1. Florence has large, classic Italian squares in abundance and they are great places to people watch. Piazza della Repubblica and Piazza di San Giovanni in the centre of the city are constantly buzzing, but the best place to sit down with an ice-cream and watch Florentine life go by is Piazza della Signoria.

2. Most of Florence's churches are free to visit. The best known of these is Il Duomo but there are others. Chiesa di Santo Spirito in Piazza Santo Spirito is one of the city's most beautiful examples of Renaissance architecture while Chiesa Santa Maria dei Ricci off Via Calzaiuoli is small but extremely beautiful.

3. The heading here is slightly misleading. You can't see the real statue of David free, but you can save yourself €8 by just making your way to Piazza della Signoria or Piazzale Michelangelo. There are replicas in both. The statue in the former is similar to the original but the one in the latter is green.

4. Located just 20 minutes walk from the Ponte Vecchio, Piazzale Michelangelo affords visitors the best views of Tuscany's capital. Every day hundreds converge on this large square to take in the vistas. The sunsets are unforgettable.

5. There is always something going on either along or on the River Arno. Rowers row, footballers play football just under the Uffizi and, if you're into wildlife, you'll really enjoy watching the otters swim up and down the banks.

6. If you stop in a café for a quick latté or espresso, make sure to drink it at the counter where it shouldn't cost more than €1. Take it outside to a table and you can add another €2 on top of that, just for sitting down!