On the rooftops or in the city's salon
Having breakfast on your private terrace so close to Brunelleschi's world-famous Dome, or the wonderful Torre di Arnolfo is something that will stay with you forever. Look out across Florence's rooftops and you'll be able to make out all the best-known sights. Or head down to Piazza della Repubblica and set off from there. The square has been one of the city's hubs since Roman times. In the Middle Ages it became a centre for trade, playing host to the Market, while Piazza della Signoria was the political heart of the city, and Piazza Duomo the religious heart. During the six years when Florence was the capital of Italy it was reshaped along the lines of Paris and its boulevards: elegant, watched over by the Triumphal Arch and surrounded by large palazzos (including Palazzo Levi) and upmarket shops, to this day Piazza della Repubblica is home to some of the Florence's most elegant shops and bars.