Florence - The Perfect City Break (Florence (Tuscany))

Member Name: flodombey

Product:	Florence (Tuscany)
Date:	25/02/09 (90 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautiful, cultured, fastinating history

Disadvantages: Not cheap with the current Euro rate

I recently visited Florence and was overjoyed to find that it lived up to my high expectations. I have wanted to visit for years and because I loved Rome so much when we visited there a couple of years ago I have been even more eager to see Florence. I read The Medici Secret last year (set in the city) and it gave me a thirst to explore this aspect of the city too - I was not disappointed.

We flew to Florence with Ryanair who actually fly into Pisa airport not Florence itself, this was no hardship though and meant that we got to have a look at the famous leaning tower before getting the train over to Florence which takes about an hour.

Firstly I will say that in my opinion Florence is the perfect size to explore in a couple of days on a city break - it is quite small for a city which once was the capital of Italy (only for 5 years between 1865-1870), you can walk it easily in an hour or two, but I think it is best enjoyed at a comfortable stroll with plenty of pauses to people watch and enjoy the ambience whilst sampling the coffee and chianti.

The Duomo square really does dominate the centre of town, it is beautiful, imposing and incredibly impressive aesthetically. The strange thing is how the different colours of marble reflect the light at different times of day, in bright sunshine the green parts stand out the most but at dusk it glows almost pink, at night when its lit up it is a stunning pale behemoth of a building, I dont think you can ever get bored of seeing it and its worth taking pictures at different times of day to capture the way it changes.

Directly opposite the Duomo and bell tower is the baptistery which can boast of Dante as one of the many famous artists and poets to be baptised here. The front doors, panelled in gold are worth checking out and they reflect the light beautifully.

Also worth visiting in Florence are the outstanding art galleries and museums, top of the list has to be the Uffizi which was originally built to house the Medici families private collection but which is now open to the public. It is one of the most impressive galleries I have ever been to, definitely on a par with the Prado in Madrid and the Louvre in Paris. The giant U shaped building on 2 levels is absolutely rammed full of classics by some of Florence (and the world's) most celebrated artists, including Raphael, Michaelangelo, Titian, Rembrandt and da Vinci. The views over the Ponte Vechhio from the corner of the upper level are also worth checking out. You can buy tickets before you even get to Florence through their official website, this is especially advised during summer when the queues can be horrendous:

http://www.b-ticket.com/b%2Dticket/uffizi/default .aspx

The Galleria Academia is the other big draw in terms of art in Florence and it is here you will find probably the most famous sculpture in history, Michaelangelo's David. Standing majectically on his plinth at the far end of a corridor he is one of the first things you will see on entering the gallery. Be warned because there are a number of stewards around the statue whose sole responsibility is stopping anybody from taking photos of David. They are quite forceful about this - we guessed because they would much rather you bought a postcard from the shop instead. It is well worth a visit though, very impressive when you see it in real life, so to speak, after seeing it so many times in the media. The rest of the gallery also hosts classics and sculptures by famous names but is not as extensive as the Uffizi.

The Ponte Vechhio is worth checking out, especially when it is all lit up at night, it is worth crossing the bridge to the other side as there are a number of less touristy piazzas and winding, pretty streets which are quieter, we got a fantastic lunch on this side of the Arno for around Euro8 which included 2 fresh paninis with our choice of fillings and a 3/4 bottle of chianti, you wont find this kind of bargain around Duomo square where a beer on its own will be about Euro5.

In terms of costs - if you are prepared to stray off the beaten track then you can eat/drink much more cheaply than if you stick to the touristy bits but then the same can be said in every city. We sampled both - sometimes you want to be in the centre of everything and are prepared to pay the price.

The Medici history is everywhere around you and this family's crest is emblazoned on walls all over the city, the power that they once had is overwhelming as for a long time they controlled the city politically as well as financially (some of the biggest banking houses of the middle ages in Florence were owned and run by the Medicis). The line has since died out but their legacy has not, the Medici Chapel is their own family mausoleum but also an impressive place of worship, visit if you get the chance.

If you only do 5 things in Florence, these would be my top tips:

1) Climb the Duomo - 463 steps and knackering but totally worth it for the view.
2) Visit the Medici Chapel, doesnt look much from the outside but is absolutely amazing on the inside.
3) Stroll across the Ponte Vechhio with a gelato at early evening and enjoy the laid back, Italian ambience
4) Go to the Uffizi and spend a few hours immersed in culture
5) Cross the Ponte Vechhio for lunch or dinner on the other side of the river, there are some great places which are better value for money.

Its worth getting a hotel as central as possible for the convenience of everything being on your doorstep, the train station is only a 10 minute walk from Duomo square so dont be put off using the train from Pisa or visiting from other areas of Italy.

I loved this city, its fascinating, absolutely dripping with culture and history and beautiful to look at, add to this an overwhelmingly Italian, laid back atmosphere and to my mind it is the perfect place for a city break.

Summary: Perfect for a couple of days exploring, fly ryanair to cut the costs.