Florence, Italy, was the epicenter of the Renaissance, the cultural explosion that propelled Europe out of the Middle Ages and into an economic, intellectual, and artistic boom time. Wealth from the Medici family is largely responsible for funding many of the city’s Renaissance icons, including Brunelleschi’s dome and Michelangelo’s "David." At http://www.ricksteves.com, you'll find money-saving travel tips, small-group tours, guidebooks, TV shows, radio programs, podcasts, and more on this destination.