Florence, the birthplace of the European Renaissance is called ‘Firenze’ by Italians. It is the capital city of the Tuscany region, Italy. Its skyline is dominated by Brunelleschi’s Duomo (cathedral), the Palazzo Vecchio, and Forte Belvedere.

Terroir: Florence lies on a lower latitude than Avignon, in the southern French region of Provence.

Population: Florence is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,084 inhabitants in 2013, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area (the Province of Florence, re-named the Metropolitan City of Florence).