Firenze

Florence owes its fame to, among other things, being the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance (and hence, in my opinion, the Renaissance itself). The list of distinguished persons deriving from or relocating to Florence during that age is astounding. Among them are
Botticelli Annunciation
Of course, when one thinks of Renaissance one thinks of the arts (which was factually only one facet of the burgeoning humanist movement during the Renaissance). It is no surprise, therefore, that many of those named above were artists, some of recognizable fame, others more obscure.
Brunelleschi and the Duomo
Whether your familiarity with Florence derives from personal experience or photographs, it is apparent that the Duomo is the dominant architectual element of the city, its dome elegantly soaring over the Florentine skyline.

Its method of construction is also a thing of interest. Brunelleschi eschewed the conventional wisdom of the day which said domes must be constructed within an enclosing scafolding. Instead, he used the structure of the dome itself as it was being constructed as its own support, a method enabling him to build a larger more robust dome than those previously attempted.

I must confess I am drawn to Florence as much for the Duomo as for the other cultral attractions there. Michelangelo himself is credited with saying that he could not create a dome for St. Peters in Rome to match the dome created by Brunelleschi for the Duomo. I find many features of the Duomo attractive, including the use of dark and light travertine to create the distinctive patterns on the exterior walls.

Of course, there are also Ghiberti's Doors, the Gates of Paradise, which are found on the Baptistry in front of the Duomo. Ghiberti competed against Brunelleschi to win the commission for the Doors whose moniker "The Gates of Paradise" is ascribed to Michelangelo.

There are ten bas-relief panels on the Doors, each depicting a story from the Bible.

The panels currently on display on the Baptistry doors are not the original panels, which washed away during a flood and, upon recovery, were promptly placed in a more secure location (a museum).

There is a secret place in Florence(in the sense that I know what it is while you do not) I know my wife will find enchanting. I hope it remains a secret for her as I hope to surprise her with it while we are there! mention it here merely to pique her interest.
Michelangelo
Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni requires little in the way of introduction from me. A painter, sculptor, and architect of remarkable skill, Michelangelo employed and unerring ability to imbue his works with both powerful majesty and poignant gracefulness.