ItalyGuides.it: Italy Travel Guide: Rome, Venice, Florence

A visit to the Uffizi means immerging oneself in the glorious history of the city. Its glass windows portray the Florence of Medieval times and the Renaissance. From here, you can see the River Arno with its Ponte Vecchio Bridge or a glimpse of the spectacular squares and old palaces, of which the Palazzo Vecchio is the most famous. But, above all, you find yourself face to face with some of the most famous masterpieces of all time.

If we were to choose which images most represent Florence we would probably choose two: the spectacular Brunelleschi’s Dome, never absent from traditional Florentine iconography and then the famous scenery of what is considered to be one of the most beautiful squares in Italy: the Piazza della Signoria.

The cupola on Florence cathedral, by Filippo Brunelleschi, can be considered one of the Renaissance’s main building enterprises. The highest expression of a new attitude, placing man and his abilities at the centre of the world and finding in classic antiquity the premises for cultural rebirth after the dark Middle Ages.

After four days travelling round the city, transported with the care and attention normally reserved for great events, Michelangelo’s David finally reached its destination and was immediately celebrated as one of the greatest masterpieces of Renaissance.

After four days travelling round the city, transported with the care and attention normally reserved for great events, Michelangelo’s David finally reached its destination and was immediately celebrated as one of the greatest masterpieces of Renaissance.

Thousands of tourists come to Venice to see and take part in its magnificent Carnival; walking round in fancy dress in this city's magical scenery means taking part in a truly exceptional happening. Those mysterious, disturbing Venetian masks, eyeing you from the city's alleyways are part of what we imagine the Venetian world would have been like 300 years ago. They are an irresistible attraction for what is undoubtedly one of the world's most unique experiences: the re-living of 18th century Venice.

Thousands of tourists come to Venice to see and take part in its magnificent Carnival; walking round in fancy dress in this city's magical scenery means taking part in a truly exceptional happening. Those mysterious, disturbing Venetian masks, eyeing you from the city's alleyways are part of what we imagine the Venetian world would have been like 300 years ago. They are an irresistible attraction for what is undoubtedly one of the world's most unique experiences: the re-living of 18th century Venice.

Few cities can claim such a priceless art and history heritage as Venice. This unique city with its magical, spectacular scenery is not just beautiful; it is a real miracle of creative genius: a city built on mud, sand and the slime of a difficult, inhospitable landscape. Venice is the symbol of wise government and freedom.

If you imagine landing in Venice from the sea, as did those who came inland by ship, the first thing you see rising out of the water is the unmistakable shape of the Doge's Palace - the city's most famous building. The Palace is the most representative symbol of Venice's culture, which, together with the Basilica of San Marco at the back and the Piazza San Marco in the forefront, forms of the most famous sceneries in the world.

The mightiest of Venetian monuments, the one that really shows the greatness of Venice is undoubtedly the Basilica of San Marco. It was built over several centuries, frequently transformed and enriched with precious treasures, often from the Far East. Its architecture, a mixture of Byzantine, Roman and Venetian, is the work of artists and craftsmen coming from all over. It can be considered a real laboratory, a living organism, developing and transforming over the centuries.

The greatest and most formidable amphitheatre in the Roman world. The event the audience enjoyed most was definitely the gladiators. Towards midday there was a break during which they removed the bodies and spread more sand on the arena floor. A deafening noise arose from the audience; the gladiators paraded into the packed arena triumphantly and were welcomed by fans like real heroes, a bit like today's sports champions. After a brief walk around the arena, the gladiators paid homage to the Emperor's stage saluting with the famous words "Ave Cesare morituri te salutant" (Ave Caesar, those who are about to die salute you).

The Pantheon is the Roman monument holding the greatest number of records: the best preserved, with the biggest brick dome in the history of architecture and is considered the forerunner of all modern places of worship. It is the most copied and imitated of all ancient works. Michelangelo felt it was the work of angels not men.

Excitement, risk and tension, were the ingredients of every chariot race. Circus Maximus is the biggest sports stadium ever built. Just think that it could hold almost three hundred and eighty thousand visitors with free access to races. Almost four times bigger than the biggest stadium today, an incredible number.

Excitement, risk and tension, were the ingredients of every chariot race. Circus Maximus is the biggest sports stadium ever built. Just think that it could hold almost three hundred and eighty thousand visitors with free access to races. Almost four times bigger than the biggest stadium today, an incredible number.