Here is a revised trip report of my trip to Florence. Travel writing, for me, is more difficult than any other type of writing, even scholarly, mainly because the experiences are so personal, and I don't pay attention to the names of restaurants, etc.

But I will give it a shot.....
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Though I knew literally only about 4 or 5 words in Italian, I was able to maneuver the rather small Florence without once having to break out my translation book.

I found both taxis and buses to be quite plentiful, and the bus routes are clearly color coded on maps to make things super easy. But be aware, a bus in Florence is NOT like a bus in the states...for one, some buses carry a max of like 12 people. You also need to validate your ticket while on the bus in a validation machine. Even if you purchase your ticket from the machine itself, it is not automatically validated. Be careful, transit police are overeager in questioning tourists regarding their ticket validation.

The Duomo and its surrounding areas are a sight to behold. All of your senses will be in full usage, so no Ipods, please. You cannot ignore the history of the city...all of the buildings seemed as if time has stopped, and rather than build something new, people created current shops (cell phones, book stores, etc.) in older buildings. Which can look odd at times, but everything seems to flow together smoothly.

Because the streets are bricked or cobblestoned for the most part, I would suggest flats. But go for the Italian heels for only those that wear them on a routine basis.

I only visited two museums on my trip, but feel that the art was more than adequate at the Uffizi, and a little lackluster at the Academia...except for David, of course.

Be sure to always carry a bottle of water with you. The heat can be intense at times. And remember that sunscreen!

The numerous little kiosks and stands outside of the Mercado Central are fun for those into leather items and purses, bags, wallets, some clothing, etc. You will have many to choose from.

The Mercado Centrale has an excellant selection of Italian foods you can bring home with you such as dried mushrooms (check w/ customs, though), dried pastas, tons of different types of Limoncello.....all very cheap, but I wondered about the quality of them. And lots of canned ground coffee....illy in Italy is cheaper than in the states for sure! If you are staying in a hotel room with a little kitchenette, definately pick up some fresh fruits and maybe some sliced deli meats. Things are sold by grams, though, and not the ounces or pounds we are used to in the states.

As for the ever so present topic of what to wear......just wear what makes you comfortable. The entire area of Florence has a heavy, heavy tourism trade....so you will see tourists everywhere you go. Why worry about standing out when many of the businesses are there because of tourism itself? You will be walking ALOT, so just wear something comfy and relaxed. Of course, if you will be entering a church, see what attire is appropriate.

Will write more later.

I really wish we had had more time in Florence. We arrived on a Saturday afternoon and left on Tuesday morning; we fit Pisa in on Monday morning. I'd read that a lot of people don't like Florence, but coming from Rome, it felt almost serene. A trip focussing on Tuscany is definitely in our future! We've got so many places we want to take the kids, but maybe we can do Tuscany when they are old enough to enjoy the wine, etc.

Thanks for putting in the time and effort to share, ilove.

I always feel weird about bumping threads that are a few weeks old, but I really appreciate this report - I am trying to learn Italian for my trip this fall. Though I've been told it's not necessary, it's comforting to be assured by someone who has recently "been there done that."

Hi TuscanTweety

I spent 16 days in Florence and Venice a few months ago. I really wanted to learn Italian to enhance my experience. I hired a private language instructor but after 2 lessons, my teacher agreed with me that I was hopeless. My very limited French and my immersion in Spanish (I live in Southern CA) infiltrated the Italian I was attempting to learn in a weird manner. I knew only 4 words in Italian – Buongiorno, Grazie, Dove si and vino when I left. I had a wonderful time and never had a problem with the language. I found that most people in the touristy areas spoke some English. I also found pantomime to be very effective.

bookmarking.

I hear ya about the other languages. I really tried to brush up on my Spanish for a March trip to Costa Rica. When I tried to "cram" for Italy immediatly thereafter, I, also, felt like a lost cause. The languages are just similar enough to totally screw you up.