Museo di Palazzo Davanzati (Museum of the Old Florentine House), Florence

An ancient 14th-century construction built as a residence of the Davizzi family (merchants and bankers), this palace bears the name of another family, the Davanzati, bankers for the Popes at Avignon, who bought it in 1578, enriching the facade with their large coat of arms. The palace is opened to the public as the Museum of the Old Florentine House, giving a fascinating and valuable look into a typical wealthy Florentine home of the Medieval to Renaissance era, complete with frescoes, painting, sculptures, and period furniture.

The upper floors can only be visited with a guide, requiring either advance booking on the website or simply booking a time with the receptionist. Seeing the upper floors with all the rooms where a wealthy family would have lived, plus a kitchen fitted out with all the equipment of the period, is absolutely worthwhile (the bedrooms, in particular, have stunning wall paintings), but the lower floors – holding wonderful collections of embroidery and lace-making – can also be visited without a guide. For older kids, the experience will be more educational and interesting than any description in a history schoolbook.