If you're left in Florence's historical center without a map, you're in trouble.
Coming from Chicago and being used to living in a grid, where I can find where I am pretty easily, I was completely disoriented by Florence.
The center of the city is Piazza della Repubblica. Designed by the Romans, the blocks have mostly 90-degree angles. But when you walk three blocks away from that piazza in any direction, the medieval city starts.
You come across narrow streets going in different directions. Nothing is perpendicular or parallel, and the risk of getting lost is higher.
It may take you a month to orient yourself. A straight street may suddenly become diagonal or curvy and you may end up going in the opposite direction from what you intended – or a route that you think is a shortcut may turn out to be terribly long.
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