There was one true Renaissance, and it occurred in Italy. The Renaissance was period from 1350 until 1600 during which western Europeans experienced a profound cultural awakening. This time period began the first city-states in Italy, which had luckily helped Italy avoid economic crisis. The Italians more than any other European culture had more of an attachment to classical traditions. With the many ruins in Italy of amphitheaters, arches, and old Roman buildings remained a constant reminder of their heritage. .
One of the greatest three ways in which the ideals of classical antiquity expressed themselves in the Renaissance through art and thought was the expression of humanism. As the newly discovered works cam to their attentions Italian scholars helped develop a strong interest in classical writings throughout Europe. This big interest in the classics was then dubbed "humanism". Humanists, mainly scholars improved their understanding of Greek and Latin, the study of old manuscripts and tried to copy the way of classical writing. .
Humanism helped branch out into many other sections of culture. Another one way in which classical antiquity was expressed was through literature. Humanism inspired new forms of writing. Many writings were done about everyday life, mainly because anyone and everyone could relate to the trials experienced in the writings. Sonnets or short poems were a big focus throughout Italy. One of the biggest poets during the Renaissance was Francesco Petrarca. He wrote over 366 sonnets and encouraged the growth in literature.
Yet to be altered in my mind, I find that art is the biggest classical influence during the Renaissance and the most remarkable. The cultural impact was set mainly in Florence, thankfully to Lorenzo de" Medici. When his rule set in at 1469 he continued to use his wealth to support artists and many others including philosophers. Humanism also helped influence the classical art that was set in mind.