Florence, the home to many masterpieces is the birthplace of Renaissance. It is rich in its culture, art and architecture. Florence has numerous museums and art galleries which still has an influence in Italy’s art and culture. 1.    Piazza Del Duomo :      This is one of the most visited places in Florence as well as in Europe. As seen today, it is a public space, which began its foundation of the Cathedral back in the 11th century and completed in the 14th century.        The exterior of the Cathedral is faced with marble panels of various shades of green and pink bordered by white. The group of monuments in this complex are part of the UNESCO World Heritage. It is considered artistically unique because of its spatial design. Its art treasures also consist of bronze doors and mosaics in the Cathedral.      Even after a hundred years of construction, the structure was still missing its dome. It is said that Leonardo da Vinci too was present in the workshop when the huge golden dome was decided to be built. He made some drawings for the dome’s crossing tower, but these never moved to the construction phase. The dome is still considered to be the largest brick dome in the world.      Piazza Del Duomo, which is geographically at the centre of the city of Florence, is also considered as the Square of Miracles. During the season, one will find this place crowded. To attract its visitors, the place is surrounded by painters, caricaturists, Café’s with fresh and variety delicacies. 2.    Ponte Vecchio :      Ponte Vecchio, meaning Old Bridge is an arch bridge over the Arno River. This UNESCO World Heritage site is the only bridge in Florence which spared from the destruction during the II World War.      One interesting fact the visitors will find here is the always crowded shops on the bridge. These shops are here since the 13th century. It is said that earlier it used to be the butchers and farmers who occupied the shops. But the present tenants are the jewellers, art dealers and the souvenir sellers.      3.   Gelato in Florence :                  The world famous Gelato is said to be originated in Florence.             Few things to remember when you order a Gelato: If you find a bright coloured one – it’s a bad sign. Gelato should reflect the actual fruit when mashed and added to it. It should be rather dull in colour like dull brownish green for pistachio or dull greyish brown for banana and so on.                 4.    Piazza Della Signoria :      This W shaped Square situated right in front of the former palace is definitely world’s most beautiful City Square. Visitors will find well-known gallery with statues recalling important events and myths in the city.      Other major attractions of Piazza della are the fountain of Neptune and the replica of Michelangelo’s David at the entrance of the oldest art museum Uffizi.      5.    Aperitivo :  When travel introduces you to history, it also    introduces you to its flavour. But it’s both when it comes to Aperitivo. Let it be any meal, Aperitivo drink is no exception. 6.    The Leaning Tower of Pisa :  Once one of the Seven Wonders of the World and now the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is the pride of Florence.  It is 88kms far from Florence. It takes approximately one hour 30 minutes to reach Pisa by the local train from Florence Santa Maria Novella Station. The train plies mostly every 30 minutes.      The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a 187 foot free standing bell tower of the Pisa Cathedral. It is well-known for its 4 degree lean, which is the result of the unstable foundation. Though intended to be straight, it is said that the tower began to lean during its construction in the 12th century due to the softness of the ground. The tower has survived at least 4 strong earthquakes since it is built.      After climbing about 300 steps to the top, you will be greeted with a stunning view of the entire town of Pisa. From the top, the red roofed buildings of Pisa and the Cathedral Square looks magnificent. There are 7 bells at the top of the tower.      Other than the Leaning Tower, there are two other structures in this Square. The Cathedral and the Pisa Baptistry. The Baptistry is the largest one in Italy which is a stunning culmination of works in marble and grey material. 7.    Accademia Gallery :                    This museum is undoubtedly the most famous for its sculptures by the great Renaissance artist Michelangelo. Michelangelo’s Prisoners, St.Mathew and above all the magnificent statue of David is what attracts the visitors to this museum every year.                    The main hall at Accademia also offers works by great Italian artists of the Renaissance era.                    Accademia Gallery offers free entrance to the visitors on the first Sunday of every month. Though comparatively a small museum, the collections in it itself makes it worth a visit and the Second most visited museum in Italy ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwgaQOGwW8A

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The Chitharal Jain Monuments; also known as Chitharal Malai Kovil (literally Temple on the Hill), Chitharal Cave Temple or Bhagwathi Temple, Chitral; are situated on the Thiruchanattu Malai (Thiruchanattu hillocks) near Chitharal village in Vellamcode in Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu. Chitharal hills are locally known as Chokkanthoongi Hills. Chitharal is historically known as Thirucharanathupalli – the abode of Jain monks belonging to Digambara sect. It is famous for the hillock which has a cave containing rock-cut sculptures of Thirthankaras and attendant deities carved inside and outside dating back to the 9th century. Jain influence in this region was due to the Jain King Mahendra Varman-I (610-640). It was converted into a Bhagavathy Temple in the 13th Century A.D. The temple is a protected monument under Archeological Survey of India (ASI). Plenty of visitors visits and enjoy the beauty of Chitharal hill and cave temple. Visit the place as a pilgrim not as a tourist. Jain influence in this region was due to the Jain King Mahendra Varman-I (610-640). During the rule of the Cholas in the 11th century CE, the decline of Jainism began. The Chitharal caves were then converted into a Hindu temple in 1250 CE and an image of Bhagavathy (Durga) was installed. There are nine stone inscriptions in Tamil Vattezhuthu (script), Sanskrit and Malayalam dating back to 9th century CE. Presently this monument is preserved and protected by the Central Archaeological Survey of India from 1964. Chitharal Jain Temple Vellamcode Tamil nadu | Kanyakumari | Incredible India | Backpackers Kerala #ChitharalJainMonument #ChitharalMalaiKovil #NomadicHarish #IncredibleIndia #Kanyakumari #BackpackersKerala #TamilNaduTourism #KeralaTourism ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfLWL95AUSk