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Rick Steves' Europe
Florence: Heart of the Renaissance
Season 7
Episode 704
Fifteenth-century Florence was the home of the Renaissance and the birthplace of our modern world. In this first of two episodes, we gaze into the self-assured eyes of Michelangelo's David, enjoy Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, delve into the 3-D wonders of Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise, appreciate Fra Angelico’s serene beauty, and climb the dome that kicked off the Renaissance.
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27:10
Seductive Venice; cultured Florence; charming hill towns; eternal Rome; Naples; Sicily.
25:33
Warsaw's heavy history and lively bustle; red-brick Toruń; Malbork Castle; maritime Gdańsk.
24:56
Kraków's grand square, Wawel Castle, communist-era Nowa Huta; sobering Auschwitz-Birkenau.
25:34
The ultimate road trip; Lake Mývatn; Eastfjords; lagoons and waterfalls; Westman Islands.
25:38
The vibrant capital; Blue Lagoon; Golden Circle's majestic nature; Snæfellsnes Peninsula.
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25:16
The turbulent century and its rule-breaking art—Picasso, Surrealism and edgy architecture.
28:26
Shimmering Impressionist canvases by Monet and Renoir, plus Van Gogh, Gauguin and more.
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25:18
Roaming Europe, we admire stately Neoclassical buildings and dramatic Romantic paintings.
28:22
We marvel at Baroque’s over-the-top churches, palaces, bubbly fountains, and theatric art.
28:42
From Portugal to Germany, booming economies and new technologies produce exquisite art.
28:03
Florence’s bold “rebirth” is powered by the genius of Leonardo, Rafael, and Michelangelo.
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25:36
Soaring Gothic cathedrals of radiant stained glass, plus art celebrating worldly pleasure.