his life inFlorence under house arrest, and was protected and financed by the Medici. Hewas buried in the Church of Santa Croce. From the Medici family came two popes,Leo X (son of Lorenzo il Magnifico) and Clement VII (Lorenzo's nephew), twoQueens of France, Caterina di Medici (Lorenzo's great-grandson) and Maria(granddaughter of Cosimo I). Two daughters of Maria di Medici became queenconsorts of England and Spain. Ana Maria Luisa di Medici became "ElletricePalatina" when she married a German prince who was part of the group ofPrince Electors of the Holy Roman Empire.When to visit Firenze? Its better during the spring orautumn, when the city is less crowded. In the summer the city is absolutely fullof tourists and sometimes the heat can be almost unbearable. In the winter,although the temperature is sometimes below freezing, it hardly snows and thecity is less crowded. But of course the daylight times are shorter. Visiting Firenze: Ingeneral, tourists staying in Firenze for two or three days visit the Galleriadegli Uffizi, the Galleria dell'Academia (where Michelangelos David is ondisplay), the Complex of the Santa Maria di Fiore Cathedral (including the Domeof Brunelleschi, the Baptistery and Giotto's Belfry), the Ponte Vecchio and thePalazzo Vecchio. However,there are so many other places to visit that it is advisable to stay inFlorence for at least a week, to organize a program beforehand and to study alittle of the history of the city, to better enjoy the visit. Audio guides areusually available in museums and galleries. Pay special attention to theschedules of the museums and galleries because they are variable. Someattractions are always crowded, like the two art galleries mentioned above. Toavoid the long queues, there are two possibilities: buy a Firenzecard (good for72 hours) online or directly in Florence or book online in advance. Justwalking through the historic center, around the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio andPonte Vecchio, is a wonderful program and allows you to feel the uniqueatmosphere of the city. It's the first thing to be done and you can always stopfor a cappuccino! Also not to be missed, especially at sunset, is a climb up tothe Piazzale Michelangelo. We suggest walking there, although it may be verytiring, from the city centre across the Alle Grazie Bridge towards the DemidoffSquare, and then following the signs that lead to the Porta San Miniato, locatedin a well preserved part of the city wall, where the steeper part of the climbbegins. During the climb, dont miss a visit to the Rose Garden, especiallybeautiful in the spring. For those who dont wish to walk, there are busesleaving from Piazza San Marco, or taxis. Anothermust-see attraction is a visit to the Mercato Centrale. This market is behindand to the right of the Basilica of San Lorenzo and features, on the ground floor,stalls selling high quality foods produced mostly locally. There are also some eating spots on this groundfloor, but in the first floor (reopened in 2014 after renovation) there is afood court with offering panini, pastries, pizza, tartufo dishes (all preparedlocally), wine, beer, ice cream and coffee, among many other options. You buywhat you want on the food