Small but mighty, that’s Florence. It’s compact enough that you can get a real sense of the city in just four days, even though it’s bursting with Renaissance art, architecture, and history. Our itinerary hits all the highlights, from Michelangelo to the Medicis, but also goes beyond them to the less-well-known—and less-crowded—attractions, which are just as spectacular.

Only have a week in Italy? Here’s how you can experience the best of Venice, Florence and Rome in one week and the best ways to get around.

From a distance, the golden-hued Ponte Vecchio and striped Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore define Florence’s urban landscape. Look between those landmarks, however, and it’s the city’s squares—known as piazze in Italian—that infuse Firenze’s storybook streets with vibrancy.