Florence

Florence technically exceeds the 50km range but is so extraordinary and so accessible that including it is essential — 90 minutes by train or car, and one of the world's great cities. The concentration of Renaissance art in one compact city is unmatched anywhere on earth. The Uffizi Gallery houses Botticelli's Birth of Venus, Leonardo's Annunciation, Raphael, Caravaggio, and hundreds more masterworks. The Accademia holds Michelangelo's David — one of the most moving encounters with art possible. The Cathedral dome (Brunelleschi, 1436) can be climbed for the finest view in Italy. Piazza della Signoria is one of Europe's greatest outdoor sculpture galleries. For day-trippers from Versilia: book Uffizi and Accademia tickets weeks in advance. The Oltrarno neighbourhood (south of the Arno) is less crowded and more Florentine — the Pitti Palace, Boboli Gardens, and artisan workshops of Via Maggio reward exploration. Warning: July and August in Florence are extraordinarily crowded and hot. Consider April/May or October for day trips.