Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, still has the grace and poise of the artistic city it once was - almost as though nothing's changed over the centuries.

How does one qualify a city that has given rise to some of the finest artistes in the world and some of the most ruthless assassins. A city where the cold blooded Medicis patronised the likes of Botticelli and Michaelangelo. Where Dante, Donatello, Michaelangelo, Leonardo and many, many other artistes fostered one of the finest artistic movements in history? Florence defies description. It is city where chapels and cellular phones coexist with consummate ease. A city where fearsome palaces guard the treasures of the renaissance, while other works of art embellish the Florentine cityscape with a flourish that few other cities in Europe can ever hope to equal.

Florence, predictably is an art lover's paradise. The city however is also charming enough to delight the casual visitor, with its delightful Piazzas (squares), palaces and towers - each an open-air masterpiece in its own right. If you're planning to spend a few days in Florence, begin your art trail by soaking in the ambience of the city at the Piazza della Signoria. The square is one of the most beautiful piazzas in Italy as well as the scene of some of the most dramatic occurrence of the Renaissance. Find a table, take a seat and gaze at the beautiful Fountain of Neptune as you sip your cappuccino. The fountain is a tribute to the Sea God, surrounded by creatures from the deep as well as satyrs and nymphs. Close your eyes and you can almost see the havoc that occurred here when the famous reformer Sarvanola urged the Florentines to purify themselves by burning paintings that they cherished. Unfortunately, Sarvanola too went the way of his radical reformist ideas - up in flames. Michaelangelo's David once graced the Piazza before it was shifted to its present location and replaced by an inferior copy.

Once you've soaked in a little of the heady artisanship of the city, head for the Galleria degli Uffizi or the Uffizi Gallery. The Uffizi is without doubt one of the most outstanding museums in the world. The Museum has around 5 miles of exhibits and you would need at least two weeks if you wanted to see them all. The displays in the Gallery are grouped into schools or periods, which depict the progress of Italian and European art over the years. The Gallery has various masterpieces by the great masters like Michaelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli, Durer, Perugino, Bellini, Giorgione and Coreggio among others. It doesn't matter, whether you've heard of all the painters, for their work cuts across all boundaries, rendering a knowledge of art redundant, if you're willing to imbibe the spirit and passion behind their work. Let the paintings talk to you and you will be the richer for it.

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