. San Lorenzo Basilica was begun by Brunelleschi in 1425 and is regarded as one of the city's purest Renaissance churches. The eastern fa?ade is especially interesting, as it is completely bare of decoration and reveals the antique brickwork. It was the Medici family's parish church, and many of the members of the family are buried here. Donatello designed the bronze pulpits, and he is buried in one of the chapels. Passing through the cloister, you reach the Laurenziana Library, commissioned to house the family's huge collection of books and featuring a sublime staircase by Michelangelo. The Medici Chapels are sumptuously decorated with precious marble and semiprecious stones; the most powerful Medicis were buried here. The New Sacristy was designed by Michelangelo and contains his Night & Day, Dawn & Dusk sculptures.
Adjacent to the basilica are atmospheric palazzos, with interior courtyards glimpsed through ancient wooden gates, and the especially bustling central market - the place to find bargain woollens and leather goods, especially if you're willing to bargain.