• The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo), crowned by Filippo Brunelleschi’s revolutionary dome in 1436, was built without scaffolding using a daring herringbone brick pattern, making it one of the greatest engineering feats of the Renaissance.

• The Ponte Vecchio, the only Florentine bridge spared in World War II, has stood since medieval times and evolved from a street of butcher shops to a glittering row of jewelers under Medici rule.

• Palazzo Vecchio has anchored Piazza della Signoria for over 700 years, serving as Florence’s fortress-like town hall and political heart.

• The Vasari Corridor, commissioned in 1565, symbolized the Medici family’s dominance by allowing them to move privately between the Uffizi and the Pitti Palace.

• The Uffizi Gallery, commissioned by the Medici in the late 16th century, holds one of the world’s greatest collections of Renaissance art, including Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and early works by Leonardo da Vinci.

• The Galleria dell’Accademia, best known for Michelangelo’s David, also showcases his unfinished Prisoners, figures that seem to emerge from the marble itself.

• The Brancacci Chapel, painted in the 1420s by Masaccio and Masolino, transformed art with its perspective, light, and naturalistic figures, inspiring generations of Renaissance masters.

• The Baptistery of San Giovanni, one of Florence’s oldest monuments, dazzles with mosaic ceilings and Ghiberti’s bronze doors, nicknamed the “Gates of Paradise” by Michelangelo.

• The Scoppio del Carro, or “Explosion of the Cart,” is a centuries-old Easter tradition in which a decorated wagon packed with fireworks is ignited in front of the Cathedral, symbolizing peace and prosperity for the year ahead.

• Calcio Storico Fiorentino, a fierce blend of soccer, rugby, and wrestling dating back to the 16th century, is played each June in Piazza Santa Croce with teams representing the city’s four historic neighborhoods.

• Small terracotta plaques of saints guard many Florentine doorways, believed to ward off misfortune.

• Legend holds that Florence gained much of the Chianti countryside thanks to a cunning plan involving a hungry black rooster that crowed early, giving the Florentine rider a head start. The rooster still appears on every bottle of Chianti Classico wine.

• Florence artisan traditions grew out of medieval guilds, where masters of leather, jewelry, ceramics, textiles, and perfumery shaped the city's identity.

• Leathercraft, centered in Santa Croce, is renowned for meticulous hand-cutting, stitching, dyeing, and polishing that transform hides into journals, handbags, and jackets.

• The Scuola del Cuoio, founded in 1950 by Franciscan friars and master artisans, trains new generations in gold-tooling and hand-lacing, ensuring centuries-old techniques endure.

• Florence's perfume heritage, rooted in Renaissance apothecaries, thrives today in schools where visitors and students learn to blend Tuscan iris, citrus, and spice into signature scents.

• Santa Maria Novella is renowned for its striking black-and-white marble façade, which blends Gothic and early Renaissance styles, and its interior showcases frescoes by masters such as Ghirlandaio and Masaccio.

• The Santa Trinita Bridge, known for its graceful Renaissance arches, offers some of the best sunset views in the city and was rebuilt after WWII with original stone.

• The Buchette del Vino, or wine windows, once served wine directly from cellars and have been revived today for coffee, cocktails, and even gelato.

• The Ospedale degli Innocenti, designed by Brunelleschi in the 15th century, is celebrated as the first Renaissance building, with harmonious arches, classical proportions, and a long history as a children’s hospital.