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Which area in Florence - Santa Croce or near Duomo?

Which area in Florence - Santa Croce or near Duomo?

Old Aug 22nd, 2014, 03:54 PM
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Which area in Florence - Santa Croce or near Duomo?

I've narrowed my search to apartments in these 2 districts in Florence - Santa Croce, or just metres away from the Duomo (less than a 100).

Which of these areas is better for a young family's first time to Florence? We are arriving by train, and will have 3 nights in Florence, doing the usual tourist sights, plus hopefully a day trip to Florence.

Is one area more 'noisy' than the other at night (e.g. lots of pubs)?

Also, how important is it to have a dryer to dry clothes in winter? I will need to do my laundry while I am in Florence but am finding that it is quite rare to find a dryer in apartments.

Thank you!
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Old Aug 22nd, 2014, 04:03 PM
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We stayed in Santa Croce but we like to be a little out of the center of things. We enjoyed it. In the winter there won't be as many crowds so perhaps the Duomo area would be OK.
I have found that even if an apt has a dryer I usually don't use it as everything comes out wrinkled unless, you're lucky to find large US style appliance. Most are small and often one appliance both washes and dries, thus the wrinkles. Maybe finding a wash, dry and fold service nearby would be better in the winter.
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Old Aug 22nd, 2014, 04:04 PM
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Stay near the Duomo but be aware there are people there or near there sometimes late into the evening.

Go to a laundromat and forget about needing a dryer..you don't.
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Old Aug 22nd, 2014, 04:19 PM
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Are laundromats easy to locate in Florence, in these 2 areas?

Thanks for the quick response!
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Old Aug 22nd, 2014, 04:37 PM
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banoffi: I've been in Florence at the end of November, first week of December. The great plus is the fewer number of tourists, meaning you'll avoid long lines at the museums and less hassle boarding the buses.
I stayed at a lodging very close to the Duomo, and while a bit noisy at times, not so much due to pubs as street traffic, it was more than tolerable, again because of the time of year. In any case, since you are right in the center of the city, I recommend it.

There are a few other things you say that are a tad confusing, one: "will have 3 nights in Florence, doing the usual tourist sights, plus hopefully a day trip to Florence." ?? You're already in Florence and you're doing tourist sights. Why would you then need a day trip to Florence?

The other "I will need to do my laundry while in Florence." Hmm. Well, if that's indeed part of your trip plan - and apparently it is- simplify your life and just go to a laundromat as Dukey1 suggests.
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Old Aug 22nd, 2014, 04:40 PM
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Thanks zola.

i meant a day trip to Pisa, not florence.

And yes..it's part of my plan to do Laundry as I intend to travel light, and florence is the mid way point of my 2 week trip to italy.

Thanks everyone.
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Old Aug 22nd, 2014, 08:09 PM
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You have a young family: how young?

For a short visit with a young family, I think the Duomo location is best, especially if you plan a day trip by train.

I like Santa Croce but it's not as central.
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Old Aug 22nd, 2014, 08:17 PM
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We stayed here in April.It was a beautiful apartment just a few minutes from Duomo. Roberta was a great host.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/662667
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Old Aug 22nd, 2014, 09:30 PM
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Hi tuscanlifeedit,

my children are 10 & 12.

Are either of these areas close to shopping?
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Old Aug 23rd, 2014, 12:48 AM
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If you are going to be there in winter then your apartment will be heated and that's enough to dry clothes. Yes, the place will look like a Chinese laundry for 24 hours but that doesn't matter. We've used heated towel rails and a clothes rack to successfully dry clothes.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2014, 04:07 AM
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>>Are laundromats easy to locate in Florence, in these 2 areas?
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Old Aug 23rd, 2014, 04:46 AM
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haha thanks!

If it helps - the Duomo property is at Via Dei Oriullo, and the Santa Croce one is at Via Dei Rustici.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2014, 09:18 AM
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banoffi: You're welcome for anything you find helpful. Thanks for clarifying what you originally posted. My sense is that you've planned to do your laundry in Florence because it's part of a larger trip.
To that point: it's entirely your affair, of course, but how long and where else will you be traveling? If it is chocked full of destinations, you may want to forget about going to Pisa. With two kids in tow you certainly already have your hands full. Even if you're not going to a number of other places, 3 days in Florence is keeping your visit there to the very minimum and deserves all you can give it. Any one of the museums can take hours and the rest of the city, while mostly walkable, presents a host of other historical and cultural attractions.
As for shopping - and I assume you don't mean grocery - this is Florence! You'll be close to stores and stores and stores of clothing, many of them designer labels, along with markets for memorabilia and handicrafts wherever you are in the central city - and then there's a must visit to the Ponte Vecchio.

By the way, the Duomo property you indicate you're considering is on one of the city's more commonly-used bus routes. It would be a little noisier for that reason, but it's definitely in a central location.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2014, 12:20 PM
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Well we are currently in Florence and staying in an apartment right by the Duomo - on Via dei Servi and it is perfect! We are a family of seven - with children between the ages of 7 - 16 and being so central is great and actually where we are very quiet - very little traffic and no pubs! We did walk to the Santa Croce area today and it really is relatively central although it is magical seeing the Duomo at the end of the street.

It was an easy 10 minute walk from the train station and although we have a washing machine and the clothes have dried easily inside the apartment - we did spot a laundromat just down the street. I echo what other have said - there are heated towels rails in our bathrooms which would also dry things quickly in winter. There is also a small supermarket opposite us which has provided all we have needed for meals - as well as other places serving up fresh pastries in the morning.

So I would consider the Duomo area from our experience!
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Old Aug 23rd, 2014, 05:14 PM
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Thanks again!

We are doing a few days in Rome, then Florence, and moving on to Venice and Milan for 3 nights each. You are right about Pisa - I intend to play it by ear, and if we find we have some spare time, then we'll head down to Pisa. Another contender for any spare pockets of time we might have is The Mall. If I'm not considering a day trip out, would that make a difference to choice of location?

ANd you are right - i meant the fashion shopping, haha - although it's good to know whether either of these locations is good for groceries since my children like to eat in, and once in a while, they crave Asian offerings, so I'll have to don my apron at least once or twice this trip.

These are the attractions I plan to cover:
-Ponte Vecchio
- Duomo (and climb the dome)
- Pitti Palace & Boboli Gdns
-Palazzo Vecchio
- Museo Galileo
- Uffizi
- galleria Academy

Might seem strange, but the last 2 are options on our trip as I am not sure how well my kids will take to art. We also want to spend some time just walking along the streets of Florence, and visiting stores!

I plotted these out on a map, and it appears the the santa croce location is more central in relation to these - marginally at least!! I do think the whole of Florence is walkable, except maybe across the river?
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Old Aug 23rd, 2014, 05:32 PM
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JaxandCo: i saw on one of your threads your kids had read some books on Florence before you went. Could you share those titles with me?

Thanks!
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Old Aug 23rd, 2014, 08:31 PM
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I find Florence a little too crowded right by the Duomo and personally would much rather be by Santa Croce (or further out). However, just to give you an idea of how compact the central tourist area of Florence is, Google shows the walk from Via dei Rustici to the Duomo as taking 9 minutes.
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Old Aug 24th, 2014, 01:43 AM
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Thanks - Leely2, for that info.

Am probably going to go for the Santa Croce apartment, simply cos i prefer the look of it, and it has 2 bedrooms and 2 baths, so no one has to settle for the sofa bed. AND it has an elevator!
Only downside is.. no dryer but I guess we'll live!
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Old Aug 24th, 2014, 04:42 AM
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You'll be fine there. Florence is compact enough that you don't need to be in the center of the action. And dryers are a rare commodity no matter where you go.
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Old Aug 24th, 2014, 06:45 AM
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banoffi

Florence has a rather large Chinese population of very long standing and even more so neighboring Prato (5 minutes away by train if you are looking for a substitute for Pisa). You can find Aisan restaurants and grocery stores in Florence with a little googling. Might be more fun than cooking.


http://girlinflorence.com/2012/01/24...lazy-night-in/

http://blog.studentsville.it/restaur...serestaurants/

http://www.theflorentine.net/article...ssuetocId=8455
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