ricky1234

Spending 4 days in Florence end of October. Looking for opinions on what must be seen on this short stay, and any advance arrangements that should be made, other than lodging.

vjpblovesitaly

I would get a guidebook and look through it. You might want to make reservations for the Uffizi

PalenQ

4 days is more than enough to see compact Florence's city center's closely grouped main sights.

I'd do a day trip to a Tuscan hill town like Siena (direct buses take about an hour and cost just a few euros)

Or day trip to Pisa and Leaning Tower or to Lucca, one of Europe's finest walled medieval looking cities

ellenem

What are your interests? Knowing this will help us guide you.

Most would say the two big sights to see that may require reservations are the Uffizi Galleries and the Accademia Gallery (where Michelangelo's Daivd resides). Your hotel can reserve tickets for you.

zeppole

>>4 days is more than enough to see compact Florence's city center's closely grouped main sights.<<

Depends on one's individual interests and how much time one spends looking at art and architecture, and how one enjoys the city.

After several visits to Firenze, of 4 days and more, I have yet to see the Boboli Gardens or the Accademia museum, for instance. I never spend more than a few hours a day in museums. I never shop or go to markets.

But I think even if I went from nine in the morning until 7pm each day, it would probably take me more than two weeks to see all the major works in Firenze of artistic and historic interest.

But if you're not interested, Firenze can take as little as half a day, or even an hour. See the Ponte Vecchio, buy a ring, and go!

msackton

I spent 4 nights/3 days in Florence and felt rushed a lot of the time. And we missed a lot! But we were trying to see as much art and architecture as possible.

I actually wish we had tried to see less - make sure you leave time for just sitting in a cafe/wandering the streets/hanging out in a plaza (there are several nice ones) or along the Arno/shopping (if that is your thing). It is easy to spend a lot of time looking at art in Florence, if that is your thing. If it isn't, there is a lot less to do, and a day trip might be a nice idea.

I actually found the Bargello (the sculpture museum) more interesting than the Uffizi, but then Renaissance sculpture is much more my thing than Renaissance art (Christian themes bore me after a while).

The churches are fantastic, especially the Duomo, where I think I could have spent most of a day, between climbing to the roof, spending time in the church & baptistery, and the Duomo musuem, and the plaza. San Marco was also very nice - peaceful, comparatively, with great frescoes by Fra Angelico.

kfusto

I've spent about 4 months in total there over 20 years or so and have not seen all Florence has to offer. I am not one to spend my time fitting in every "important" museum or tourist site. I like to experience the feel of the places I visit and savor the small things.

WebVisionItaly

No question like Rome, Florence could take a lifetime to see it all.

Of course we all agree here the Uffizi is a must see.

I always enjoy the Piazza di Santa Croce and the Basilica itself inside, is Giotto artwork and the burial place of some of the most illustrious Italians, such as Michelangelo, Donatello, Galileo, Machiavelli, Foscolo, Gentile, Rossini, Marconi and Fermi, thus it is known also as the Pantheon of the Italian Glories (Tempio dell'Itale Glorie or Pantheon dell'Itale Glorie). Don't miss the sculpture of Dante out front.

If you are a climber, I'd go up to the cupola of the Duomo - Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore - to get a nice close look at the incredible frescoes painted in the dome. Nice view of Florence up there as well.

One night for sunset I would plan to grab a nice bottle of Tuscan red and head up to Michelangelo's point to sit, enjoy the views, and dream that I live in Italy.

Of course, I'd stop by and see my friends at I Fratellini, for the best 5 euro snack (includes sandwich and glass of wine) in Florence, probably before I head in to the Uffizi so i do not become cranky.

http://www.webvisionitaly.com/catego...p;ref_item=200

While munching I'd say hello to the ceramic artist next door, Lauro Parrini, and probably buy some gifts:

http://www.webvisionitaly.com/catego...p;ref_item=372

If I was thinking of a day trip out of Florence but I am not too thrilled about buring three or fours hours on a train etc. I'd just take a bus up to Fiesole and enjoy the view, the air, and the Etruscan theater.

I am not sure that I would make any advance reservations. I would arrive and then decide when I want to see the Uffizi, and the rest I'd leave to fate.

Buon Viaggio!

Proenza_Preschooler

1. David in the Academia
2. Farmacia Santa Maria Novella, 16n Via Scala.
3. Bargello Museum
4. Uffizi
5. Santa Croce
6. Brancacci Chapel
7. Pitti Palace
8. Boboli Gardens
9. Santo Spirito
10. Ferragamo Shoe Museum

And let's not forget the Duomo!

Let's not forget about having a cappuccino at Cafe Gilli.

There are absolutely too many things in Firenza to see to be going off to other towns if you only have 4 days.

Do you like to shop? You could spend an entire day on Via Tornabuoni. Oh, Brioni!!!!!!!!

Thin

j_999_9

Hard to say, without knowing your interests, but 4 days is enough time to see a lot of what's interesting in Florence.

Others have listed their favorites, and they're all good. You might also take a bus up to the Piazzale Michelangelo (which I think one poster referred to as "Michelangelo's point&quot, have a drink and view the city at sunset.

If you're going to climb the Duomo (and I recommend it), do so early in the a.m. to avoid the lines.

cmlyons

wwww.selectitaly.com is great for getting advanced tix for the Uffizi and the Galleria Accademia. I bought tix through the site and was very glad I did -- wait for the Uffizi would have been 3.5 hours. I just strolled right in...

Duomo views are fantastic and Santa Croce is a must see. Piazza della Signoria is fabulous, too. I was there for 4 days and you can pretty much see everything, assuming you are up for full days of walking. Cute toy store (left side if you are facing the Palazzo Piti) on the Ponte Vecchio if you need gifts. Liked a casual dining spot called "Yellow".

PalenQ

For the average tourist i think 4 days in Florence would be a bit much

not to say that others will find it too short

Florence is compact compared to Rome which requires much more time just to see the main sights

but yes if a string of old churches and stuffy museums are your bag then 4 days may not be enough

but this is of course a matter of opinion and interests

one of the most fascinating things i've seen in Florence is the old wrought-iron food market hall right in the center of tourist Florence - fruit, veg, etc. and some cheap eateries - full of local color

j_999_9

Just my opinion: I would book the Uffizi and Acaddemia in advance, but I would not use the website. Use the phone service -- no extra charge and operators speak excellent English.

kybourbon

I wouldn't use Select Italy and pay their big mark-up fees (they charge $40 a ticket). Book directly with the museum for 10E + 4E booking fee (about $21).
http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/english/musei/uffizi/

happytrailstoyou

<i>I actually found the Bargello (the sculpture museum) more interesting than the Uffizi,,,,,</i>

I also enjoyed the collection at the Bargello and the magnificent building in which it is housed.

J62

I've been to Florence about 1/2 dozen times, the most recently was last summer. Before the trip I was concerned that I didn't have enough time (3nts) booked there as it's always been one of my favorite cities anywhere.

After we were there for 2 days we were ready to leave. It could have been for a variety of reasons.

Very, very hot (100+F), so it was very tiring being out and about any time after noon.

Fatigue. We were very, very glad when we got out of town to villa in Tuscany - needed a vacation from our vacation. Relax at the pool, etc.

Crowds. I heard a saying that Florence is so crowded with tourists that nobody ever goes there anymore.....

We had just spent 4 days in Venice - no cars, no buses, no scooters, no concentrated crowds (ex lines at St. Mark's which we avoided) - after the serene beauty of Venice we found Florence to be.

I expect that the crowds will be much less in October, and you certainly won't have the heat.

I'll just remember that for the future I should plan everything in moderation when traveling. If we get back in the future, great, but I no longer try to cram everything in as must-do's.

zeppole

&gt;&gt;Of course we all agree here the Uffizi is a must see.&lt;&lt;

Hello? I discourage people from going to the Uffizi all the time.

Unless you have a special interest in painting, you are probably going to find it more annoying than enjoyable to be jammed into the noisy Uffizi trying to glimpse art around people's heads, and trying to avoid seeing your own reflection or the reflection of ceiling lights in the glass that covers every painting. (And if you do have a special interest in painting, this one extremely frustrating experience.)

Do yourself and everybody a favor if you have no strong love of museum-going. Don't go to the Uffizi. There are many more enjoyable ways to view great art in Firenze -- in the Cappella Brancacci, the Museo San Marco, and the dome of the Duomo, or the Bapistery and its doors.

caroltis

In my opinion 4 full days to explore and absorb Florence is the absolute minimum. Anything less leaves you frustrated because you just touched the hem of the garment. I must say however that Florence is the most favorite of cities I've ever visited. Thankfully I've been able to go 4 times.

My &quot;must see&quot; list:

Museo dell'Opera del Duomo
Medici Chapels
Santa Croce
Ponte Vecchio at sunset
Uffizi Gallery
Accademia (David)
Palatine Gallery in Pitti Palace
Climb Giotto's Campanile for view of the Duomo dome
Piazzale Michelangelo
San Miniato Church (cemetery)
Stroll through Santo Spirito
Eat at ZaZa's near the Mercato
Eat at Baldavino's next to Santa Croce

franco

Actually, I wasn't aware I'm having a twin. Were you, zeppole? I find that everything you're writing on this thread could as well be my own words! The Uffizi are the most terrible museum I've ever been to in the whole wide world. Not because the works of art were not splendid (of course they are) - rather because they have never heard of museum didactics, presentation, lighting... The Uffizi are really for hard-core museum fanatics only; if you are not one of them, you might at best consider going in just to see one or two paintings you're particularly interested in, and leave immediately - which makes this an expensive visit, no doubt, but spares you the museum fatigue for which the Uffizi are THE synonym IMO.

As far as recommended Florence sights, three of the four greatest have, to my never-ending surprise, no firm place on the tourist map. The Brancacci chapel in S. Maria del Carmine gets most visitors of the three; S. Miniato al Monte gets few, and most of them seem to come for the view rather than for the church, which is among the greatest treasures of Romanesque architecture; the Gozzoli frescoes inside Palazzo Medici-Riccardi are rarely if ever visited, and almost never mentioned on Fodor's. This is one of the truly great achievements in Renaissance painting, and nobody should even think of visiting the Ponte Vecchio or the Palazzo Vecchio without having seen Gozzoli's work first. The fourth of the major sight of Florence, the only that gets reasonable attention, is the Baptistery in front of the Duomo - BUT: so many people just have a look from outside (which is certainly a great sight - the sculpted doors!) and don't pay attention to the interior, which is equally great and another terrific Romanesque ensemble of architecture and mosaiques.
Further important sights include:
- S. Maria Novella (Alberti's great facade, plus quite many interesting frescoes inside)
- S. Trinita (Ghirlandaio's best frescoes - I'm not a Ghirlandaio buff, but those are worth seeing)
- S. Felicita (because of the side chapel painted by Pontormo - his chief work)
- nobody so far mentioned the Spedale degli Innocenti, which is strange, too: it's here, more or less, that Renaissance was invented

And yes, of course, S. Marco, the Duomo, S. Lorenzo &amp; the Medici chapels...

And don't miss the excellent gelato of Florence!! Carab&eacute; and Perch&eacute; No are my favourites!

tdk320n

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