2. Shopping at the Mercato Centrale for fresh meats, cheeses, and produce is a truly Italian experience, and a feast for the senses.

3. Touring the Uffizi Gallery was wonderful! It is one of the must-see destinations in Florence, along with the Accademia and Santa Croce church.

4. Fiesole (a hill town with a breathtaking view down at Florence) was magical. Be sure and visit the Etruscan museum and ampitheatre, too.

5. Boboli Gardens was also wonderful, be prepared for lots of walking.

6. Getting to know my local bar and tabbachi owners, walking around and soaking up the everyday life were most memorable.

7. Going to Vivoli was a truly milestone experience in my love affair with GELATO. My boyfriend, who is Italian and lives in Florence, assures me that locals and tourists alike are correct in crowning it the best gelato in the city.

Quick Tips:

2. Gloves make great souvenirs, and for very high quality you can go to Madova (glove heaven) and get a pair of gorgeous cashmere lined leather gloves for about . Walk over the Ponte Vecchio and head straight towards the Pitti Palace, it's on the left.

4. LADIES: Do not miss the Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. Famous for their almond hand cream, they also have terrific soaps, sachets, etc. This used to be a convent and doesn't really look like a store from the street. Your best bet: splurge on a taxi (only about from the Duomo) and ask for VIA DELLA SCALA 16.

5. A great restaurant in the Oltrarno area is BORDINO, Via Stracciatella 9/r. If you go at lunch, you can get a wonderful lunch of soup/salad plus pasta for only 10,000 --OR-- a steak and salad for 15,000. We often go there, food is great and CHEAP!!

Best Way To Get Around:

I would stay here again if I needed a hotel in Florence. However, if you will be in Florence for at least a week, I highly recommend renting an apartment. It''s much cheaper and more convenient. You can find lots of websites devoted to this, such as this one or this one.

They had excellent local dishes, including steaks, pastas and salads. The staff spoke English and seemed used to catering to American tourists. I was there at lunch so I'm not sure if reservations are needed at dinner. This is a decent, inexpensive trattoria that I would visit again.

The menu is typical Tuscan cuisine, and they had a wide range of seafood, steaks, veal, pasta, and the like. The "shrimp cocktail" was interesting--instead of shrimp with cocktail sauce, it was small shrimp smothered in thousand island dressing on a bed of lettuce. But it was actually quite good! They have a good wine list and a large dessert selection here. If you cross the Ponte Vecchio and take an immediate left, it's at the end of the block. There is also a taxi stand right outside, in case you eat so much you can't walk home.

They have a spicy spaghetti dish that is out of this world!! I highly recommend that. The name of this restaurant means "inn of the insane," and the proprietor definitely lives up to the name. He's a really friendly guy who speaks English (somewhat) and moves from table to table, entertaining tourists and insulting the regulars, who love it. It's a fun, boisterous atmosphere with great food at great prices. They also sell cool bottles of wine with pictures of Mussolini, Che Gueverra, etc. on the labels. A cool souvenir for $10. They also have ice here--hooray!

Place your order with one of the charming countermen, and either enjoy your coffee the Italian way (standing at the bar) or pay the extra $1 to sit down at a table, inside or out. After you finish, pay at the counter. At lunchtime, you can get pizza by the slice, sandwiches, etc. I recommend the pollo e patate arrosto (roasted chicken and potatoes). This type bar is the most common equivalent of "fast food" in Italy. They also sell gum, bottled drinks, and snacks.

Bars like this are found EVERYWHERE in Florence, and it's fun to find one you like and pop in once a day for a coffee or snack. I recommend this one because all the staff is very friendly, service is quick and the coffee is great. Across the Ponte Vecchio, turn right and go about 3/4 block. There is also an internet access place right across the street to check your e-mail.

There are lots of other great artworks to see here as well. Don't miss Michelangelo's prisoners, unfinished sculptures whose figures Michelangelo believed he was "freeing" from the stone, thus the name. The original plaster of The Rape of the Sabine Women is also here. ~~~~

The Accademia is closed on Mondays, and I believe you need a reservation to buy tickets. However, check with your concierge or call 2388609 to confirm this.

The Campanile di Giotto is constructed of the same really cool green, pink, and white marble as the base of the duomo. If you look closely at the tower's panels, there are carvings of such things as the 5 liberal arts, the 7 planets, the 7 sacraments, and so on. ~~~~

The Battistero is shaped like an octagon, and is most famous for the bronze door panels. The east doors are the ones Michelangelo called "the gates of paradise." Inside, there are lots of beautiful artwork, including the disturbing Last Judgment. ~~~~ There is a slight charge to climb/enter all 3 attractions.

Some of the highlights are the Vittolone, a cypress tree lane on the way to the Isolotto. The isolotto is an island in the middle of a pond, with a walkway all around containing some interesting statues. ~~~~ I also like the statue of Bacchus riding a tortoise, located near the exit. There are some great views from the cafe located inside the gardens as well. ~~~~

There is a very small charge to tour the park, and be prepared to walk up some steep gravel inclines.

There is a copy of the David, and a wonderful statue of Perseo (Perseus holding Medusa's head) stands near the loggia. The loggia contains several sculptures, including the Rape of the Sabine Women. In March 2001, several areas in the loggia were cordoned off for restoration. ~~~~ In the middle of the piazza, the equestrian statue is of Cosimo I. ~~~~ The Piazza della Signoria is often quite crowded and it pays to watch your wallet here. There are several cafes on the edge of the square where you can eat lunch or just enjoy a cappuccino or glass of wine while people-watching.

One of the more interesting artifacts is a petition seeking to allow Dante's remains to be moved to Florence. (Dante is buried in Ravenna due to his exile; the tomb bearing his name in Santa Croce is empty.) One of the signatures on the petition is that of Michelangelo. ~~~~

Just outside the house, on the other side of the alley is the church where Dante's family worshipped. Just down from it is the Church of Santa Margherita where Beatrice (Dante's muse) attended mass. There are several beautiful paintings here, and the church has the typical Italian feature of requiring 100 lire be placed in a machine before lights illuminate the walls. Beatrice's tomb is located here as well. Apparently Dante saw her nearly every day and she inspired his writing, but they both married other people. ~~~~

There are some beautiful artworks in the church, including frescoes explaining the holy cross (for which "Santa Croce" was named). The church is a Franciscan one, and there are paintings dedicated to St. Francis as well. You can also see the high-water mark of the 1966 flood on many of the columns in the chapel. It did extensive damage to the building. ~~~~

After viewing the sanctuary area, if you go to the right of the pulpit, through the door and into the connected building, you can look around in the leather school. Some of the city's best quality leather pieces can be found here. They have inexpensive souvenir pieces, in addition to the more costly jackets and purses. On Sundays you must enter through the garden.

The church also has a small gift shop with religious items in addition to the usual posters, books, and postcards. ~~~~ If you can only see a few attractions in Florence, I highly recommend you make one of them Santa Croce. It can easily be seen in half an hour, and is definitely a must see. Remember not to wear shorts inside the church.

The church of Santo Spirito is regarded by many as the most beautiful church interior in town. There is no admission charge to view the sanctuary with its beautiful artwork. There is a beautiful version of Madonna and Child here.