patti

Hello--Has anyone ever stayed at the Porta Rossa in Florence? How about the Hotel Basilea? Am trying to make my final hotel choice and need some help! <BR> <BR>Also, of Saturday, Sunday or Tuesday, is one day less crazy than others for the Uffizi? <BR> <BR>I've been to Florence before so I've seen all the must-see sights but can anyone offer suggestions on the second-tier things to see? After the Duomo and Santa Croce, which churches? After the Galleria and the Uffizi, which museums? <BR> <BR>Please help--I'll be leaving on my trip in 18 days! <BR> <BR>Thanks.

steve

I don't know the hotels you mentioned, but I can highly recommend the Martelli hotel. Here's the URL: <BR>http://ucgi.venere.it/firenze/martelli/ <BR> <BR>

cmt

I would consider the Bargello, my favorite Florentine museum, a "MUST SEE" museum, but if you somehow missed it, don't miss it this time! It's a Renaissance sculpture museum in a wonderful setting. Surprisingly, it was not too crowded the last time I was there three years ago. <BR> <BR> If you're looking instead for some much less common museums, the Museum of History of Science is quite interesting, has a lot of scientific instruments (navigational, astronomical, medical) that are quite beautiful in their own right, and the labeling is good and helpful. It was teh only museum open one time when I was in Florence during a museum strike. <BR> <BR>A public bus ride and several hours in Fiesole is lovely for a second trip to Florence. <BR> <BR>Re churches: If you pick a few neighborhoods to walk through in depth, you can stop in every church. (Unfortunately, I tend to forget the names, and my guie books are not handy at the moment.)

Rex

Whether one particular day is less crazy or not, one thing you don't need is to stand in long lines to get into the Uffizi. <BR> <BR>================================== <BR> <BR>Florence's Uffizi Gallery has the greatest collection of Italian paintings anywhere, with plenty of works by Giotto, Leonardo, Raphael, Caravaggio, Rubens, Titian, Michelangelo (his only surviving easel painting), and Botticelli (his Birth of Venus and many more). <BR> <BR> Because only 600 visitors are allowed in at a time, during the day there's up to a two-hour wait. You can avoid the wait either by visiting late in the day, around 6 p.m., when lines disappear, or by making a reservation. It's easy and costs only $1.50. Simply telephone during office hours, choose a time, leave your name and museum personnel will give you a 15-minute entry-time window and a five-digit confirmation number (call 055-294-883 in Italy, Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-noon; dial 011-39-055-294-883 from the States). <BR> <BR> At the Uffizi, walk briskly past the long line to the special entrance for those with reservations, give your name and number, pay (cash only), and scoot right in. You can reserve from 24 hours to months in advance. <BR> <BR> Even though I'd rather visit late in the day and skip the hassle of reservations, I find the Uffizi's reservation system slick - and for a daytime visit, a super timesaver. <BR> <BR>===================== <BR> <BR>Reference: http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/t...ves009016.html <BR> <BR>Regrettably, Rick (Steves) no longer seems to be making any further contributions to this occasional series he did for ABC News. I assume that some kind of contract agreement precluded him from including any of these pieces on his own web site. Too bad - - a number of them were quite good - - see http://www.abcnews.go.com/sections/t...s_archive.html for the complete listing. <BR>

eva

Museumargello,San Marco-Fra Angelico,Fondation Horne,Museo degli Argenti in Palazzo Pitti-siverware and precious objects of the Medici collection <BR>Church:Capella Brancacci-Masaccio,Capella Dei Magi in Palazzo Medici Riccardi by Benozzo Gozzoli

trish gordon

My twenty thousand lira - great hotel called the Torre Guelfa - great for walking to everything - has the highest private tower in Florence with spectacular views. Go up the hill the Piazza Michelangelo after you have eaten a big lunch - then relax on the terrace there with a espresso - very touristy but wonderful views of the Arno and the rest of the Florence skyline. Have fun - I'm so jealous! oh and don't forget the Medici tombs - sounds morbid but some were designed by Michelangelo and the contrast is amazing - very peaceful and cool.

Deb

I loved the Boboli Gardens but it might be a little cool when you are there. Beautiful pathways all over ultimately leading to a great view over the Florence side and the Tuscan countryside. I ran into a person who lives in Florence who recommended the Piazza Michelangelo at sunset but I didn't have time that night to make it there.

hb9542

I have stayed at the Hotel Porta Rossa and am in fact returning there in Arpil. It is one of the oldest hotels in Florence dating from the 14th century housed in what was originally the Palazzo Torrigiani. It is a comfortable place and very centrally located for stopping by in the midst of shopping to drop off bags or to rest for a few minutes between museums. The rooms are not particulaly fancy but are spacious and ours was very light and airy. The common rooms are not exceptional and the breakfast was OK but the service was quite good. Hope this helps.

kam

Santa Maria Novella is a lovely church and if you walk over to Piazzale Michelangelo you'll be close to San Miniato al Monte with a fascinating cemetery. On each of the gravestones there are photos and it's very moving to see who is actually buried there. As stated above, the Medici tombs are very interesting and I recall it's Lorenzo's tomb that was done by Michelangelo. You might also like to take a bus to Fiesole, a pretty little town in the "suburbs" of Florence. It's actually older than Florence and has some Roman ruins.

Linda

Robert & Elizabeth Barrett Browning lived in Florence after their marriage and their home has been made into a museum. Another vote for Fiesole.

fred

if you go to fiesole from the main piazzza go up the long set of stairs. at the top turn left and there is an old church with quarterss for the monks. if my memory serves me it dates to the 11 th century and makes for an interesting 1/2 hr tour. the church itself is to be seen. good trip

Kathy

See my lat posting about hotel Belletini (in fodors) with an * at about 200.000 lira inc tax and brkfast its w bargain and a nice hotel with a good location. <BR>We never made it to the uffizzi becuz the line was so long.

Linda

While you're at the Piazza Michaelango, visit the Church of St. Miniato Al Monte, on the hill behind you as you look out over the city. Marvelous.

kate

I second and third the vote for San Miniato al Monte for breathtaking views over the city. <BR> <BR>Also, San Marco where you can visit all the old monks' cells. <BR> <BR>Santa Maria Novella (the Dominican rival to the Franciscan Santa Croce) <BR> <BR>San Lorenzo - looks very dull from the outside as they never got round to putting a facade on it, but it was the family church of the medicis so is very elaborate inside. It contains a library designed by Michaelangelo and the Chapel round the back holds the Medici tombs. I found this chapel overwhelming and scary - lots of dark marble and HUGE tombs. Hate to be locked in a night but fab to visit.

Carol

Eva has it exactly right--you MUST visit the Bargello and the Museo San Marco (the Fra Angelico museum)especially. Be at the Fra Angelico museum when it opens so that there won't be many other people there, because the experience of meditating on the extraordinary beauty of each monk's cell, individually frescoed by Fra <BR>Angelico is best experienced in silence. <BR>The Museo del Duomo also has a wonderful collection, including Della Robbias and Donatellos, and is small enough to be done in a couple of hours.

coco

A wonderful add-on to visiting Santa Maria Novella is the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di SMN just northwest of the church. Even if you don't want to shop it's a free museum of perfume-and-potion making in a stunning setting. Drop in for a gape!

K and T

When in Florence three years ago, we were able to purchase 'timed' tickets to the Uffizi at the tourist information office at the train station. Tickets in hand, we walked right past that long line of visitors waiting to enter the museum... The tourist office folks will advise you on the entrance to use. I think there was a small service charge in addition to the cost of the entrance fee. <BR> <BR>You might enjoy reading 'The Cloisters of Florence' in the November 1995 issue of Gourmet magazine. We used the suggestions as a guide for our wanderings one day. <BR> <BR>I endorse the recommendations for the Museo San Marco with the frescoes of Fra Angelico!!! <BR>

Santa Chiara

My favorite undiscovered Florence site site is Palazzo Davanzati, a 14th century palazzo that has preserved the rooms, furniture and fixtures like they were 600 years ago. Fascinating place if you want to learn the fine-grained, daily life of a wealthy merchant family during the Renaissance. It is one of my favorite places in Florence; check it out via Porta Rossa, which sounds like it must be really close to your hotel.

Lesli

A trip to the Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens is also worthwhile. The palace doesn't get much press, but it has a beautiful interior and many fine paintings. I love the Santa Maria del Carmine, in the Oltrarno. It contains the Brancacci Chapel with frescos painted in various stages by Masolino, Masaccio and Filippino Lippi. <BR>

Patti

Wow! Thanks everybody for all the great suggestions. I'll let you know how it goes...hopefully I'll come back with lots of recommendations for hotels, sites, etc. Arrivederci! <BR>Patti <BR> <BR>