Firenze - Florence

Florence is a great place to visit for a relaxing and cultural holiday. There is plenty to do in Florence and the Tuscany region.

We arrived by train. After finding our hotel we went by bus to the historic center and headed toward the the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (known as the Duomo). I was promptly overwhelmed by the beauty of this building.

Other beautiful sights are the Baptistery (next to the Dumo) and its intricate doors; the Palazzo Pitti, with the Palatine Gallery and Royal Apartments; the Ponte Vecchio; the churches of Santo Spirito and San Miniato al Monte and of course "David" and Michelangelo's other sculptures at the Galleria dell'Accademia.

It´s unbelievable how much history is surrounding you wherever you go. It is a really special place.

Quick Tips:

If you are in Florence you have to got to the Piazzale Micheangelo. You can drive with bus number 12 or take a cab. As soon as you are there you will know why I recommend to go there. You get an amazing view over the city and the Arno. There is a sort of balcony where the best pictures can be taken, especially in sunset time. Unforgettable moment!

Best Way To Get Around:

In fact, one of the best things about Florence is that you can cover most of the city's sights on foot. Those few attractions which are not easily reached by foot are on main public bus routes. Taxis are an option (also an expensive on). By the way, Florence has tiny, narrow streets always clogged with bicycles, mopeds, and dumpsters and can be a driver´s nightmare!! You will also notice that mopeds dominate the streets, so use caution when crossing!

We stayed in the Holiday Inn Florence, which is located in the southern residential area of Florence, about 4 Km away from the city centre. There was a bus stop right next to the hotel, so it was no problem to get into the city centre.

It also had a nice restaurant called La Tegolaia where they served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Admittedly we never made use of it because there was this nice little café across from the hotel and we always went there for breakfast. Unfortunately I forgot the name of it, but it was great. Many residents went there and the cappuccino and Italian pastry were very good and cheap!

In the hotel itself we had nicely equipped rooms. The all had telephone, TV, radio, mini-bar, hairdryer, etc.

The hotel also has 24 hour free fitness and seasonal outdoor pool (when we went there it was closed).

The staff was friendly and they spoke English. When we arrived we could leave our luggage at the reception because the room was not free yet.

The remarkable Duomo is the fourth largest cathedral in the world and it took almost two centuries to build. You cannot miss it cause it is right in the middle of the city centre and an amazing building.

It has beautiful pink, white and green marble and you can climb up the campanile and the cupola del duomo. From here you have a great view over the city.

It´s Florence's most famous and I think most beautiful historical monument, although in my opinion its interior left spare, almost barren but in return its outside is so much the better.

Whether you are looking for designer clothing, jewelry, leather goods, or antiques you will find it in Florence. But be careful, Florence can be very expensive!

Designer shops like Versace, Gucci, Ferragamo, Prada, and Bulgari are represented along Via Tornabuoni and Via Vigna Nuova. My tip is to avoid the fashionable streets around the Duomo. You will find nice little shops in the side roads of the city, which are less expensive, or in the area around Piazza del Santa Croce and San Lorenzo.

By the way, one of the most famous markets is the San Lorenzo Market in the centre of Florence. Nice fresh food is offered inside the market building and all other things like shoes or clothes are offered on the street market. Worth a visit, especially on a nice sunny day!