Florence, Italy

Florenceis the capital city of theItalian regionofTuscanyand of theprovince of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 382,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1,520,000 in the metropolitan area.Florence is famous for its history: a centre ofmedievalEuropeantrade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of the time, it is considered the birthplace of theRenaissance, and has been called "theAthensof theMiddle Ages".A turbulent political history includes periods of rule by the powerfulMedicifamily, and numerous religious and republican revolutions. From 1865 to 1871, the city was the capital of the recently establishedKingdom of Italy.

LanguageFlorentine (fiorentino), spoken by inhabitants of Florence and its environs, is aTuscan dialectand the immediateparent languageto modern Italian.Its vocabulary and pronunciation are largely identical to standard Italian, though the hardbetween two vowels (as inducato) is pronounced as africative, similar to an Englishh. This gives Florentines a highly recognizable accent (the so-calledgorgia toscana). Other traits include using a form of thesubjunctive moodlast commonly used inmedieval times, a frequent usage in everyday speech of the modern subjunctive, and a shortened pronunciation of thedefinite article,instead of "il".Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio pioneered the use of the vernacularinstead of the Latin used for most literary works at the time.

PlacesFlorence is known as the "cradle of the Renaissance" for its monuments, churches, and buildings. The best-known site of Florence is the domed cathedral of the city,Santa Maria del Fiore, known asThe Duomo, whose dome was built byFilippo Brunelleschi. The nearbyCampanile(partly designed byGiotto) and theBaptisterybuildings are also highlights. The dome, 600 years after its completion, is still the largest dome built in brick and mortar in the world.[21]In 1982, thehistoric centre of Florence(Italian:centro storico di Firenze) was declared aWorld Heritage Siteby theUNESCO.

Piazza della SignoriaIt is an L-shaped square in front of thePalazzo VecchioinFlorence,Italy. It was named after the Palazzo della Signoria, also called Palazzo Vecchio.Florence CathedralTheCattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore(English, "Cathedral ofSaint Mary of the Flower") is the main church ofFlorence, Italy.Il Duomo di Firenze, as it is ordinarily called, was begun in 1296 in theGothicstyle to the design ofArnolfo di Cambioand completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered byFilippo Brunelleschi.

FoodFood and wine have long been an important staple of the economy. Florence is the most important city in Tuscany, one of the great wine-growing regions in the world. The Chiantiregion is just south of the city, and itsSangiovesegrapes figure prominently not only in itsChianti Classicowines but also in many of the more recently developed Supertus can blends. Within 32km (20mi) to the west is the Carmignano area, also home to flavorful sangiovese-based reds. The celebrated Chianti Rufina district, geographically and historically separated from the main Chianti region, is also few kilometres east of Florence. More recently, the Bolgheri region (about 150km (93mi) southwest of Florence) has become celebrated for its "Super Tuscan" reds such asSassicaiaandOrnellaia.

CostumsAppropriate Dress: Be respectful when visiting churches. Women should cover shoulders and knees. Neither men nor women should wear shorts in churches.Religious Services: Many visitors flaunt this cultural rule, but you should resist the temptation to walk around churches while services are in progress.Smart Casual: Italians tend to dress more smartly for social occasions, including eating out, than most U.S. and other European visitors. Men will only need a jacket and tie for the grandest restaurants, but should avoid sneakers, shorts, and sportswear, especially when dining out in the evening.Alcohol: Most Italians drink the odd glass of wine with meals, but excessive drinking and public drunkenness are rare and frowned upon.Good Impressions: Italians respond well to foreigners who make even a small effort to speak their language. Say good day (buongiorno) or good afternoon/evening (buona sera) in cafs, shops, hotels, and restaurants, and learn one of the expressions for thank you very much (grazie mille, grazie infinite, grazie tante).Caf Culture: Most Florentines stand at the al banco (bar) to drink their coffee. First, pay for what you want at the la cassa (cash desk) and then take your scontrino (receipt) to the bar and repeat your order. If you wish to servizio al tavola (sit down), then it is waiter service and you will pay more. Never pay bar prices and then attempt to sit at a table.Smoking: Smoking is banned in enclosed public places, including cafs, bars, and restaurants, but be aware that Italians still smoke more than most Europeans and North Americans.