Florence, Italy

Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, is one of the world's most sophisticated and creative cities. Enchanting and intriguing, this is a destination to savor in history, art, and gastronomy, and it will be comparatively, and thankfully, quiet in October. Florence offers a lovely labyrinth of little alleys to explore that are dotted with magnificent and antique palazzi, medieval cathedrals, and world-class art institutions.

Autumn is also the wine season, with grape harvesting taking place in the region, and a great opportunity for a wine tour to a local vineyard, where you can learn about winemaking and sample local wines, in addition to the changing colors of the leaves on the trees in the town's parks, avenues, and streets, and the glistening reflections in the River Arno. Seeing the artwork and architecture of the world's largest dome up close as you walk to the top of Brunelleschi's masterpiece, or crossing the Arno on one of the world's most famous bridges, the Ponte Vecchio, are all fascinating.