My Florence experience

Advantages: Must-go Italian city
Disadvantages: No

...In my last trip to Italy, I stayed in Florence for one and a half day. Let me share with you my fantastic experience of Florence. Florence is the cultural capital in the medieval time, and the key player in the Renaissance movement. A small city it seems, but the home of some of the most famous people in history-Michaelanglo, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo etc, just to name a few. Again with narrow streets and allys, our first stop was a demonstration of leather. Italian/Florentine leather is world famous and shops selling leather cloths and accessories are everywhere. Obviously, I didn't leave without getting some goods myself. After that, we had a walking tour with a local guide. Best known of all Florence's treasures is the Ponte Vecchio. This glorious bridge was the only one spared by the German attacks in the second World...

medgenie 29.06.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Florence (Italy)

One Day In Florence

Advantages: A must-see when in Italy.
Disadvantages: Other tourists know that, too.

...tourists who, in their eyes, look English or American. Although I speak English much better than Italian I always pretend not to understand a word and start a conversation in Italian. This puzzles them and they take me for a Swiss woman. Although I’d rather be dead than Swiss, I play along, because I’ve found out that in the end I get 10% off for my efforts! At the end of the street market is a big market hall, the central food and vegetable market of Florence. This is another place to watch the indigenous population and also to find some typical souvenirs, for example dried tomatoes, dried mushroom etc. Behind the market hall there are some good restaurants with reasonable prices, ‘Tourist Menus’ are advisable, because there’s always a good choice and you know the prices beforehand, if you eat ‘à la carte...

MALU 27.02.2003 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Florence (Italy)

FLORENCE - Magic, in a Roundabout Way

Advantages: More art than you can wave a brush at
Disadvantages: The crowds...oh, and the crowds

...with us (you'd need it)! As for eating and drinking, we found that having a coffee or a soft drink at a pavement cafe was fairly expensive, as were many of the restaurants, but there were lots of cheaper options. Self-service restaurants were particularly abundant and offered good value for money. In conclusion, I can't say visiting Florence was the most enjoyable experience I've had. It was far too crowded for a shy and retiring type such as I. I'm thankful that ticking off the masterpieces of the art world was not high on my agenda, as I think most of our time there would've been spent in horrendous queues and would have spoiled the experience somewhat. It was also quite difficult just trying to walk around the city as tour groups seemed to take over whole streets and trying to make your way through them was nigh impossible...

proxam 06.02.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Florence (Italy)

Fabulous Florence

Advantages: Beauty. History, Culture. Good food and wine
Disadvantages: Expensive. Crowded with tourists.

...When it comes to architectural grandeur and art treasures few cities on earth can stand comparison with Florence - the Tuscan city that pioneered the renaissance in Medieval Europe.It is truly a beautiful city with few equals even in Italy. Founded by the Romans in the 1st century, Florence did not expand significantly until Carolingian days, but between the 12th and 15th centuries it became the greatest cultural center in Europe; some might suggest it became the hub of the universe, not only producing magnificient architecture and countless art treasures but forming ideas that form the basis of even 20th century thought. Florence spreads itself along both banks of the River Arno and is surrounded by hills. Anatole France once wrote, "... The God who made the hills of Florence was an artist." It seems the proud people of this...

ashford 09.08.2000 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Florence (Italy)

Florence - city of beauty

Advantages: Truly beautiful and the most Romantic place one can ever hope to visit
Disadvantages: Expensive in parts - caution is necessary over pickpockets as well sadly

...Florence is truly one of the cities that everyone should visit if they ever get the chance, or are anywhere close by. It is easily accessible if one is near the port of Livorno, and makes for a far more interesting and exciting day out than the alternative town that one can visit from this location, Pisa. The Statue of David by Michaelangelo is one of the most famous statues in the world, and there are various fakes adorning the town. The shops are worth a look even if one is only window-shopping ? there is a great selection of all the big name designers from around the globe. There are some interesting restaurants dotted around as well ? the town really is fun to explore. Besides the other sights there is the bridge over the river which offers some jewellery shops ? and some more jewellery shops!...

BIGHORSE 02.08.2000 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Florence (Italy)

the beauty that is florence.

Advantages: beauty,
Disadvantages: heat!

...and are only a few minutes walk from the gorgeous - cool! Basillica and subsequently the main part of florence. the buildings are amazing, so beautifully designes and breath taking. when youre looking for things to do there is plenty. there is david to vist, plenty of art musems, some amazing street markets, there is the bascillica, the tower, amazing restaurants, the river is gorgeous and like i say the train station is easily located in case you want to visit elsewhere for the day. there are plenty of hotels in the city as well as some just outside for that slightly more secluded feel. it is perhaps more of an adult place but the children will still love the shopping, the ice cream, the towers to climb! it was quite strange seeing the parts where hanninbal was filmed especially the building where he hung the police office as in...

footiebabe 25.02.2002 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Florence (Italy)

Falling for Florence

Advantages: Culture, Sights
Disadvantages: Quite expensive

...Florence, Italy by the Seat of Your Underpants by kifwebe | Jul 29 '00 (Updated Jan 02 '01) Pros: Awesome history, food, surrounding countryside, street performers, and museums. Cons: You could end up in your underwear! Recommended: Yes Florence is a wonderful city, well deserving of its title as a mandatory tourist stop for those exploring Italy. Known in Italy as Firenze, its Catedral Duomo is unparalleled in its exterior beauty (its interior is somewhat unspectacular in comparison to others I saw throughout Europe), its Ponte Vecchio rich in history and one of the city's most well known landmarks, and its museums hold a wealth of masterpieces from Italy's best known painters and sculptors. Florence by night is quite a different experience than it is prior to sunset. The wonderful markets which line the streets...

m_kingdom 08.06.2002 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Florence (Italy)

Additional notes on Florence

Advantages: Architecture, ambience
Disadvantages: Cover charges in restaurants

...in summer. It does not take bookings (for backpackers) so arrive early in the afternoon if possible. It's not the greatest site (no pool, poor kids play area) but has a great restaurant opposite which is better than many in the city centre. Eating: There are many beautiful retaurants i Florence, many at reasonable prices. I reccommend the Lonely Planet guide to Italy for a selection of the best and best value places, but the campsit resturant is hard to beat. IN ITALY many restaurants charge a COVER CHARGE of between 1 and 5 euro. This is very irritating, especially if travelling with chldren. An adult and two children may pay 15 euro just to be in the restaurant! After a few days this makes a big dent in the budget! Getting there: Fly to pisa (Ryanair - guess the web site - I'm not allowed to tell you..booo) Train from pisa is...

zzchris 23.08.2004 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Florence (Italy)

Fantastic Firenze

Advantages: Well laid out city, absolutely tons to see, incredible art, great shops, GELATO!
Disadvantages: One day is nowhere near enough

...made me wonder why it is that some pieces become „must sees“ on every tourist’s list, while other equally awe inspiring ones go unnoticed. My personal favourites were Bronzino’s Bia and Madonna with the Long Neck by Parmigianino, both from the 1540s. As well as art, the museum offers a bar, a restaurant and lots of toilets. There’re a couple of decent shops – one at the entrance and one at the exit – both offering the usual arty souvenirs and post cards at reasonable prices. The end of the Uffizi overlooks the river, and if you head this way as you leave, within a couple of minutes you’ll hit PONTE VECCHIO(www.mega.it/eng/egui/monu/ponvec.htm). Built in 1345, this is Florence’s oldest bridge, hence the name. It used to house all sorts of tradesmen, from butchers to blacksmiths, but...

zoe_page 18.11.2002 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Florence (Italy)

A Day In Capri Italy

Advantages: Lots to see and do
Disadvantages: not enough time

...of expensive designer shops which are very busy. After we had looked round a couple of the shops we walked to the square. We sat at a cafe looking across at the clock tower and a lovely little church called the Santo Stefano church. The square offers an escape from the madding crowds just two minutes away, in it's maze of little arcaded lanes and shops. Here I got chance to practise my limited Italian at a cafe/restaurant: di vino bianco Pronounced dee vee'no bee'ankoh Two glasses of white wine paga il mio amico pronounced pag'ah eel mee'oh am'ee'co please my friend is...

debmercury 18.03.2008 (14.07.2009) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Capri (Italy)