Cityjet launches new london-florence service

Getting to Florence just got a little bit easier with the launch of CityJet's new flight from London City – doubling non-stop services from the UK to the Italian city from one to two (the alternative is flying with Meridiana out of Gatwick).

It's a great excuse to return to this living museum and if you travel now, before the weather improves and the crowds descend, you might have to Pack a raincoat and a brolly and miss out on strolling around with one of the city's famous gelati in your hand, but the pay-off will be relatively unfettered access to some of the world's art treasures.

Compact and eminently walkable – how better to admire its quaint medieval streets – Florence is split into two by the River Arno. The Centro Storico is home to most of the historic and cultural sights, where you can also learn about the legacy of the Medicis and the influence of politics and trade on the fabric of this city, and understand the influence Florence had beyond its walls.

The south side of the river, Oltrarno, traditionally the artisans quarter, also has important historic sights, not least the Pitti Palace, but this is the place to get more of a taste of Florentine life.

Source: the Independent