Florence’s heyday as a European power came in the 15th century, when the Medicis made the city the capital of the Italian Renaissance, patronizing artists like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.

Even Florence's richest residents can't find year-round rentals because 30% of homes in the city center are on Airbnb, the Wall Street Journal said.

Art-loving visitors to Italy tend to follow a well-trodden path through Rome and Florence. But during high season, lines at the Vatican and the Uffizi Galleries can be punishingly long.

It's part museum, part workshop, part hospital for threatened treasures. At the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence, Italy, conservators work to restore cultural and artistic masterpieces, some ...