We then walked through the atmospheric streets of Florence to the Medici Palace. The palace is typical of Florence, and therefore part of what makes Florence atypical of other cities. It was undeniably the artistic center of Europe and one of the power centers of Italy during the Renaissance. But it was also incredibly unstable, with families constantly warring with one another for control. This was an urban planning problem, since these warring families were also neighbors. So the narrow streets are lined with palaces that are essentially fortresses, massive stone walls and small windows, which isn't exactly inviting. Impressive, yes, but not exactly La Dolce Vita. The Medici were the most powerful of the warring families and controlled the city for much of the Renaissance. They were also Europe's most powerful banking family, and probably the richest as well. Unfortunately for tourists, though, only a small portion of the palace is open for visitors.