Back from Italy - Florence
 

Message: My husband and I were Italy and spent 9 days in Venice, Florence, and Rome. Here is our feedback from Florence:<BR><BR>Weather - April was Cool and sunny, in the 60s, rained one day. Dress in layers.<BR><BR>Hotel - We stayed at the Locanda de Guelphi, reasonably priced, clean and friendly managment, and easy to reach the bus station and train station. Its on the third floor of a building and resembles a bed and breakfast, and has a terrace overlooking the city.<BR><BR>Experience in 3 days:<BR>Hints -<BR>1. Its a small area which has most of the attractions, and very easy walk from place to place.<BR>2. The museams have long lines! Reserve ahead if you are short on time, or go 1/2 hour before opening, or later in the afternoon.<BR><BR>What we did -<BR>1. Walked around the city to get orientated.<BR>2. Went to the Galleria dell'Accademai - David truly is fabulous. Stared at his hands for a long time. <BR>3. Went to the Duomo, and enjoyed the view from the top - beaware its about 500 steps up!<BR>4. Walked around the leather market, (its not as cheap as you would think. You can get similar deals in the states)<BR>5. Visted Galleria Degli Uffizi - incredible paintings<BR>6. Enjoyed Pitti Palace - (by now a little tired of paintings...)but the living quarters of the medicis is phenomenal. You see the opulance of the lifestyle.<BR>7. Santa Croche Church is fabulous, see the graves of Macchiveli, Michelangelo, Dante, and Galileo (poor guy finally won over the church)<BR><BR>Food- Our best meals were in Florence. Absolutely mouthwatering food!!!<BR>Our recommendation:<BR>For lunch:<BR>Marios - Via Rosina 2r<BR>Absolutely amazing pastas, main courses, and vegetable dishes all under 7 euros. Pastas around 4 Euros. We had Potato Tortelini with ragu sauce, Penne with asparagus, rabbit and cutlet Milanese. <BR>Casa Linga - Via Michelozzi 9r(Housewife in Itallian) Great ribollita (Tuscan soup), pastas and entrees under 7 Euros.<BR>Il Latino Via Del Palchetti 6r - Best Steak ever!! They dont give you a menu, yell at you(good humour!), tell you what to eat, and make up your bill. lots of fun!! Great atmosphere<BR>Zsa Zsa, right next door to Marios - totally packed, menu a mile long, excellent foor, pretty much whatever you order.<BR><BR>I suggest you walk by a place you like in the afternoon, and make a reservation for that or the following evening.<BR><BR>Post a question, and I will be happy to answer.

Thanks for the trip reports! Just a couple of questions. Did you reserve your tickets in advance for the museums? Before (online?) or after you were in Florence? I'm planning to go sometime in October. When you say reasonably priced hotels, what is the price range? Does the hotel have a website perhaps?<BR><BR>Thanks in advance :)

We did not reserve tix for the Accademia or Uffizi. We sufferred in a line a bit for the Accademia, about 45 min. wait in the rain. Uffizi opens at 8:30, we showed up at 8 and got in quickly. October is pretty low season, so I dont think you will need to reserve. But it does save time if you are on a short trip.<BR><BR>Florence has many reasonable priced hotels. Our philosophy is not to spend more than 60$ on a hotel. We like clean small budget hotels. There is one I really wanted to stay at called Pensione Maria Luisa Medici. Book ahead, its has personality. We stayed and Locanda dei Guelfi and payed 63$. It was worth it totally. W/O bathroom maybe cheaper. I suggest looking at www.eurocheapo.com, has many good listing, plus lonely planet.<BR><BR>have fun!

Thanks so much! I also just read your Venice post. I just booked a flight for May 6th and can't do my usual research (too bad we have to work). Heading to Florence and Venice and have taken a lot of notes from your trip!

What was your favourite painting in the Uffizi?

top

Great information on Florence. A friend and I will be there in late June/early July, peak season. How do you reserve the tickets for the museums? Thanks.

Brad-<BR><BR>Definitely reserve tickets when traveling to Florence in June/July. I think there may be a phone no? I paid the surcharge & reserved tickets thru Weekend in Firenze website.

-<BR>Brad, the URL for website is http://www.weekendafirenze.com/museifi/uffizi.htm<BR>