Florence made a much better impression on me on my second visit, in May 2013, than when I first visited ten years before. Perhaps it was because I had not been traveling for as long before my second visit, or perhaps it was because I was older; either way, I found the city much more enchanting the second time around. Florence is a great Renaissance city, full of memorable art at the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia, including Michelangelo's masterful David. Florence's Duomo cathedral (aka Santa Maria del Fiore) is visible from outside the city, and is just as amazing up close as from far away. The inside of the cathedral is beautiful, but I'll need to go to Florence a third time so I can finally take a tour to the top of the dome. Not far away, Florence's picturesque Ponte Vecchio crosses the Arno River, which runs through the city; I found it fascinating to imagine what the shops on the bridge must have been like in medieval times. On the south side of the Arno is the Piazzale Michelangelo, which I highly recommend for a fantastic view of the center of Florence.

Logistics: Florence can be reached by car, bus, or train, but the central section of town is best appreciated on foot.