Florence - city of art and culture and birthplace of the Renaissance movement. The city's place on our European 'to do' list had been guaranteed after we had watched countless documentaries about the great painters and palaces of Italy.However, as one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, we were conscious that the place could be uncomfortably crowded during the 40+ degree Mediterranean summer. And we were not wrong. Thick crowds plus heat radiating off sandstone walls and cobblestone pavements, made sightseeing incredibly tiring.