Buona Sera Fodorites!
I'm traveling to Italy for 2 weeks in May- a couple of days in Venice, a week on the Ligurian Coast & a couple of days in Milan. En route from Venice to the coast, we're stopping in Florence for a night so that two family members who have never been to Florence can see the Duomo, Ufizzi & David.

Any recommendations of specific places to visit other than these 3? I figure the rest of us can explore some new places in Florence we've never seen while the other 2 see the favorites. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! annief

Hi Annief: Not sure if this qualifies for "off the beaten path", but in Florence I love to visit the Scuola del Cuoio where apprentices learn the art of leather making. You can buy a wallet, glass case, key chain, etc and then have them monogram your purchase in gold, for free. Located in Piazza Santa Croce.
Have a great trip.

We just got back from our first trip to Italy several days ago...so I am avoiding rejoining the rat race by browsing for Italy topics! Anyway, we just had a couple days in Florence but stayed at a fantastic small hotel in the Piazzala (sp?) Michelangelo area. This puts the major sites as a bit of a walk, but the bus was very easy to negotiate. It puts you in close range to Pont Vecchio and surrounding area, which we found the most charming. It is the Hotel David. They have a detailed website http://www.hoteldavid.com, but you can get much better rates on www.venere.com

On my most recent trip, perhaps my 9th visit to Florence, I visited the Museo del Scienza e Storia. It's a museum of scientific instruments up to the early 20th century--some belonging to Galileo. You also get to see his finger in a jar. It's not hands-on, just displays, but we spent an interesting morning there.

Take a walk in the Oltrarno and visit some of its sights. Just across the Ponte Vecchio, visit Santa Felicita--on the right as you walk in are some beautiful frescoes by Pontormo, some of my favorites. (Put money in the machine to turn on the lights.) The Pitti Palace has a number of galleries that might interest you. The Brancacci Chapel at Santa Maria delle Carmine (I think) is beautiful. Go up the hill to Piazzale Michelangelo, then visit San Miniato al Monte.

I'll second Piazzale Michaelangelo and San Miniato al Monte.
Palazzo Vecchio is underrated in my opinion. Its not off the beaten path, but most guide books seem to write it off as mediocre. Its relatively inexpensive, quick(no queues), right beside the Uffizi and gorgeous.

If time is limited, I'd actually go to Palazzo Vecchio instead of the Ufizzi (sacrilege, I know!)

FLORENCE: The recommendation for the leather school is good. We were last there in 1999.

You go to the Santa Croce church where Michaelango is buried. Enter the church and go to the far right side of the church in the back. You will find signs for the Leather School.

Good quality things. They will also put your initials on any item in gold at no charge. My wife had the inside of her purse done. I had a belt done.

Good place for gifts also. We found the quality good and the prices held up well as we compared for 10 more days in Italy.

I second the Brancacci Chapel. It's a bit out of the way and there were few people there when I went. The frescoes have been restored and are beautiful.

On the way there (or to the Pitti Palace) you'll pass Santo Spirito church which I love. I've been twice and there were only a few people in the church. Mostly elderly women dressed in black, praying.

The Bargello Museum is also not to be missed. Some great sculpture and the original panels submitted for the Bapistry door competition. They're placed near each other so you can compare Ghiberti's style with Brunelleschi's.

And while you're walking by the Bargello, through the Mercato Nuovo, don't forget to stop and give a rub to my favorite statue - il Porcellino! Il Porcellino is a bronze statue originally cast by Pietro Tacco in the 1600's -it is actually not a pig, but a boar (a "chinghiale" in Italian- I LOVE that word!) and its snout has been rubbed bright yellow from the thousands who have come by to rub it for good luck. It is also a fountain, and Italian children from all over will put a coin in its mouth, which will come out in a drain-it is supposed to ensure that you return to Florence!

And if anyone saw the last Silence of the Lambs sequel, much of which was filmed in Florence, you'll see one of the Italian detectives washing the blood off his hands at il Porcellino -I was very pleased they put him in the movie!

Officina Profumo Farmeceutica Santa Maria Novella, 16n Via della Scala. It is very hard to find, as it is not marked. Stop at Santa Maria Novella church and walk down the street on the same side. When you see someone darting out who looks like Anouska Hempel, you will know you have found it.

This is the grandest perfume salon in the world.

Hi annie,

I suggest that you all take the no.7 bus from the train station up to Fiesole (20 min, 1E) to watch the sun set over the city from the terrace of the Bar Bleu.

You can have supper at one of the cafes on the square, or take the bus back to Florence.

The Museo del Opera del Duomo, right behind the Duomo has some wonderful objects including panels from the original Ghiberti doors (from the Baptistry); a fabulous statue of Mary Magdelene by Donatello (my second favorite statue in Florence) and a Pieta by Michelangelo. The Pitti Palace is interesting and, if you go, don't miss the gross statue of Bacchus on the way out. The Fra Angelico frescos at the San Marco monastery are wonderful. We like the Bargello Museum and the Laurentian Library and Fiesole. And, even though you have seen it, no trip to Florence is complete without a visit to David!

Thanks for the great suggestions! I am thrilled to have some new places to explore. Ira, how frequently do the buses run to Fiesole? It sounds beautiful!

I agree that Fiesole sounds like a wonderful quick side trip. I think I read that the bus runs every 30 minutes. There are some ancient ruins and an Etruscan museum there also.

NatalieM - I will be staying at the Hotel David in June. The reviews on Trip Advisor and Venere are great. What did you think?

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Definitely the Museo del Opera del Duomo, the Bargello and San Marco. Also the Medici chapel for more Michelangelo sculptures. And if you want to see some very early Michelangelos, go to the Casa Buonarroti.

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