Does anyone have any novel ideas to pass the time? We will be going to the Uffizi first thing but after that are a bit flumixed. All suggestions are welcome! Thanks.

If it is a nice day, ride local bus 7 to Fiesole. Or ride Bus 12 or 13 to Piazzale Michelangelo, enjoy the view, visit San Miniato al Monte, and then stroll down the hill back into the center.

Many other interesting museums are open on Sundays, or will you have already visited whatever museums you're interested in?

Here's a link to info on several of the state museums.

http://www.firenzemusei.it/00_english/home1.html

You could train to Pisa or Lucca or take the bus to Fiesole. Frankly, it's hard to know what to suggest without knowing what you will have already seen.

If the weather is fine, I suggest a stroll outside the city walls. Walk past the Porta Romana and turn left onto Viale Niccolo Machiavelli. Continue on this gently winding boulevard uphill, through a charming park, to Piazzale Galileo. There are benches along the viale, so this need not be a strenuous hike unless that's what you want. Right after the piazzale, turn left onto Via San Leonardo and continue downhill to the Giardino Bardini, the prettiest garden in Florence, with a small gallery and a charming cafe. There is an admission fee, but it's well worth it for the gorgeous views of the city and the beautiful plantings. The descent becomes somewhat steeper after the garden, but a left fork leads under the Costa San Giorgio arch directly into the city. It's an elegant circuit with constantly changing scenery, but no crowds or heavy traffic. The Italian State Tourist Office has the best free map of the city that includes these roads, often missing from maps and guidebooks.

Poetess, that sounds exactly like the sort of expedition I love, thanks for the detailed information. Do you have any more suggestions for Florence on any day of the week?

I can second the suggestion by poetess. Before you do that walk, on the way to the Porta Romana, duck into the Boboli gardens (there is the Palazzo Pitti, of course, if it's yet another museum you're after).

I also agree with poetess.

I think the Bardini garden is part of the same ticket with the Boboli, if you want to visit it as well. You do have to leave one to get into the other.

There is another lovely park, the Monte Uliveto, further along the Oltrarno, past San Frediano, off the Piazza Vettori. Getting there takes you past some great views and a monastery.

I agree that the gardens are a splendid way to pass the time in a lovely setting.

BC

Sounds delightful. Any suggestions for a destination lunch other than the cafe?

If the weather is good, clear and no haze, then the trip to Fiesole beats all the other nice options mentioned above. You walk a bit and pick a restaurant that entices you - views are spectacular if you pick one that overlooks Florence and the wider region.