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Florence can overwhelm its visitors, with priceless art and historic architecture from the golden age of the Renaissance. The first sight of the Duomo's implausibly large, red cupola- an engineering miracle of the 15th century - is breathtaking. Medieval and Renaissance palaces, churches and monuments follow one another in dizzying succession. Even the retreating Nazis, bombing bridges as they left, stopped short of bombing the Ponte Vecchio, moved by its absolute uniqueness. Florence's combination of unequalled beauty with centuries of history is a heady mixture.

Yet Firenze is still essentially a proud, provincial town, with a conservative mentality. You sense that its citizens pay a certain price for living in an open-air museum. Don't be surprised if you find the Florentines a bit cold and stand-offish. I fact, those who deal with the masses of tourists are often the least cordial. But among the Florentines are many who will offer the visitor a warm smile and helpful gesture. And the vitality of this small city, the robustness of its cuisine, the enduring beauty of its architecture and the richness of its treasures will always educate, exhilarate and dazzle those who go to see it.