Florence

DVD. Vista Point. 26 Minutes. Florence is the capital of Tuscany, a city of art and joie de vivre. With its magnificent tower the Palazzo Vecchio is a communal palace that has been the city's political centre since the beginning of the 14th century. Originally it was the seat of the city's Republican rulers but soon afterwards the MEDICI dynasty settled there, the cleverest and most powerful of the handful of families that ruled over the city. In front of the palace's fa?ade there is a double life-sized statue that is a copy of Michelangelo's?'David', and in the Galleria Dell` Accademia there are several further sculptures by the great artist that idealised and glorified the strength of the Renaissance people. The three-sided Gothic cathedral and the Campanile are tightly packed into the city centre's Cathedral Square and the Santa Maria Del Fiore Cathedral is a replica of St. Peters in Rome and the Cathedral of Milan. The bronze `Tower To Paradise' adorns the city's most sacred building, the Battistero, its mighty inner-dome, in Byzantine style, being supported by strong Roman columns while, in a gigantic mosaic, Christ the `Judge of the World' features alongside angels and battles with the devil. San Lorenzo was the Medici's cathedral and one of the earliest creations of the Florentine Renaissance. To make way for it, an entire section of the city was torn down, a process that cost the Medici a large sum of money. Close to the Holy Antonius Cloister there is now a monastery and a museum and everywhere there are striking frescos by the artist Monk, Fra Angelico, several of which are on view in the monastery and its surrounding buildings. It could be said that the world obtained its taste for culture from Florence, a city in which art and culture unite in beautiful completion.

DVD. Global Treasures. 10 Minutes. In Italy's Tuscany, Florence is a city of art, culture, churches, grand squares and palaces. At the end of the 14th century, an elite handful of families ruled the city, most notably the Medici, whose highly ostentatious mausoleum was built in the Capelle Medicee. Pope Eugene the Fourth bequeathed the Dominican orders the ruined Monastery of San Marco and Cosimo De Medici financed the renovation of the site. The main part of the monastery is still inhabited by monks, who pay due deference to its many valuable paintings and works of art. Wih pride, and perhaps delusions of grandeur, the people of Florence demonstrated their supremacy over all the other towns of the region and the city has thus succeeded in being a combination of beauty, fortitude and religious belief in which art and culture are today united in magnificent finality.

DVD. Europe's Classic Romantic Inns. 30 Minutes. VILLA CORA This was once the family residence of the Openheim family, who built the neo-classical palace in 1865 when Florence was the capital of Italy. Managed by the charming Luigi Zaccardi, it is filled with gorgeous antiques that recall the opulence of that age. Luigi takes us in the Villa's Rolls Royce to visit historic Florence, including the famous Ponte Vecchio and its wonderful jewelry shops. VILLA SAN MICHELE This inn was designed by Michaelangelo and was once a Benedictine monastery. It commands a spectacular view of the city, and the interior is nearly as breathtaking with its antiques and Renaissance paintings. The inn's Franco Girasole takes us to visit a nearby Roman amphitheater. TORRE DI BELLOSGUARDO Dante frequented this ancient fortress overlooking Florence and was said to be inspired there. For centuries the home of Florentine nobles, Gianni Franchetti converted "The Tower" into an inn with all the trappings of a Renaissance palace. Gianni is famous for his "bomba," a cocktail he invented. He claims that after a few bombas, guests usually can't find their way back to their rooms-but they don't care. Regional Highlights: Paper Making We visit the workshops of Giulio Giannini, where they still make paper the same way they did during the days of the Medicis. We are shown the ancient technique they use to give their papers a marbled finish. Tuscan Cooking Randall visits the Cibeo restaurant, recently selected by food critic Patricia Wells as one of the top restaurants in Italy. Chef Fabio Picchi shows us his favorite recipe for fish, and explains why great Italian restaurants should not serve pasta. Florence the Museum The city of Florence has an abundance of important art works, including many buildings and statues. We take a tour of the city and see why many consider it to be a work of art in its own right. Tower of Pisa The famous tower of Pisa, an easy drive from Florence, is saved. After being shut for years, we meet the engineers who have worked out the ingenious method of keeping it upright and go with them by crane to the top of the tower to test their theories.

DVD. Young travelers from Alberta become immersed in Florentine history and culture.On a bike trip to the wine region they meet a fellow backpacker who has decided to live and work in the city.A night at one of Europe's hottest outdoor clubs Experience the rush of traveling the world for the first time with a crew of international back-packers, ages 16 - 22 on their quest for adventure, romance and the perfect moment. A variety of hosts from around the globe and the young people they hook up with on location are relentless in their pursuit of fun (and don't forget that culture, mate!) American girls explore Rome, Brits take on Thailand and things get wild when the Aussie's arrive in Copenhagen. Five continents, Unlimited Adventure. Take the alternate route, dude.