This story appears in the February 2014 issue of National Geographic magazine. In 1418 the town fathers of Florence finally addressed a monumental problem they’d been ignoring for decades: the ...

Wondering whether the Florence Duomo climb is worth it? On my third visit to Florence, I finally decided to go for it. But not just any Duomo climb. What ultimately convinced me this would be ...

Spanning 28 rooms and three floors, the massive Museo dell'Opera del Duomo houses more than 750 works of art covering nearly 720 years of history. In short, it serves to preserve the artistic ...

Designed by Giotto in the early 14th century, this ornate 277-foot high bell tower is part of the renowned Duomo in central Florence's Piazza del Duomo. Although it is known as Giotto's Bell Tower ...

This lesser known Italian city is often dubbed the "Florence of the South" for its stunning baroque architecture but remains free from the crowds of tourists.