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?

If you want a sneak peak and don't mind the guts and gore, take a trip to your local flickers to see Hannibal. Much of the movie takes place there and there are some good shots. And then there are some good "shots." http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

BA GOLD --

I went during low season so we thought there would be no line, and we skipped getting the tix beforehand -- wrong move, we waited in line approx. 45 mins. I do not know what it would be liketo buy ahead of time. If the hotel has its own e-mail drop them a line, or ask the Lurker or someone at Starwood, how they can help you. I was not too impressed with the location of the Excelsior, but others have felt that it was a wonderful property. It is not too far from the Pitti Palace (which we did not need tix in advance for). It was the Uffizzi.


Man or woman cannot live by shopping alone --but we sure could try!!

If you have any other questions, I will try to be of assistance.

Regards,

D2B

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

Adding to the previous "shopping" posts: the stalls referred to are in, what they call, the open air market. You can't miss it as it appears to run right through the center of town -- anyway that's what it seemed like to me because the more I walked, the more I ended up in the same place!! And indeed the prices there are excellent, even if the dollar is now down. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cool.gif

Some random comparison USD-ITL rates (interbank):

One USD =

2/14/00 1963.42
8/14/00 2143.00
10/26/00 2338.64
11/23/00 2296.00
2/14/01 2102.59

The Duomo is worth going inside, but I wouldn't spend too long. Most of the intresting stuff has been removed and placed in the Cathedral Works Museum (definately worth seeing), which is across the street from the back of the Duomo.

As for climbing to the top of the Dome, if you want to do it, I'd suggest climbing the Campanile instead if it has a shorter line. The view is about the same.

The Baptistry in front of the Duomo has a beautiful ceiling.

Santa Croce is interesting. A lot of tombs in there - its kind of a Who's Who of Italy in a sense.

As for the Uffizi Gallery and The Galleria Accadmia (with the David and the Slaves), there both incredible. There a phone number you can call for reservations, which I would highly recommend. I can try to dig it up for you if you'd like.

There's a science museum right behind the Uffizi that's a little off the beaten path. Lots of interesting stuff on Galileo and astronomy. It also has a very cool collection of old maps and globes.

Thanx Sea-Flyer,



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

bagold: Depends on your preferred style of travel. If you enjoy seeing a packing a lot of interesting sights into a trip, especially in a place that you might never get back to, you could squeeze a side trip in. If, on the other hand, you like to get a feel for a place, 2 days are barely enough for Florence, one of the great art cities of the world.

I've been to Florence twice for 5 days, both times with intentions of side trips to places like Siena and San Gimignano. I loved Florence so much that I couldn't bring myself to leave, not even for a little trip to Fiesole, either time.

I agree with all the suggestions above. There are so many great things to see and do in Florence, especially if you're interested in art and architecture. One thing that no one's mentioned that's one of my favorites is taking up a walk up the hill to Piazzale Michelangelo, which overlooks Florence. The walk itself is lovely, but the view is phenomenal, one which I'll never forget. You get a feel for the scale and greatness of the Duomo that's hard to get when you're standing closer to it.

Both of my trips to Florence were quite a while ago, though, and another issue may factor into your decision to stick around. I've been told by lots of people who've been to Florence in the last 10 years that it's become inundated with motorbikes, to the point of it being difficult to walk and not as enjoyable as in the past. That wasn't my experience, but it's been 12 or 13 years since my last time there. Anyone care to comment on this?

re Siena vs. Fiesole

For a day trip, Siena wins, hands-down, for all of the reasons fallinasleep listed. I'd agree completely with the 1-day-in-Florence, 1-day-in-Siena plan.

Fiesole would be an interesting 2- or 3-hour side trip for the breathtaking view, especially just before sunset or at sunrise.

I'd recommend the opposite. See the movie after you return. You don't want to spend your days in Florence worried about what might happen as you round every corner... or where you step. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Fallinasleep, how far is Siena from Florence, and is public transportaion available? I will traveling up from Rome in early May, and was also going to do a 2 night stay in Florence, perhaps I should plan as side trip as well!

For your quick trip I add my recommendation to get your museum tickets ahead of time. This will save you precious time.

For your quick trip I add my recommendation to get your museum tickets ahead of time. This will save you precious time.

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Bene e Pace (Peace and Blessings),
Paula

Bingo night at the VFW is always a pretty happening time.

Oh wait, you're probably talking about the other Florence --- the one over in Italy... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif


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"I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own."

I'm having a tough time remembering exactly how long the ride was, but it wasn't very long. In nine days five years ago, I went soley on public transport from Rome to Siena to Florence to Bologna to Venice to Milan... Three days each in Rome and Venice, one day in Siena, one and a half in Florence and a half day to see the main plaza in Bologna (where the food was delicious!). I flew out of Milan but not before taking a quick look a the Duomo there.

Here is a timetable for the Siena-Firenze bus (there are many options). It appears that it is only 75 minutes away if you take the fast bus and there is frequent service.

Here is a good general link to the town of Siena.
http://www.turismoverde.com/english/enhome.htm


I would also recommend pre-ordering tickets to the Uffizi (if that is possible now). I must have spent more than an hour on line in late March, and then you can easily spend a good half day inside the galleries. That is why I say skip the Uffizi unless you really love Renaissance art (I personally prefer the outdoor architecture in Florence more). The crowds really take away from the experience of seeing the art. So, if you go, go as early as possible.



[This message has been edited by fallinasleep (edited 02-14-2001).]

Now I thought we talking about Florence, Alabama!



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Bene e Pace (Peace and Blessings),
Paula

Thanks for everyone's continuing information on Firenze! (thought I would change the name to it's proper one so no one will be confused with the location! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif)

Thanks SEA-Flyer for the offer to dig up the phone number. I just called Starwood concerige who will be getting the hotel in florence to get us the museum tickets. I will call them back tomorrow to make sure everything is okay.

Hopefully, I will have the tickets for the first day I am there.

I have also booked a rental car for the second day in case I decide to go to Siena and Montevarchi. I will probably decide on the day whether to stay in Firenze or drive out.

DOC, could you e-mail me at the address in my profile? I cannot seem to find one for you. I would like to know the address of the factory outlets if I decide to go. Thanks! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

BA --


Click on clothing and away you go!!
http://www.torben.com/default.htm

As you can see, there are many other products, as well.

And for those of you who are interested in Armani, or Hugo Boss, you will not be disappointed!

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

[This message has been edited by DOC 2 BE (edited 03-15-2001).]

Re.: Siena. The bus company is called SITA, and you can catch it near the central station. R/T should be less than $10, and buses are frequent. It's a little over 1 hr to Siena, and the bus drops you off right downtown. For this route, don't bother w/the trains: they take longer (2 hrs at least), and the train station in Siena is WAAY out of the way.

I'd definitely go to Siena rather than Fiesole. This is not to say that Fiesole isn't pretty, but Siena is bigger, more interesting, very walkable, and not crowded this time a year.

Re.: Firenze.
Since nobody else mentioned it, I'll say it: if you like gelato, don't miss Vivoli when you're in Firenze. They're on Via Isola delle Stinche, right across from an English-language movie theater, less than 5 min. walk from Santa Croce (closed on Mondays). Quite simply the best gelato in the world... (with Nannini in Siena a decent second). Finally, if you get tired of the traffic and the crowds, catch a city bus to Piazzale Michelangelo, enjoy the view of the city from the hillside, and take a walk up to San Miniato, a beautiful Medieval church up on the hillside in the trees.

For the shopping, Via Tornabuoni and the surrounding area have all the big names in fashion, Via dei Calzaiuoli (Shoemakers Street is lined w/shoe stores), and Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge, the only one that survived WWII bombing) has the jewelry stores.

I hope you'll enjoy your visit.

montevarchi...

I was there in Jan. just as the sales were starting. I took the train from Florence (towards Arezzo). The train takes approximately 1 hour, and then there are cabs waiting at the montevarchi station to either Prada or D&G and Gucci. I think the cab was around $20, but I split the ride with a few others on the train.

I didn't go to D&G or Gucci, but the Prada outlet had some really good deals, and it was worth the trip.

Slight correction. The Ponte Vecchio DID survive bombs in WWII but, unlike the rest of the bridges spanning the Arno, it was thankfully sparred the effects of the retreating German demolition teams.

Great news! I had called the Starwood Platinum desk yesterday to request the musuem tickets. I called the hotel in Florence today and they confirmed that they had purchased the tickets for me. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I then asked them about the factory outlets and they knew them well and would give me driving instructions when I got there. They also confirmed that I could visit Siena and the outlets in one day since it is in the same direction as long as I don't shop too much! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

In my opinion, you should stick to Florence. Siena is incredible -- the quintessential Tuscan experience -- but you need to spend at least a couple of days there. Plan on going back, seeing Siena and the rest of Tuscany/Lombardy (the hill towns) in a separate trip.

If you try to do both, you'll miss too much. Also, beware that lines for the Uffizi are usually very long. Try to book in advance, go at off hours, etc.

My Florence List (in order):
0. Gelati :-)
1. Duomo (THE must-see in Florence)
2. David (in the Accademia - the one in the square is a replica.)
3. Pitti palace (I liked this better than the Uffizi)
4. Ponte Vecchio (Italian for Bridge of Jewelers :-))
5. Take some time to enjoy the shopping, (BIG market in the middle of town) and head away from the tourist areas to enjoy the food & wine!

Great suggestions everyone. I too am off to Florence April 5-10th (for my birthday) and have taken notes on the comments here. I signed up for Italiatours deal which cost me $679 for airfair and hotel stay for five nights at a place called the Ambasciatori near the train station. They say it is a three star hotel and I really don't plan to spend much time in the room except for sleeping.

I am also thinking about going to Siena for a full day. Any restaurant suggestions at either place?

thanks http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I want to thank everyone for their comments / suggestion for Florence. It was a wonderful place and we packed a lot into 2 days in Florence. By the end we were completing exhausted partly because we were also in London for 2 days, Paris for 1 day and then Florence.

On day 1, we arrived from Paris at 9am, checked into the hotel and then visited the Ufizzi (definitely recommend getting the tickets ahead of time because it saved us at least an hour wait), bought some leather goods (including a jacket!), ate Gelato, walked around the most of the town, and more shopping....

On day 2, we didn't get up until 10am because we were really tired, hired a car from Avis which was just down the street from our hotel (Westin Excelsior) and drove out to the Gucci and Prada factory outlet. The Gucci outlet wasn't that great. Prada was much more organized and a better selection. Thanks to DOC 2 BE the website for the factory outlets provided invaluable. It provided better information and instructions than the hotel did! After the factory outlets, we drove through the wine region (Chianti) and bought some really good wine at unbelievable prices! We made it to Siena around 6:30pm, figured out we were suppose to park outside the city and take the escalator into the city. We arrived later than planned but still managed to walk around for a couple of hours. Definitely worth a trip back the next time! We drove back to Florence and had a late dinner.

Next day was a long trip home. Due to the the tickets we traveled FLR-CDG-LHR-ORD-DFW. Made it home after 21 hours!

Thanks again for all the suggestions. All the help you gave made this a wonderful trip packed with everything possible within 2 days! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I'm going to Florence in May. Do you think I'll have enough time to visit Firenze? I've heard it's very nice and I think it's close to Florence.