A weekend in Florence

From Renaissance beauties to beauty shops, here's how to spend two perfect days in the Tuscan capital

When to go
May, June and September are the best months.

Where to fly
Florence airport is practically in town but has few flights. Pisa airport has a wider selection of low-cost flights but it then takes an hour by train to get into Florence.

What to do
1. Go walking from the mighty Duomo to Ponte Vecchio: the narrow, medieval streets of Florence are best explored on foot
2. Hit the shops: head to Via Tornabuoni for your fill of Gucci, Prada, Roberto Cavalli and many more; to Via Calzaiuoli for top high street shops, including yummy make-up brand Kiko Cosmetics; to Via Roma for Luisa Via Roma, a directional boutique specialising in avant-garde designers; and to Ponte Vecchio for a dazzling array of jewellery.
3. Take a look at the paintings of Venus by Botticelli and Titian at the Galleria degli Uffizi museum, and rejoice: the goddess of love and beauty had quite a bit of a tummy.
4.  Take a pit stop from your cultural tour at the Uffizi's café for a close up view of Palazzo della Signoria with its asymmetric tower.
5. Climb up to the enchanting church of San Miniato, and soak up the far-reaching views of Florence.