Pitti Palace

One of the few things that Florence (and most of Italy as a whole) lacks are the grand palaces found in cities like Vienna, Paris, and Madrid. Unlike these cities, no Italian city has been the seat for a great empire in a while. Therefore, the palaces in Florence were built for Dukes, not Kings. One of the few palaces that comes close to those in other cities is the Pitti Palace. It's a beautiful building just south of the river in Florence, and it was not crowded at all when I went. Inside is a respectable collection and lots of beatiful and extravagant rooms.