A center of medieval European trade and finance, the city is often considered the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and was long ruled by the Medici family. Florence is also famous for its fine art and architecture. It is said that, of the 1,000 most important European artists of the second millennium, 350 lived or worked in Florence. In fact, the city has also been called the Athens of the Middle Age. The historic Centre of Florence was declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1982.
The guide

Arezzo lies on a hill close to the Appennino Tosco-Romagnolo. As its architecture proves, Arezzo boasts its ancient origin first as one of the greatest Etruscan towns and then a strategic Roman city.
The guide

Lucca was the largest Italian city state with a republican constitution ("comune") to remain independent over the centuries - next to Venice, of course.
The guide

By far the best known sight in Pisa is the famous Leaning Tower which is but one of many architecturally and artistically important structures in the city's Campo dei Miracoli or "Field of Miracles", to the north of the old town center. The Campo dei Miracoli is also the site of the beautiful Duomo (the Cathedral), the Baptistry and the Camposanto (the monumental cemetery).
The guide

Siena may be the best-preserved medieval city in Italy, thanks to its conquest by Florence nearly 500 years ago. While the Florentines were busy launching the Renaissance, the Senese played the role of country cousins--and as a result, Siena (or at least the walled portion of the city) still looks much as it did in the Middle Ages.
The guide

Pistoia can be a real discovery. It is a city proud of its history and vestiges, which are almost hidden from hasty observers, only revealing themselves fully to those who are willing to devote some time.
The guide