Opinion on sights in Florence
 

My family and I (3 adults and 3 children ages, 10,11 and 12) will be traveling to Florence at the end of June into the beginning of July of this year. We have limited time there but would like to make the most of it. We are descendants of Donatello so feel strongly about showing our children some of his work but don't want to spend too much time in museums. We are also planning to spend one day in Siena. This leaves us with one full and two half days in Florence.

Currently we are favoring:
Accademia
Dumo tower and or Campanile
Piazza Lee Michaelangelo

Possibly:
Donatello Square
Leonardo da Vinci Museum
Palazzo Davanzat
Various churches including San Marco
Palazzo Vecchio secret passage tour
Markets at Santa Croce

Input on sights to see and skip would be great.

The afternoon we arrive (a Monday) may be a good time to climb the tower or head to piazza michaleangelo.

If you want your children to see some of Donatello's magnificent work, I would think that you would want to consider visiting the Bargello and the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo.

A most definite +1 to kja's suggestions.

I don't know what interests your children, but at that age I would have enjoyed the Palazzo Davanzati and seeing how the merchant class lived.

With only 1.5 days in Florence, you'll have to be very selective about your sightseeing. See things in a geographically logical order and be prepared with maps or phone apps to help you find your way. Moving 6 people around will take longer than you anticipate, and, assuming not all 6 have cellphones, you should have a plan in the event you get separated.

Make entry reservations for any place that offers them.

If you can manage it get up early and attend mass.


The Florence Duomo Mass Schedule for those who would like to attend services:
weekdays: 7:30 - 9:00 - 10:30 (Gregorian Chants) 12:00 & 6:00 pm (with organ)
Sundays & holidays: 7:30 - 8:30 - 9:30 - 10:30, 11:30 & 6:00 pm

I also heartily agree with kja; for Dontatello, the Museum of the Duomo and the Bargello Museum are not to be missed. The Maria Magdalene in the Duomo Museum is one of my favorite sculptures of all time. It really looks like a modern sculpture rather than a Renaissance work, but it perfectly conveys the desperation of a suffering soul.

You might also want to visit the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, very near the train station of the same name. It's a very beautiful basilica, with a very nice cloister as well. The beautiful frescoes in the Tornabuoni chapel illustrate the life of the Virgin Mary; the frescoes were done by the workshop of Ghirlandaio, where Michelangelo was a young apprentice at the time. Experts believe he painted one of the figures in the foreground.

The Church of Santa Croce has a wooden crucifix carved by Donatello. The Christ figure is very realistic and very human, unlike the idealized figures most artists presented. Another great artist of the time, Brunelleschi (who designed the dome of the Duomo) said that Donatello had put a peasant on the cross, and this crucifix is sometimes called the "Peasant crucifix".

After an intense day in Florence you all deserve the lovely views during a leisurely dinner in Fiesole - take bus nr. 7
http://tuscany-toscana.blogspot.com/...l#.WP5HcWUrSTw

Great tips kja and bvlenci.

Am going to print this out, as I am in Firenze this week-end and have, as usual, not opened a guide.

But of course I know all about Firenze since I spent 2 (3?) days there erm, 25 kgms ago... No kids, no wife we were finaced and I have a vivid recollection of a splendid park in a small palazzo.
I remember spending too much time in museums, a mistake I will not make again, I have here the 2 addresses of museums I'll see.
(anyway my wife will be there before me and will have looked into it - I am the happy (lazy) husband of a woman who can organize.

Anyone has a good rec for a nice dinner ?
Must be local food, price range 50-100 € pp. Can be lower too, I am also a taker for restaurants of the type 'La Madre' with 4 tables. Must be good and fresh.
So I can tell my friend just before the Grappa 'this is thanks to Fodors ! the forum I spend too much time on...'

WoinP - I can't help with the restaurant, but as you are travelling with your wife, don't miss the rose garden which it just west of the Piazzale Michelangelo in Oltrarno. wonderfully romantic and should revive memories, if nothing else, of your previous trip.

oh, and I have thought of a restaurant, if it's still there [and TA suggests that it is]:

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restau...e_Tuscany.html

if you like a cucina run by la nonna then this place is for you - I know that it was 7 years or so ago, but i only had 2 nights in Florence on that occasion, and I ended up eating there both nights. this was my review of the first night:

>>Even now I am not sure what made me go in. Perhaps it was the thought of “cappallaci al fiori di zuca profumi al tartufo” or “tortelli maremma in salsi di burro, salvia, e arancia” or "tagliata con carciofi e panico" [sorry, that means panic, but that’s what I’ve written!]..but whatever it was, in I went. What a difference to the other place. I was politely shown to a table, offered the menu, then wine, bread and water, smiled at by the waitress from time to time in an encouraging way, and generally made to feel welcome. Most of the menu was completely mystifying - what, for example, was the dish that they had translated as “cut with its sauce and vegetables”? or “Pentolaccia”? [the insides of a sheep, I think!]

In the end I settled on a primo of tortellini of potato in a saffron sauce, and secondo of fillet of duck in an onion sauce, both of which I had seen going out to other diners who were obviously enjoying them hugely. Wow. The pasta was just terrific. Silky smooth with a sauce to match. I ate every bit and mopped up the sauce with my bread. [don’t you do that? oh, you don’t ? well, you don’t know what you’re missing!].

By the time I got to the duck I was possibly a little full of pasta, but it was still very delicious, and I almost finished it. Coffee was enough however, and full of the duck, I waddled back home. Trip advisor tells me that “il giova” is about no 450 out of 850 restaurants in Florence, in which case the 449 above it must be pretty good. but it would be hard for them to be friendlier. <<

the other place referred to was a snooty restaurant where I'd sat for over 10 minutes without sight or sound of a menu before I decided that there must be better places to spend my hard-earned €.

it's a 5 minute walk of Santa Croce and the Mercato di San Ambrogio, which has its own excellent and very cheap restaurant at lunchtimes, which I'm sure you'd enjoy.

Thanks !

I know the family legacy is important to the OP but my guess is the kids will enjoy climbing the Campanile or Duomo more.

As well as getting out to Piazzale Michaelangelo. Quite a climb but stunning views.

Climb a little more to San Miniato al Monte for even better views.

They also might enjoy the Boboli Gardens more than being inside a museum. Maybe show them Google images of the paintings and ask if they'd rather see the paintings in person or visit the "open-air" museums?

We thought the Leonardo da Vinci Museum was really interesting, and your kids will probably enjoy it.

Lee Ann

WoinParis, I was in Florence last March and here are 3 of my faves from that trip.

Buca Mario, Piazza degli Ottaviani, 16r
phone: 39 055 214179
This is very near to Piazza Santa Maria Novella. Family run, very good food. I ate there three times and was like family by the end. It was close to my hotel.

Il Santo Bevitore
via di Santo Spirito 64/66
39 055 211264
This is in Oltrarno but not far from the river if you are staying in the Centro storico. This place has more of a buzzy vibe than Buca Mario and the food was really good too.

Have only had lunch and coffee here, but JTCaffe right across from Pitti Palace has really good food. They have a lady who makes the pasta fresh every day. For lunch I had the tasting menu of three different pastas with a glass of wine with each one. Plus their big house salad. Everything was delicious, the pasta was melt in your mouth and it is fun to sit outside and watch the passing parade.
Piazza de'Pitti, 32
39 055 281143

If your wife is in the market for some lovely shoes, handbags, jackets, clothes etc, the owner of the JT Cafe, Jennifer Tattanelli, has a shop next door called Cassini. Not cheap but beautiful things, designed by Jennifer and made in Tuscany.

I think the two museums that kja mentioned would be great. You don't have to see the whole museum but just look for the Donatello's. Also the Baptistry is lovely and will not take much time to see if the line is not long.

Thanks rain city.
I hope you will not be offended if I don't pass along TVs for shoes etc I just stole 2000 from her bank account to replenish mine !

Besides having the crucifix carved by Donatello, the Basilica di Santa Croce is really spectacular inside. It is, IMHO, one of the don't miss sights in Florence.

Wo, I loved this restaurant:
http://cinghialebianco.com/en

Just a couple of notes about timing:

To avoid lines, schedule your climb to the Duomo for 1st thing in the a.m. Conversely, a late-day visit to Piazalle Michelangelo is best, when the sun is setting over the city.

For an inexpensive dinner at a great, little place, try Zio Gigi, near the Duomo.

Wo, no problem, I understand! ;)

I am another one who gives a big thumbs up to the Museum of the Duomo. I really liked the way it was curated, very fresh and unstuffy.

Well, off topic but we booked an apartment (me ! - via hotels.com and with invoice) and my wife finds it lovely.

Family Apartments Signoria
4,4/ 5
134 notes .
Via dei Cimatori, 16/red
Florence
50122
IT
+390550763801
Very close to Plazza della signoria. (hence the name, might I venture to say).