Florence must?
 

I am going to be on vacation in Florence for 2 days next week. Any suggestions on what I shouldn't miss out on?

Climb up to the very top of the Duomo for a sweeping view of la bella citta! The last time I missed it coz I thought that it was not allowed! Plus, oh... all those shopping for leather goods!

When will you be there? I will be in MXP and VCE next week too, but may make a trip to Florence too.

Have a great trip!
Maple

Your art teacher would be despondent if you don't tour the Uffizi Galleries, one of, if not perhaps, the leading collection of Renaissance art.

Also, if you want to spend some time outdoors, the Boboli Gardens are a fine example of a Renaissance garden, and it is situated on a hillside with beautiful views of the area. It is adjacent to the Pitti Palace, which also boasts a very strong art collection.

The Duomo and the Pitti Palace were my favorites. Also, be sure to go see Michaelangelo's "David"; it is in a museum whose name escapes me.

Lots to do in 2 days, and all the museum stuff is ok I suppose. AA wonderful way to spend an afternoon or morning (or even just 2-3 hours) is to drive or take a taxi to Fiesole, an adjacent town with a breathtaking view of Florence. Fiesole itself has a bunch of nice (though somewhat touristy) shops and restaurants, but the view is what you'll remember for years.

You might also be interested in the synagogue, just a short walk from the center of town. It's a beautiful building, and one of the few synagogues in Europe to survive the war.

The museum with Michaelangelo's "David" is the Accademia. It also has his statues of the "Slaves." Definitely worth a visit.

I've got to second the idea of visiting the Uffizi Galleries! Take a picnic lunch with you and eat in the piazza or along the terrace overlooking the Arno. The Duomo is breath-taking as well...

While there, don't hesitate to slip down some of the side streets and wander in to one of the numerous leather stores! I got a great deal on a nice leather agenda (and a terrific purse for my mom)!

Remember to get your tix to those museums ahead of time by having your concierge or soemone buy them for you. You will most probably save precious time in your 2 days there for very little extra cost.

Thanks for everyone's ideas. A friend mentioned that I should take a day trip to Siena. Climb to the top of the tower by the campo in Siena for a view I won't forget.

Given there are so many things to do in two days, do you think it is worth it or is Fiesole better as wideman suggested or I should just stick in the city?

[This message has been edited by bagold (edited 02-13-2001).]

DOC, Thanks for the suggestion. I remember someone telling me about that. Is there a pass for all the museums or do I have to tell the concierge specific tickets to get?

Info on the Uffizi can be found at:
http://musa.uffizi.firenze.it/


Info on a US-based ticket service is at:
http://www.initaly.com/regions/uffizi.htm

(Note: I haven't used this service, but the ASTA and BBB logos are somewhat reassuring) http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


And an Italian-based reservations site as well:
http://www.waf.it/museicity/eng/musei_uffizi_main.htm

There is a lot to see, culture wise, in Florence, but I would also recommend going to Siena on a day trip (even if you only have two days). You will always have another chance to go to Italy and see Florence and its museums (personally, if you only have two days, I would even skip the Uffizi unless you really love Renaisaance art -- just because it has a great collection doesn't mean you will want to spend an entire day seeing the galleries). And, you may be like me and not like Florence all that much (just way too many tourists and Vespas for my liking -- and I went during low season). Siena, on the other hand, is one of my favorite places in the world. Great duomo, great piazza, great tower, Great winding streets, great people watching

I do not think there is an all encompassing museum pass, but I am not sure. I agree with the above statement that if you do not love Renaissance art you may be overloaded, a bit, if you try to do it all in one or two days. I am not a fan of that art all that much, but I loved the city and its Medieval architecture. I, too, went during the low season -- Thanksgiving -- but I did not find it crowded, at all.

Where will you be staying? At least, I will not have to see those museums for 5 years, because it does not appear that the collections ever change much, if at all.

However, as I have noted, I will return to Firenze because I really liked walking around the medieval streets at night and we really loved our hotel. Enjoy!

D2B

[This message has been edited by DOC 2 BE (edited 02-13-2001).]

[This message has been edited by DOC 2 BE (edited 03-11-2001).]

You guys are all so great! Thank you very much for all the information. Now, there are toooo many things that I want to do.

DOC, you just ignited one of my many passions! Shopping!!!

Okay... I'm down to four major things to do in two days:

1) Visiting one or two places - probably Uffizi and the Duomo?

2) Shopping a little in Florence to see the leather goods and just walking around to absorb the architecture....

3) Taking a trip to Fiesole or Siena. Which one? Can I do it in half a day?

4) Taking a trip to Montevarrchi for the factory outlets. How far is it?

For 3 and 4, what is the best transportation and the cost?

maple, I am going to be in Florence on Tuesday and Wednesday.

DOC, after posting a question here on where to stay in Florence I researched all the different places and decided to go with the Westin Excelsior. It was down to Hotel Savoy and this and in the end I decided to save money and use my starwood points for 2 free nights at the Excelsior. Now, I need to get hold of them to get me the museum tickets. Do I have to specify a specific time to visit the Uffizi?