If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, The Hollywood Reporter may receive an affiliate commission. One of the top five tourist meccas on the planet, is welcoming all the world to visit this year, especially those who can trace their family there. Last fall, Italy declared 2024 the year of “tourism of the roots” and launched an ongoing campaign to encourage visitors with Italian heritage to come to the country.
A number of stars can trace their roots to Tuscany — the beacon of the Renaissance as well as the birthplace of DaVinci, Michelangelo, Machiavelli and poet Dante Alghieri — including Rose McGowan and Susan Sarandon, who has family in towns that are near the capital city of Florence. Roberto Begnini, born in nearby Prato, is an honorary citizen of Florence. One of the city’s finest hotels is , formerly a 19th-century palazzo.
Stay in the Royal Suite, starting at $2,135 (more booking options at and ), with its high ceilings and spacious living room, including a fireplace and a study, priceless ornamentation, antiques and artworks. If your wallet is feeling less than royal, try the Superior Room, furnished in classical or contemporary style with parquet flooring and a view of the serene internal courtyard or the garden of the St. Anna Convent, starting at $480.
Head downstairs to Harry’s Bar, a Florentine institution for seventy years. In 2021, Sina additionally opened by the swimming pool. Start with carpacc.