Florence

Florence (Italian: Firenze) is the capital of the region of Tuscany in Italy, with a population of about 366,500. The city is a cultural, artistic and architectural gem, and is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, Florence was the home to powerful families, creative geniuses and scientific masterminds who left their legacies in the city's many museums and art galleries. The city also has a very rich literary history, being the birthplace of the famous poet Dante, and standard Italian today is primarily based on the dialect of Tuscan spoken in Florence.

Politically, economically, and culturally, Florence was the most important city in Europe for around 250 years, from some time before 1300 until the early 1500s.

Florentines reinvented money, in the form of the gold florin. This currency was the engine that drove Europe out of the "Dark Ages", a term invented by Petrarch, a Florentine whose family had been exiled to Arezzo. They financed the development of industry all over Europe, from Britain to Bruges, Lyon and Hungary. They financed the English kings during the Hundred Years' War. They financed the papacy, including the construction of the papal palace in Avignon, and the reconstruction of St. Peter's and the Vatican when the papacy returned to Rome from the "Babylonian captivity".

Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio pioneered the use of the vernacular — the use of a locally spoken language, rather than Latin, and in their case, it was Tuscan, which, because of them, became the standard Italian language. Because Dante, et al., wrote in Tuscan, Geoffrey Chaucer, who spent a lot of time in Northern Italy and who used some of Boccaccio's little stories to inspire his Canterbury Tales, wrote in English. Others started writing in French and Spanish. This was the beginning of the end of Latin as a common language throughout Europe.

The Florentines, perhaps most notably Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1466) and Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472), invented both Renaissance and neoclassical architecture. These architectural styles revolutionised the way Rome, London, Paris and every other major city in Europe, from Barcelona to St. Petersburg, were built.

Florentines were the driving force behind the Age of Discovery. Florentine bankers financed Henry the Navigator and the Portuguese explorers, who pioneered the route around Africa to India and the Far East. It was a map drawn by the Florentine Paulo del Pozzo Toscanelli, a student of Brunelleschi, that Columbus used to sell his "enterprise" to the Spanish monarchs, and which he then used on his first voyage. Mercator's famous "Projection" is a refined version of Toscanelli's map, taking into account the Americas, of which the Florentine was obviously ignorant. The western hemisphere itself is named after a Florentine writer who claimed to be an explorer and mapmaker, Amerigo Vespucci.

Galileo and other scientists pioneered the study of optics, ballistics, astronomy, anatomy, and so on. Pico della Mirandola, Leonardo Bruni, Machiavelli, and many others laid the groundwork for our understanding of political science.

Opera was invented in Florence.

And that is just a smidgen of what went on in this city, which never had a population above 60,000 from the first attack of the plague in 1348 until long, long after it became unimportant.

And there were the Medici, perhaps the most important family that ever lived. The Medicis changed the world more than any other family. Forget all the art for which they paid. They taught first the other Italians, and then the rest of the Europeans, how to conduct statecraft. For example, Catherine de' Medici (1519-1589) married Henry II of France (reigned 1547-1559). After he died, Catherine ruled France as regent for her young sons, and was instrumental in turning France into Europe’s first nation-state. She brought the Renaissance into France, introducing everything from the châteaux of the Loire to the fork. She also was, to 16th and 17th century European royalty, what Queen Victoria was to the 19th and 20th centuries – everybody’s grandmama. Her children included three kings of France, Francis II (ruled 1559-1560), Charles IX (ruled 1560-1574) and Henry III (ruled 1574-1589). Her children-in-law included a fourth king of France, Henry IV (ruled 1589-1610), plus Elizabeth of Hapsburg, Philip II of Spain (of Armada fame), and Mary Queen of Scots.

And that is without mentioning any "artists". From Arnolfo and Cimabue to Giotto, Nanni di Banco, and Uccello; through Lorenzo Ghiberti and Donatello and Masaccio and the various della Robbias; through Fra Angelico and Sandro Botticelli and Piero della Francesca, and on to Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, the Florentines dominated the visual arts like nobody before or since. And this list does not include many who, in any other place, would be considered among the greatest of artists, but in Florence must be considered among the near-great: Benvenuto Cellini, Andrea del Sarto, Benozzo Gozzoli, Giorgio Vasari, Domenico Ghirlandaio, Fra Lippo Lippi, Buontalenti, Orcagna, Pollaiuolo, Filippino Lippi, Andrea del Verrocchio, Bronzino, Desiderio da Settignano, Michelozzo, the Rossellis, the Sangallos, Pontormo. And this list does not include the prolific Ignoto. Nor does it include the near-Florentines, such as Raphael, Andrea Pisano, Giambologna, the wonderfully nicknamed Sodoma and so many more, such as Peter-Paul Rubens, all of whom spent time in Florence and were educated by it.

Consider whether you'll benefit from buying a Firenzecard, described earlier, but learn from Stendahl and don't try to see too much. Most tourists rush to do the Uffizi, the Duomo and the Bargello. These are indeed splendid, but you may wait hours to get in, and be jostled by tour groups. Pre-book if you know you want to see them; otherwise spread out and see stuff that is equally fine but less touristy. A long weekend here could comfortably take in a sprinkling of old churches, and a couple of museums or galleries. But leave time and energy for just enjoying the ambience.

Churches: the standout is definitely the Duomo or Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. But other fine churches north of the river include San Lorenzo, Santa Maria Novella, Santa Trinita, Santa Croce, Santo Spirito, SS Annunziata and Ognissanti. Highlights south of the river are Santa Maria del Carmine and San Miniato al Monte.

Art galleries: aim to do at least one of Uffizi, Pitti Palace, Accademia, Bargello and the Museum of the Works of the Duomo. They are filled with the brilliant creations of all the renaissance big names: Donatello, Verrochio, Desiderio da Settignano, and Michelangelo. There's also a leavening of modern galleries.

City views: the classic panorama is from Piazzale Michelangelo, on the hillside just south of the river, and from San Miniato al Monte a little higher up. But every tour bus pauses here for photos so it can get mobbed. Down on the riverside, perhaps the best view is from the south bank late afternoon, as Ponte Vecchio and the Centro Storico become bathed in honey-coloured light. There's also a great view from the dome of the Cathedral or Giotto's Bell Tower, and an even greater line to climb them.

Florence is featured in Assassin's Creed II; see Assassin's Creed Tour.

The Cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore, is an astonishing confection dominating the piazza below and the skyline above. It's the third largest Christian church in the world, behind St Peter's in Rome and St Paul's in London. It's an early example of "technology-forcing" - like the US lunar missions of the 1960s, the 13th C Florentines started building it without knowing how they'd complete it, until along came Brunelleschi and his vast crowning dome. The eye-catching facade is 19th C. In front of the cathedral is the ornate medieval Baptistery, in use until modern times. Also in the piazza is the Bell Tower, designed by Giotto. The artwork from these buildings has been replaced by replicas, with the originals in the adjacent Museum of the Works of the Duomo. Buy a combined ticket online for €18 (concessions €3) to enter the following monuments (one entry per monument, valid for 72 hours after first use, book up to 30 days ahead; all closed first Tuesday of the month):

• Santa Maria del Fiore. M-Sa 10:00-16:30, Su 13:30-16:45. The cathedral interior is to a basilica pattern; it's vast and at first feels dark and empty. Give your eyes time to adjust, and admire the stain glass windows, funeral monument of Bishop d'Orso, and altar of St Zanobius. Below is the Crypt (M-Sa 10:00-17:00) with remains of the preceding cathedral of Santa Reparata, and the tomb of Brunelleschi. Giotto is believed to lie here somewhere, but his tomb has yet to be identified. Above is the soaring cupola or Dome. The cathedral itself is free, but you need a pre-booked ticket and time slot to climb the 464 steps up to the Dome (entrance north side of the church). Slots are available M-F 08:30-19:00, Sa 08:30-17:00 and Su 13:00-16:00.
• Giotto's Tower. Daily 08:15-19:00. Almost 85 m tall, with 414 steps to climb, this richly decorated tower is topped by an open terrace with a panorama of the Duomo, city and surrounds. By ticket.
• Baptistery. M-F 08:15-10:15 & 11:15-19:30, Sa 08:15-18:30, Su 08:15-13:30. Octagonal plan, with a pyramidal roof covering its dome. It's famous for its bronze doors by Andrea Pisano (14th C) and Lorenzo Ghiberti (15th C) and a beautiful interior vault decorated with 13th C mosaics. By ticket.
• Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Piazza del Duomo 9 (Directly behind the dome end of the cathedral. F-W 09:00-19:00, Th 09:00-17:00. This houses original artworks from the Duomo and surrounding religious buildings, including sculptures by Donatello, a Michelangelo Pietà (different from his version in Saint Peter's, Rome) and the losing entries in the 1401 contest to design the doors of the Baptistery. Plus models and drawings of the Cathedral. By ticket.

Santa Maria del Fiore. M-Sa 10:00-16:30, Su 13:30-16:45. The cathedral interior is to a basilica pattern; it's vast and at first feels dark and empty. Give your eyes time to adjust, and admire the stain glass windows, funeral monument of Bishop d'Orso, and altar of St Zanobius. Below is the Crypt (M-Sa 10:00-17:00) with remains of the preceding cathedral of Santa Reparata, and the tomb of Brunelleschi. Giotto is believed to lie here somewhere, but his tomb has yet to be identified. Above is the soaring cupola or Dome. The cathedral itself is free, but you need a pre-booked ticket and time slot to climb the 464 steps up to the Dome (entrance north side of the church). Slots are available M-F 08:30-19:00, Sa 08:30-17:00 and Su 13:00-16:00.

Giotto's Tower. Daily 08:15-19:00. Almost 85 m tall, with 414 steps to climb, this richly decorated tower is topped by an open terrace with a panorama of the Duomo, city and surrounds. By ticket.

Baptistery. M-F 08:15-10:15 & 11:15-19:30, Sa 08:15-18:30, Su 08:15-13:30. Octagonal plan, with a pyramidal roof covering its dome. It's famous for its bronze doors by Andrea Pisano (14th C) and Lorenzo Ghiberti (15th C) and a beautiful interior vault decorated with 13th C mosaics. By ticket.

Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, Piazza del Duomo 9 (Directly behind the dome end of the cathedral. F-W 09:00-19:00, Th 09:00-17:00. This houses original artworks from the Duomo and surrounding religious buildings, including sculptures by Donatello, a Michelangelo Pietà (different from his version in Saint Peter's, Rome) and the losing entries in the 1401 contest to design the doors of the Baptistery. Plus models and drawings of the Cathedral. By ticket.

Book ahead for the big-name museums. All of these (plus Boboli Gardens) have a combined booking portal and there are several combi-tickets. In practice, it's Uffizi that draws the biggest crowds and so is hardest to access; your options are:

- Just wait in line. On a good day this could mean a 4-5 hour wait, hopefully in good weather. On a bad day you wait 4-5 hours outside in bad weather then they sell out and turn you away. This is especially likely on the first Sunday of the month when entry is free. Tuesday too is crowded, since it's closed Monday so there's pent-up demand.

- Go on an organised tour - these have a pre-booked slot and you step right in. Caveat emptor, as tour operations range from the shambolic and rushed to the sublime and educating.

- By a Firenzecard, so you skip the usual line. Upmarket hotels sometimes also have access to priority slots.

- Book online, paying €4 extra and pre-printing your email for a fixed time slot. Be there at least an hour ahead, because so many people are skipping line, there's a line to skip line.

- Book by phone on +39 055 294883, likewise paying €4 extra for a fixed slot and arriving an hour early. It's not clear how long you'll typically wait to get through by phone.

• Galleria degli Uffizi, Piazzale degli Uffizi, +39 055 294883. Tu-Su 08:15-18:50, M closed, last admission 18:00; you may not bring in water. Outstanding fine art museum with Renaissance paintings and sculptures from classical antiquity. It's in a late 16th C palazzo designed by Vasari, in two wings enclosing a long narrow courtyard, effectively a street, an innovation in its day. Originally the palazzo was magistrates' offices (hence "Uffizi") and state archives; then it came to house the Medici's vast art collection. The artworks are on the first and second floors, they keep the lifts well hidden. Highlights include Birth of Venus by Boticelli, Dukes of Urbino by della Francesca, Medusa by Caravaggio, Venus of Urbino by Titian, Annunciation by da Vinci, Pope Leo X and family by Raphael, Velasquez' self-portrait, Rembrandt's final self-portrait, and many other big names. Allow three hours for a visit. Uffizi majors on Renaissance, so although later styles are represented they're few: you don't really come here for the 18th - 20th C material. The restaurant/cafè has a large balcony overlooking the main piazza with good views of the Palazzo Vecchio, and naturally their prices reflect the views. Mar-Oct adult €20, conc €10, combi with Pitti & Boboli €38; Nov-Feb adult €12, conc €6, combi €18; booking fee €4.
• Bargello, Via de Proconsolo 4, +39 055 294883. Daily Apr-Oct 08:15-17:00, Nov-Feb 08:15-14:00, but closed 2nd & 4th Su and 1st, 3rd & 5th M of each month. Used as a barracks and prison until the 19th C, this museum houses some of the best Renaissance and Mannerist sculpture. Big names here include Michelangelo, Donatello, Ammannati, Bandinelli, Andrea and Jacopo Sansovino, Desiderio da Settignano, Giambologna, and Antonio Rossellino. It also displays ceramics, textiles & tapestries, ivory, silver, armour and coins. Allow two hours. Adult €8, conc €4, booking fee €3.
• Galleria dell'Accademia, Via Ricasoli 58-60. Tu-Su 08:15-18:50. Highlights are Michelangelo's original David (the one in Piazza della Signoria is a copy) and his unfinished Slaves. It also includes Florentine painting, a museum of musical instruments, and Russian icons. No photography is allowed inside.
  
  The Accademia di Belle Arti next door is a university department not connected with the Gallery. Adult €8, conc €4, booking fee €4.
• Palazzo Pitti, Piazza de' Pitti (200 m south of Ponte Vecchio. Tu-Su 08:15-18:50, last admission 18:00. The original Pitti was a banker; the palace has housed royalty but became best known for its Medici family treasures. It's nowadays divided into four museums (same ticket): ground floor is the Treasury of the Grand Dukes; first floor houses the Palatine Gallery and the Royal and Imperial Apartments, second floor is the Modern Art Gallery and the Museum of Costume and Fashion. The Boboli gardens are just behind the palazzo. Mar-Oct adult €16, conc €8, combi with Uffizi & Boboli €38; Nov-Feb adult €10, conc €5, combi €18; booking fee €4..
• Palazzo Davanzati, Via Porta Rossa. M-F 08:15-14:00, Sa-Su 13:15-19:00. a house museum with antique fittings and furniture €6, conc €2.
• Museo Galileo, Piazza dei Giudici 1, +39 055 265 311. 9:30-18:00. This museum shows the evolution of the instruments used in various scientific fields such as mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, astronomy. The room of Galileo Galilei shows some of his original instruments as well as models from his drawings. The room of Spheres and Globes houses an excellent cartographic collection. In a rather macabre twist the museum also has the middle finger of Galileo's right hand on display. €10.
• Museo Horne, Palazzo Corsi on via dei Benci, 6. Th-Tu 10:00-14:00. Displays art and furnishings of the 14th & 15th C. The building and art collection were owned by art historian Herbert Percy Horne. €7.
• Archaeological Museum, Piazza della Santissima Annunziata 9B. The Etruscan art collection is particularly good. €8.
• Museo Novecento, Piazza Santa Maria Novella 10. Sa-W 11:00-20:00, Th 11:00-14:00, F 11:00-23:00, Firenze Cardholder free. Gallery of 20th & 21st-century art, on three floors of palazzo. Adult €8.50, concs €4.
• Museo Marini, Piazza di San Pancrazio. Sa-M 10:00 - 19:00, other days by reservation. Houses the work of that contemporary sculptor.
• A Contemporary Art gallery is sited in Palazzo Strozzi., and there are several other collections around city centre.
• Stibbert Museum. M-W 10:00-14:00, F-Su 10:00-18:00. Has a great collection of armour and arms. €8.

Galleria degli Uffizi, Piazzale degli Uffizi, +39 055 294883. Tu-Su 08:15-18:50, M closed, last admission 18:00; you may not bring in water. Outstanding fine art museum with Renaissance paintings and sculptures from classical antiquity. It's in a late 16th C palazzo designed by Vasari, in two wings enclosing a long narrow courtyard, effectively a street, an innovation in its day. Originally the palazzo was magistrates' offices (hence "Uffizi") and state archives; then it came to house the Medici's vast art collection. The artworks are on the first and second floors, they keep the lifts well hidden. Highlights include Birth of Venus by Boticelli, Dukes of Urbino by della Francesca, Medusa by Caravaggio, Venus of Urbino by Titian, Annunciation by da Vinci, Pope Leo X and family by Raphael, Velasquez' self-portrait, Rembrandt's final self-portrait, and many other big names. Allow three hours for a visit. Uffizi majors on Renaissance, so although later styles are represented they're few: you don't really come here for the 18th - 20th C material. The restaurant/cafè has a large balcony overlooking the main piazza with good views of the Palazzo Vecchio, and naturally their prices reflect the views. Mar-Oct adult €20, conc €10, combi with Pitti & Boboli €38; Nov-Feb adult €12, conc €6, combi €18; booking fee €4.

Bargello, Via de Proconsolo 4, +39 055 294883. Daily Apr-Oct 08:15-17:00, Nov-Feb 08:15-14:00, but closed 2nd & 4th Su and 1st, 3rd & 5th M of each month. Used as a barracks and prison until the 19th C, this museum houses some of the best Renaissance and Mannerist sculpture. Big names here include Michelangelo, Donatello, Ammannati, Bandinelli, Andrea and Jacopo Sansovino, Desiderio da Settignano, Giambologna, and Antonio Rossellino. It also displays ceramics, textiles & tapestries, ivory, silver, armour and coins. Allow two hours. Adult €8, conc €4, booking fee €3.

Galleria dell'Accademia, Via Ricasoli 58-60. Tu-Su 08:15-18:50. Highlights are Michelangelo's original David (the one in Piazza della Signoria is a copy) and his unfinished Slaves. It also includes Florentine painting, a museum of musical instruments, and Russian icons. No photography is allowed inside.

The Accademia di Belle Arti next door is a university department not connected with the Gallery. Adult €8, conc €4, booking fee €4.

Palazzo Pitti, Piazza de' Pitti (200 m south of Ponte Vecchio. Tu-Su 08:15-18:50, last admission 18:00. The original Pitti was a banker; the palace has housed royalty but became best known for its Medici family treasures. It's nowadays divided into four museums (same ticket): ground floor is the Treasury of the Grand Dukes; first floor houses the Palatine Gallery and the Royal and Imperial Apartments, second floor is the Modern Art Gallery and the Museum of Costume and Fashion. The Boboli gardens are just behind the palazzo. Mar-Oct adult €16, conc €8, combi with Uffizi & Boboli €38; Nov-Feb adult €10, conc €5, combi €18; booking fee €4..

Palazzo Davanzati, Via Porta Rossa. M-F 08:15-14:00, Sa-Su 13:15-19:00. a house museum with antique fittings and furniture €6, conc €2.

Museo Galileo, Piazza dei Giudici 1, +39 055 265 311. 9:30-18:00. This museum shows the evolution of the instruments used in various scientific fields such as mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, astronomy. The room of Galileo Galilei shows some of his original instruments as well as models from his drawings. The room of Spheres and Globes houses an excellent cartographic collection. In a rather macabre twist the museum also has the middle finger of Galileo's right hand on display. €10.

Museo Horne, Palazzo Corsi on via dei Benci, 6. Th-Tu 10:00-14:00. Displays art and furnishings of the 14th & 15th C. The building and art collection were owned by art historian Herbert Percy Horne. €7.

Archaeological Museum, Piazza della Santissima Annunziata 9B. The Etruscan art collection is particularly good. €8.

Museo Novecento, Piazza Santa Maria Novella 10. Sa-W 11:00-20:00, Th 11:00-14:00, F 11:00-23:00, Firenze Cardholder free. Gallery of 20th & 21st-century art, on three floors of palazzo. Adult €8.50, concs €4.

Museo Marini, Piazza di San Pancrazio. Sa-M 10:00 - 19:00, other days by reservation. Houses the work of that contemporary sculptor.

A Contemporary Art gallery is sited in Palazzo Strozzi., and there are several other collections around city centre.

Stibbert Museum. M-W 10:00-14:00, F-Su 10:00-18:00. Has a great collection of armour and arms. €8.

• Palazzo Vecchio. Old city palace/city hall, adorned with fine art. The replica of Michelangelo's "David" is placed outside the main door in the original location of the statue, which is a symbol of the Comune of Florence. The site displays an important collection of Renaissance sculptures and paintings, including the Putto by Verrochio and the series of murals by Giorgio Vasari at the Salone dei Cinquecento (Hall of the Five Hundreds) - the hall which used to display the now lost Renaissance masterpiece, that is, the so-called Battaglia di Anghiari, by Leonardo da Vinci. "Museum" or "Tower and Battlements": €10 adults, €8 concessions. "Museum" and "Tower and Battlements": €14 adults, €12 concessions.
• Piazza della Signoria is the grand open space in front: not quite a square, as Palazzo Vecchio blocks out one corner. Sights here are the equestrian statue of Cosimo de Medici, the Fountain of Neptune, the statue of David, and Loggia dei Lanzi, an open arched gallery of Renaissance sculpture.
• Ponte Vecchio. The oldest and most celebrated bridge over the Arno, and the only Florentine bridge to survive World War II. The design is distinctive: it's a three-arched bridge supporting a parade of shops supporting another bridge. It dates to 1345 (hence Ponte Vecchio, "old bridge"), with earlier bridges being swept away by floods, rebuilt and swept away again. At street level it's a pedestrianised cobbled arch. It's lined by shops, which were butchers until Renaissance times then - in an insight as dramatic as the discovery of perspective in painting - they realised that goldsmiths' shops paid higher rents and didn't stink; so from then to this day it's just been overpriced jewellery shops and market stalls. Above these is the higher bridge, the Vasari Corridor, a private walkway added in 1565 so that the Medici Dukes could move between Palazzo Vecchio (Town Hall) and Palazzo Pitti (their blingy residence) without mixing with common folk. On the south bank, the Corridor nowadays continues as a gallery of the Uffizi, and there is sometimes talk of extending this over the bridge, or otherwise making the space accessible. Nothing's come of this so far, so the common folk will have to continue admiring the scene from street level. Free.
• Santa Croce. Contains the monumental tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Dante, Rossini, and many other notables in addition to artistic decorations. There is also great artwork in the church. Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce (included in ticket) displays a flood-damaged but still beautiful Crucifix by Cimabue (Giotto's teacher), which has become a symbol of the disastrous floods of 1966. Ticket also includes Pazzi Chapel, a perfectly symmetrical example of sublime neo-Classic Renaissance architecture. Adult 8€, concs 6€.
• Santa Maria Novella. A beautiful church with great artwork, including a restored Trinity by Masaccio. Also, the Chiostro Verde, to your left when facing the front entrance of the church, contains frescoes by Paolo Uccello which are quite unusual in style and well worth seeing, if the separate entrance is open. Off of the church's cloister is the wonderful Spanish Chapel which is covered in early Renaissance frescoes. €5 adults, €3.50 concessions.
• Orsanmichele. A beautiful old church from the 14th century, which once functioned as a grain market.
• San Lorenzo. The façade of this church was never completed, giving it a striking, rustic appearance. Inside the church is pure Renaissance neo-classical splendor. If you go around the back of the church, there is a separate entrance to the Medici chapels. Be sure to check out the stunning burial chapel of the princes and the sacristy down the corridor. The small sacristy is blessed with the presence of nine Michelangelo sculptures.
• San Marco Convent. Houses frescoes by Fra Angelico and his workshop. Fra Angelico painted a series of frescoes for the cells in which the Dominican monks lived.
• Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum of Florence, via Farini, 6, +39 055 234 6654. June-Sept: Su-Th 10:00 - 18:30, F 10:00 - 17:00; Oct-May: Su-Th 10:00 - 17:30; F 10:00-15:00. Closed except for religious services on Saturdays and Jewish holidays. Lovely Moorish-style synagogue built in 1882 and a museum with many artefacts and documentation of Florentine Jewish life going back many centuries; visits are guided. €6.50 total for the synagogue and museum.
• The English Cemetery in the 19th century received anyone that the city's churchyards wouldn't receive, e.g. Orthodox Christians, but Britons and Americans were the majority. Famous names here include Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Fanny Trollope and Beatrice Shakespeare, a relative of William. There are lots of ornate gravestones with flowery inscriptions in multiple languages. It's on the ring-road 1 km east of the centre near Campo di Marte railway station.

Palazzo Vecchio. Old city palace/city hall, adorned with fine art. The replica of Michelangelo's "David" is placed outside the main door in the original location of the statue, which is a symbol of the Comune of Florence. The site displays an important collection of Renaissance sculptures and paintings, including the Putto by Verrochio and the series of murals by Giorgio Vasari at the Salone dei Cinquecento (Hall of the Five Hundreds) - the hall which used to display the now lost Renaissance masterpiece, that is, the so-called Battaglia di Anghiari, by Leonardo da Vinci. "Museum" or "Tower and Battlements": €10 adults, €8 concessions. "Museum" and "Tower and Battlements": €14 adults, €12 concessions.

Piazza della Signoria is the grand open space in front: not quite a square, as Palazzo Vecchio blocks out one corner. Sights here are the equestrian statue of Cosimo de Medici, the Fountain of Neptune, the statue of David, and Loggia dei Lanzi, an open arched gallery of Renaissance sculpture.

Ponte Vecchio. The oldest and most celebrated bridge over the Arno, and the only Florentine bridge to survive World War II. The design is distinctive: it's a three-arched bridge supporting a parade of shops supporting another bridge. It dates to 1345 (hence Ponte Vecchio, "old bridge"), with earlier bridges being swept away by floods, rebuilt and swept away again. At street level it's a pedestrianised cobbled arch. It's lined by shops, which were butchers until Renaissance times then - in an insight as dramatic as the discovery of perspective in painting - they realised that goldsmiths' shops paid higher rents and didn't stink; so from then to this day it's just been overpriced jewellery shops and market stalls. Above these is the higher bridge, the Vasari Corridor, a private walkway added in 1565 so that the Medici Dukes could move between Palazzo Vecchio (Town Hall) and Palazzo Pitti (their blingy residence) without mixing with common folk. On the south bank, the Corridor nowadays continues as a gallery of the Uffizi, and there is sometimes talk of extending this over the bridge, or otherwise making the space accessible. Nothing's come of this so far, so the common folk will have to continue admiring the scene from street level. Free.

Santa Croce. Contains the monumental tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Dante, Rossini, and many other notables in addition to artistic decorations. There is also great artwork in the church. Museo dell'Opera di Santa Croce (included in ticket) displays a flood-damaged but still beautiful Crucifix by Cimabue (Giotto's teacher), which has become a symbol of the disastrous floods of 1966. Ticket also includes Pazzi Chapel, a perfectly symmetrical example of sublime neo-Classic Renaissance architecture. Adult 8€, concs 6€.

Santa Maria Novella. A beautiful church with great artwork, including a restored Trinity by Masaccio. Also, the Chiostro Verde, to your left when facing the front entrance of the church, contains frescoes by Paolo Uccello which are quite unusual in style and well worth seeing, if the separate entrance is open. Off of the church's cloister is the wonderful Spanish Chapel which is covered in early Renaissance frescoes. €5 adults, €3.50 concessions.

Orsanmichele. A beautiful old church from the 14th century, which once functioned as a grain market.

San Lorenzo. The façade of this church was never completed, giving it a striking, rustic appearance. Inside the church is pure Renaissance neo-classical splendor. If you go around the back of the church, there is a separate entrance to the Medici chapels. Be sure to check out the stunning burial chapel of the princes and the sacristy down the corridor. The small sacristy is blessed with the presence of nine Michelangelo sculptures.

San Marco Convent. Houses frescoes by Fra Angelico and his workshop. Fra Angelico painted a series of frescoes for the cells in which the Dominican monks lived.

Great Synagogue and Jewish Museum of Florence, via Farini, 6, +39 055 234 6654. June-Sept: Su-Th 10:00 - 18:30, F 10:00 - 17:00; Oct-May: Su-Th 10:00 - 17:30; F 10:00-15:00. Closed except for religious services on Saturdays and Jewish holidays. Lovely Moorish-style synagogue built in 1882 and a museum with many artefacts and documentation of Florentine Jewish life going back many centuries; visits are guided. €6.50 total for the synagogue and museum.

The English Cemetery in the 19th century received anyone that the city's churchyards wouldn't receive, e.g. Orthodox Christians, but Britons and Americans were the majority. Famous names here include Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Fanny Trollope and Beatrice Shakespeare, a relative of William. There are lots of ornate gravestones with flowery inscriptions in multiple languages. It's on the ring-road 1 km east of the centre near Campo di Marte railway station.

• Santa Felicita. Contains frescoes of the Annunciation and a painting of the Deposition of Christ by the brilliant and weird mannerist painter, Pontormo. They are to be found in the Barbadori Chapel, which is to your immediate right when entering the church.
• Pitti Palace: see Museum listing above.
• Boboli Gardens. Elaborately landscaped and with many interesting sculptures, behind the Pitti Palace. Wonderful city views. Don't miss the Bardini gardens. Entrance to that is included in the combination ticket price for the Boboli, and it's a short walk from the Boboli Gardens. There are great views of the Duomo from the Bardini gardens. Adult €10.
• Natural History Museum ("La Specola") is on Via Romana next to Pitti Palace. Open Tu-Su 09:00-16:00.
• Santa Maria del Carmine. Famous frescoes (Masaccio’s Adam and Eve Banished From the Garden and others by Lippi and Masolino) in the Brancacci Chapel.
• Piazzale Michelangelo. Plaza on a hillside with a great view of the city. Go there by bus or climb the stairs and paths from the Lungarno della Zecca.
• San Miniato al Monte. The Sacristy contains frescoes by Spinello Aretino. In the cemetery near this church there are graves of famous people of Florence, including Carlo Lorenzi (Collodi) - author of the famous Pinocchio. Also, turn around when you reach the top of the stairs before entering the church, to see perhaps an even greater view of the city than from nearby Piazzale Michelangelo.
• Museo Stefano Bardini: collection of early Florentine art, housed in the Palazzo Mozzi just south of Ponte alla Grazia. It's open F-M 11:00-17:00.

Santa Felicita. Contains frescoes of the Annunciation and a painting of the Deposition of Christ by the brilliant and weird mannerist painter, Pontormo. They are to be found in the Barbadori Chapel, which is to your immediate right when entering the church.

Pitti Palace: see Museum listing above.

Boboli Gardens. Elaborately landscaped and with many interesting sculptures, behind the Pitti Palace. Wonderful city views. Don't miss the Bardini gardens. Entrance to that is included in the combination ticket price for the Boboli, and it's a short walk from the Boboli Gardens. There are great views of the Duomo from the Bardini gardens. Adult €10.

Natural History Museum ("La Specola") is on Via Romana next to Pitti Palace. Open Tu-Su 09:00-16:00.

Santa Maria del Carmine. Famous frescoes (Masaccio’s Adam and Eve Banished From the Garden and others by Lippi and Masolino) in the Brancacci Chapel.

Piazzale Michelangelo. Plaza on a hillside with a great view of the city. Go there by bus or climb the stairs and paths from the Lungarno della Zecca.

San Miniato al Monte. The Sacristy contains frescoes by Spinello Aretino. In the cemetery near this church there are graves of famous people of Florence, including Carlo Lorenzi (Collodi) - author of the famous Pinocchio. Also, turn around when you reach the top of the stairs before entering the church, to see perhaps an even greater view of the city than from nearby Piazzale Michelangelo.

Museo Stefano Bardini: collection of early Florentine art, housed in the Palazzo Mozzi just south of Ponte alla Grazia. It's open F-M 11:00-17:00.

Great places to walk include along the Arno and across any of its bridges; through narrow, medieval back streets in the Santa Croce area; and in the Oltr'Arno - on the south side of the river, in many ways like Rome's Trastevere or Paris's Left Bank - but far, far smaller.

• Climb the Duomo or Campanile. Traverse the winding staircases inside the duomo or the nearby bell tower to see some of the best views of Florence. Not only can you see the Tuscan countryside in the distance and the impressive palaces and churches of Florence in the fore, but it also shows you just how large the Duomo is.
• Stroll the Boboli Gardens. These extensive gardens behind the Pitti palace provide excellent views of the city of Florence and numerous sculptures in a relaxed environment. Stop in the hilltop café, grab a drink and a seat outside and enjoy the view.
• Street Performers by the Uffizi, in front of the Palazzo Vecchio. In the evenings street performers often put on a show here. Performances can range from violin duets to people dressed as sculptures. A nice place to stop while you eat your after-dinner gelato.
• Enjoy the view from the Piazzale Michelangelo. It's a big square on a hill, but somewhat distant from the traditional tourist sites. It's easy to reach it even on foot using the stairs called "Rampe di San Niccolò". They are on the side of the Arno river just in front of the national library. Do this during the summer and during the night to admire Florence's lights.
• Join a monastery: those aged 18-35 are invited to take a two-day spiritual retreat at Badia Fiorentina on Via del Proconsolo. Or just come to hear sung vespers at 6 pm and mass at 6.30 pm nightly in this peaceful church, filled with artwork. It's central yet virtually free of tourists.

• Impruneta's spa, Via Cassia 217, Terme di Firenze (from the city of Florence, take the Autostradale Firenze - Siena and the SR2; the spa is on a lefthand turnoff from the R2, approximately 13 km south of the city of Florence. The thermal waters of Impruneta spring from two sources and are used to treat respiratory diseases, liver, gastrointestinal, and skin allergies.

Impruneta's spa, Via Cassia 217, Terme di Firenze (from the city of Florence, take the Autostradale Firenze - Siena and the SR2; the spa is on a lefthand turnoff from the R2, approximately 13 km south of the city of Florence. The thermal waters of Impruneta spring from two sources and are used to treat respiratory diseases, liver, gastrointestinal, and skin allergies.

Climb the Duomo or Campanile. Traverse the winding staircases inside the duomo or the nearby bell tower to see some of the best views of Florence. Not only can you see the Tuscan countryside in the distance and the impressive palaces and churches of Florence in the fore, but it also shows you just how large the Duomo is.

Stroll the Boboli Gardens. These extensive gardens behind the Pitti palace provide excellent views of the city of Florence and numerous sculptures in a relaxed environment. Stop in the hilltop café, grab a drink and a seat outside and enjoy the view.

Street Performers by the Uffizi, in front of the Palazzo Vecchio. In the evenings street performers often put on a show here. Performances can range from violin duets to people dressed as sculptures. A nice place to stop while you eat your after-dinner gelato.

Enjoy the view from the Piazzale Michelangelo. It's a big square on a hill, but somewhat distant from the traditional tourist sites. It's easy to reach it even on foot using the stairs called "Rampe di San Niccolò". They are on the side of the Arno river just in front of the national library. Do this during the summer and during the night to admire Florence's lights.

Join a monastery: those aged 18-35 are invited to take a two-day spiritual retreat at Badia Fiorentina on Via del Proconsolo. Or just come to hear sung vespers at 6 pm and mass at 6.30 pm nightly in this peaceful church, filled with artwork. It's central yet virtually free of tourists.

There are a few places to buy things, from the high-end jewelry stores lining the Ponte Vecchio to some of the most famous shops in the world; Gucci, Pucci, Ferragamo, Valentino, Prada, Armani, Ermenegildo Zegna, Buccellati, Frette, as well as many more wonderful shops that aren't yet world famous. Souvenirs related to art and Florence's sights can be found everywhere. Books, leather goods, art handcrafted journals, frames, pencils etc. in that gorgeous Florentine paper with swirls of color and gold are great gifts.

It is increasingly difficult to find bargains, but keen-eyed shoppers can still find good deals on smaller, side streets running off of those above and elsewhere in the center of town. Better stores in/near the city center offer superb leathers at sometimes decent prices...perhaps after some bickering. Goldsmiths on the Ponte Vecchio display beautiful and quality work, but can be very expensive. Shops that are not located in the very centre of the city are significantly cheaper. There are also superb shopping streets, such as the Via Tornabuoni, the Via del Parione, and the Via Maggio. The San Lorenzo market is now largely for tourists. There are also a couple of collections of "outlets" in the suburbs.

Some of the most uniquely Florentine shops and sights can be found in the Oltrarno, which is Florence's "Left Bank" and home to countless generations of artisans. This section of town can be found by crossing "Ponte Vecchio" (the old bridge) or Ponte Trinità from the center. This "undiscovered" Florence is a must-see.

• Enoteca Mondovino, Via S. Agostino 27-29/R, +39 055 215214. Decent wine and Liquor store with interesting collection of potable bitters in the back (Italian and German).
• Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, Via della Scala 16 N. An old pharmacy, which sells high-qualitiy beauty products like soaps, shaving cream, eau de Cologne.
• Pitti Vintage - Italian & European Vintage Clothing & Accessories, Borgo degli Albizi 72r, +39 055 230 2676. Fendi, Ferragamo, Gucci, Lancetti, Valentino. Specializes in Italian and European designer and one-of-a-kind vintage pieces.
• Cose Del 900 - Italian Glass Connection, Borgo San Jacopo 45R (Just two minutes from Ponte Vecchio., +39 055 283 491. M-Sa 10:30-19:30. Since 1981 specializing in sized-to-order, affordable beaded jewelry featuring handmade Murano glass beads.
• Ortigia SRL, Borgo San Jacopo 12R (next to the Ponte Vecchio, +39 055 282129. Luxurious soaps, scents, creams, candles and lotions inspired by the aesthetics, colours, and scents of Sicily.
• Albrici, Via dei Serragli 20R, +39 055211095. M 15:00-19:00, Tu-Sa 09:00-13:00, 15:00-19:00. Long-established antiques and home decor store located among the traditional artisans' workshops of Oltrarno. Within it, Recollection sells vintage clothing and accessories.

Beware:If the police catch you while buying a knock-off version of something with a brand from an (illegal) street vendor, you can be fined up to €10,000. You'll see plenty of people on the street selling imitation Gucci sunglasses, Rolex watches, and Prada purses dirt cheap. It's okay if the item doesn't have a real brand on it, but buying a knock-off is illegal.

Enoteca Mondovino, Via S. Agostino 27-29/R, +39 055 215214. Decent wine and Liquor store with interesting collection of potable bitters in the back (Italian and German).

Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, Via della Scala 16 N. An old pharmacy, which sells high-qualitiy beauty products like soaps, shaving cream, eau de Cologne.

Pitti Vintage - Italian & European Vintage Clothing & Accessories, Borgo degli Albizi 72r, +39 055 230 2676. Fendi, Ferragamo, Gucci, Lancetti, Valentino. Specializes in Italian and European designer and one-of-a-kind vintage pieces.

Cose Del 900 - Italian Glass Connection, Borgo San Jacopo 45R (Just two minutes from Ponte Vecchio., +39 055 283 491. M-Sa 10:30-19:30. Since 1981 specializing in sized-to-order, affordable beaded jewelry featuring handmade Murano glass beads.

Ortigia SRL, Borgo San Jacopo 12R (next to the Ponte Vecchio, +39 055 282129. Luxurious soaps, scents, creams, candles and lotions inspired by the aesthetics, colours, and scents of Sicily.

Albrici, Via dei Serragli 20R, +39 055211095. M 15:00-19:00, Tu-Sa 09:00-13:00, 15:00-19:00. Long-established antiques and home decor store located among the traditional artisans' workshops of Oltrarno. Within it, Recollection sells vintage clothing and accessories.

Remember that restaurants have separate prices for food to go or eaten standing up versus sit down service; don't try to sit at a table after paying for food or coffee from the restaurant's to go booth. Also ask always beforehand for the price if you want to sit at a table. Otherwise you might be uncomfortably surprised. Cappuccino al banco i.e. standing up might cost €1-3; but at a table €4.

Florence's food can be as much of a treat to the palate as the art is a treat to the eye. There is good food for any price range, from fine restaurants to take out food from window stands. The best price/quality ratio you will find outside the historical center where normal Italians go to eat. The worst ratio is probably in the neighbourhood of Mercato di San Lorenzo where there are a lot of tourist restaurants, while many of the best restaurants in the city are found in the Santa Croce district. In some, requests for pizza may be met with a rebuff. For local pizza look for small shops near the Duomo.

The best lunch places don't always turn out to be the best dinner places. Dinner in Florence really starts sometime between 19:00 and 21:00. If a place looks like they're preparing to close before 20:00, it might not be the best option for dinner. Reheated pasta is not very tasty.

Typical Tuscan courses include Bistecca alla fiorentina which is huge t-bone steak weighing from 500g to 1,500g. It has always price given per 100g, e.g. €3.5 etto (an etto is a "hectogram" or 100 gram-ettogrammo). Crostini toscani are crostini with tuscan liver pâté.

There is also a uniquely Florentine fast food with a 1,000-year history - lampredotto, a kind of tripe (cow stomach, or calf for preference, but a different part than the more familiar white "honeycomb" kind, dark brown in color; the name comes from its wrinkled appearance, which apparently reminds locals of a lamprey fish). The trippaio set their carts in the public squares in the center, dishing out the delicacy straight from the cauldron in which it is being boiled with herbs and tomatoes, chopping it and slapping the portions between halves of a Tuscan roll; the top is dipped in the broth. A mild green parsley- or basil-based sauce or a hot red one goes with it.

There are many gelato (Italian ice cream) stands; some connoisseurs consider the better Florentine gelato the finest in the world. Often gelato is made in the bar where you buy it. Because of this there are many exotic flavors of ice cream like watermelon, spumante or garlic. It's hard to find a gelato place open very late, so after dinner might not be an option. Near the Duomo though, there are a few places open after 22:00.

Tuscany is also the wellspring of cantuccini, also called biscotti di Prato. (In Italian, the singular of biscotti is un biscotto). It's traditional to enjoy them after a meal by dipping them in Vin Santo ("Holy Wine"), a concentrated wine made from late-harvested grapes, but you can also buy bags of them in stores throughout the city and eat them however you like.

There are numerous caffè and pasticcerie where you can find excellent sandwiches. Pizza sold by weight is an equally excellent solution for budget dining (vegetarian and vegan options are almost always available), as is any caffè displaying a "Primi" card in its window where you'll find pastas and other dishes at low reasonable prices. The delis (rosticcerie) are very affordable (and the food is often quite good), and some also have dining tables if you don't want to take away.

You can buy the makings for a picnic or snack at the Mercato Centrale. This large market has everything you might need, often at more affordable prices than supermarkets. The stalls will also sometimes vacuum seal whatever you buy so you can take it home with you.

A general rule: the closer you are to the historic old town, the higher the price.

• Il Vegetariano, Via delle Ruote, 30 r, +39 055 475030. Tu-F 12:30-14:30, 19:30--22:30, Sa Su 19:30-22:30, M 12:30-14:30. Budget restaurant with more formal front room, the eclectic middle room, or the peaceful outdoor garden in the back. Daily changing menu with vegan and gluten-free items clearly marked, desserts, salads, soups, hearty brown bread, and a good selection of coffee, tea, wine, beer, and liqueur.
• I fratellini, Via dei Cimatori, 38R, +39 055 239 6096. Daily 10:00-20:00. Good street food: panini (€4) and wine (€2+) from a tiny hole in the wall. Patrons eat on the sidewalk while resting their glass of wine on small shelves nested along the street wall.
• Oil Shoppe, Via S. Egidio 22r. M-F 10:00-19:00. Deli selling olive oil, but with an extensive sandwich bar, to sit in or to go. Student crowd, feels more Californian than Italian. Sandwiches from €4.
• Trattoria Mario, Via Rosina 2/R (near Piazza Mercato Centrale, +39 055 218550. M-Sa 12:00-15:30. Lunch only, no booking, you'll be seated with other walk-ins. Good food, try to save room for a meat main course.
• Trattoria Le Mossacce, Via Del Proconsolo, 55R (Corner of Via del Corso, +39 055 294361. M-F 12:00-14:30, 19:00-21:30. Reliable local eatery. Local produce and meats are prepared simply using traditional recipes and time-honoured tradition. Some pastas are made fresh daily, so ask for the daily special. If you want to experience Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine-style steak), they do it amazingly without breaking your wallet. They sell and cut the steak from a larger rib slab in increments of 100g (with a minimum of 500g per serving). Primi: 3-6, Secondi €6-25.
• Leonardo, Via de' Pecori 11 (Corner of Via de' Vecchietti, +39 055 284446. Daily 11:45-14:45, Su-F 18:45-21:45 f. Although there is a menu at the entrance, it is better to go straight in and pick what you like. You can also order Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Primi €3.5-4. Secondi €4.5-5.5. About €10 per person for a full-course dinner.
• Tiona, Via della Scala 24R (near Piazza SMN. Tu-Su 12:00-23:00. Not that you'd admit to wanting a break from Italian food, but this small friendly Sri Lankan restaurant makes a refreshing change. Ayubowan! mains €8.
• Za-Za, Piazza del Mercato Centrale 26R. Daily 11:00-23:00. A very nicely decorated restaurant with many vegetarian choices. You can choose to sit inside or outside in the piazza. The menu is huge, lots of choices, and the prices are fair. Service is outstanding, they really cater to your needs. Make sure to try the chianti house wine. Note that they have two seating areas on the piazza: between are two other restaurants, Cantastorie and Garibaldi. €10-12 for a dish.

Il Vegetariano, Via delle Ruote, 30 r, +39 055 475030. Tu-F 12:30-14:30, 19:30--22:30, Sa Su 19:30-22:30, M 12:30-14:30. Budget restaurant with more formal front room, the eclectic middle room, or the peaceful outdoor garden in the back. Daily changing menu with vegan and gluten-free items clearly marked, desserts, salads, soups, hearty brown bread, and a good selection of coffee, tea, wine, beer, and liqueur.

I fratellini, Via dei Cimatori, 38R, +39 055 239 6096. Daily 10:00-20:00. Good street food: panini (€4) and wine (€2+) from a tiny hole in the wall. Patrons eat on the sidewalk while resting their glass of wine on small shelves nested along the street wall.

Oil Shoppe, Via S. Egidio 22r. M-F 10:00-19:00. Deli selling olive oil, but with an extensive sandwich bar, to sit in or to go. Student crowd, feels more Californian than Italian. Sandwiches from €4.

Trattoria Mario, Via Rosina 2/R (near Piazza Mercato Centrale, +39 055 218550. M-Sa 12:00-15:30. Lunch only, no booking, you'll be seated with other walk-ins. Good food, try to save room for a meat main course.

Trattoria Le Mossacce, Via Del Proconsolo, 55R (Corner of Via del Corso, +39 055 294361. M-F 12:00-14:30, 19:00-21:30. Reliable local eatery. Local produce and meats are prepared simply using traditional recipes and time-honoured tradition. Some pastas are made fresh daily, so ask for the daily special. If you want to experience Bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florentine-style steak), they do it amazingly without breaking your wallet. They sell and cut the steak from a larger rib slab in increments of 100g (with a minimum of 500g per serving). Primi: 3-6, Secondi €6-25.

Leonardo, Via de' Pecori 11 (Corner of Via de' Vecchietti, +39 055 284446. Daily 11:45-14:45, Su-F 18:45-21:45 f. Although there is a menu at the entrance, it is better to go straight in and pick what you like. You can also order Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Primi €3.5-4. Secondi €4.5-5.5. About €10 per person for a full-course dinner.

Tiona, Via della Scala 24R (near Piazza SMN. Tu-Su 12:00-23:00. Not that you'd admit to wanting a break from Italian food, but this small friendly Sri Lankan restaurant makes a refreshing change. Ayubowan! mains €8.

Za-Za, Piazza del Mercato Centrale 26R. Daily 11:00-23:00. A very nicely decorated restaurant with many vegetarian choices. You can choose to sit inside or outside in the piazza. The menu is huge, lots of choices, and the prices are fair. Service is outstanding, they really cater to your needs. Make sure to try the chianti house wine. Note that they have two seating areas on the piazza: between are two other restaurants, Cantastorie and Garibaldi. €10-12 for a dish.

• al Tranvai, Piazza T.Tasso, 14 r (400 m south of Ponte Vespucchio, +39 055 225197. M 19:10-22:45 Tu-Sa 12:15-15:00, 19:10-22:45. Tourists seldom venture this far south. Traditional Tuscan food at decent prices. 1st courses at €7 and mains at €10 to €16. Vino at €4 / 0.5L. The rabbit, asparagus souffle and fiori fritti are excellent and the service very welcoming and warm.
• "Il Latini" Restaurant, Via dei Palchetti, 6r, +39 055 210916. Sa Sun12:30-14:30, 19:30-22:30, Tu-F 19:30-22:30. Fun place, communal seating and lively staff. The steaks are good. Menu from €40 pp.
• Osteria Dell'Olio, Piazza dell'Olio 10r, just west of Duomo. Good food with friendly service.
• Palle d'Oro, Via S. Antonino, 43/45R (200 m east of SMN train station, +39 055 88383. M-Sa 12:00-14:30, 18:45-21.30. Long-standing family-run Tuscan restaurant. This is where the locals come, not least for the low prices. Fixed price 2-course lunch or €13, dinner €14.
• Trattoria Cammillo, Borgo San Jacopo 57/R (50 m south of Ponte Santa Trinita, +39 055 212427. Th-Tu 12:00-14:30, 19:30-22:30. Fairly good Tuscan cuisine, with a number of options for vegetarians and vegans. Make reservations or be there as they open.

al Tranvai, Piazza T.Tasso, 14 r (400 m south of Ponte Vespucchio, +39 055 225197. M 19:10-22:45 Tu-Sa 12:15-15:00, 19:10-22:45. Tourists seldom venture this far south. Traditional Tuscan food at decent prices. 1st courses at €7 and mains at €10 to €16. Vino at €4 / 0.5L. The rabbit, asparagus souffle and fiori fritti are excellent and the service very welcoming and warm.

"Il Latini" Restaurant, Via dei Palchetti, 6r, +39 055 210916. Sa Sun12:30-14:30, 19:30-22:30, Tu-F 19:30-22:30. Fun place, communal seating and lively staff. The steaks are good. Menu from €40 pp.

Palle d'Oro, Via S. Antonino, 43/45R (200 m east of SMN train station, +39 055 88383. M-Sa 12:00-14:30, 18:45-21.30. Long-standing family-run Tuscan restaurant. This is where the locals come, not least for the low prices. Fixed price 2-course lunch or €13, dinner €14.

Trattoria Cammillo, Borgo San Jacopo 57/R (50 m south of Ponte Santa Trinita, +39 055 212427. Th-Tu 12:00-14:30, 19:30-22:30. Fairly good Tuscan cuisine, with a number of options for vegetarians and vegans. Make reservations or be there as they open.

• B-Roof, Piazza Unità Italiana, 6 (within Grand Hotel Baglioni, +39 055 235 80. Daily 12:30-14:00, 19:30-22:00. Fine dining with wonderful night panorama of the city.
• Enoteca Pinchiorri, Via Ghibellina, 87 (100 m north of Santa Croce, +39 055 242777. Tu-Sa 19:30-22:00. They've had the occasional bad night, but mostly draw rave reviews for exquisite meals at splurge prices: ravioli at €85 clearly needs to be something special. A bottle of wine will be well north of €100, but try the tasting menu. starters from €80, mains €100 pp.
• Il Cibreo, Via Dei Macci, 118/R (corner of V Andrea del Verrocchio, +39 055 234 11 00. €50-100 each. Great choice of Tuscan food, with highly selected ingredients. Daily 12:50-14:30, 18:50-23:15.
• Trattoria da Tito, Via S.Gallo 112/r. (100 m south of Piazza della Liberta, +39 055 472 475. M-Sa 12:30-15:30, 19:00-23:00. Although a bit of a walk from the main attractions, this restaurant speaks for itself with mandatory reservations. Great Italian food and atmosphere. Dinner often includes impromptu free drinks and lively table staff. €50-100 each.

B-Roof, Piazza Unità Italiana, 6 (within Grand Hotel Baglioni, +39 055 235 80. Daily 12:30-14:00, 19:30-22:00. Fine dining with wonderful night panorama of the city.

Enoteca Pinchiorri, Via Ghibellina, 87 (100 m north of Santa Croce, +39 055 242777. Tu-Sa 19:30-22:00. They've had the occasional bad night, but mostly draw rave reviews for exquisite meals at splurge prices: ravioli at €85 clearly needs to be something special. A bottle of wine will be well north of €100, but try the tasting menu. starters from €80, mains €100 pp.

Il Cibreo, Via Dei Macci, 118/R (corner of V Andrea del Verrocchio, +39 055 234 11 00. €50-100 each. Great choice of Tuscan food, with highly selected ingredients. Daily 12:50-14:30, 18:50-23:15.

Trattoria da Tito, Via S.Gallo 112/r. (100 m south of Piazza della Liberta, +39 055 472 475. M-Sa 12:30-15:30, 19:00-23:00. Although a bit of a walk from the main attractions, this restaurant speaks for itself with mandatory reservations. Great Italian food and atmosphere. Dinner often includes impromptu free drinks and lively table staff. €50-100 each.

• Gelateria dei Neri, Via dei Neri 20r. Ice cream in many flavors, some experimental, all excellent.
• Festival Del Gelato, Via Del Corso 75. 50 flavors and has an upbeat atmosphere
• Perché No Via dei Tavolini 19. Freshly made daily from quality ingredients. The pear will be made with real pears and will taste of pears. Typically fruit flavors will be made with seasonally available fruits. Chocolate flavor will taste of cocoa rather than chocolate milk-powder. If you are a chocolate fan, this is the place to go. Specialties are "sorbetto" (ice cream made with water rather than milk, both with fruit and standard flavors, and "mousse" ice creams. Ask for the "special" taste of the day.
• Vivoli, +39 055 292 334. Via Isole delle Stinche, 7/R. Close to Piazza Santa Croce. Vivoli has a good gelato fruit selection, so definitely try the fragola, or strawberry. Make sure that you ask for the cream on top as well, because it adds another element to an already great dessert.

Gelateria dei Neri, Via dei Neri 20r. Ice cream in many flavors, some experimental, all excellent.

Festival Del Gelato, Via Del Corso 75. 50 flavors and has an upbeat atmosphere

Perché No Via dei Tavolini 19. Freshly made daily from quality ingredients. The pear will be made with real pears and will taste of pears. Typically fruit flavors will be made with seasonally available fruits. Chocolate flavor will taste of cocoa rather than chocolate milk-powder. If you are a chocolate fan, this is the place to go. Specialties are "sorbetto" (ice cream made with water rather than milk, both with fruit and standard flavors, and "mousse" ice creams. Ask for the "special" taste of the day.

Vivoli, +39 055 292 334. Via Isole delle Stinche, 7/R. Close to Piazza Santa Croce. Vivoli has a good gelato fruit selection, so definitely try the fragola, or strawberry. Make sure that you ask for the cream on top as well, because it adds another element to an already great dessert.

Tap water is safe but those who prefer bottled water will find it plentiful.

Make sure to sample the excellent wines of the region.

Chianti is the local wine that can be ordered cheaply. Many eateries will offer carafes of various sizes of "house chianti", usually for under €4.

• La Cite. A very nice and cozy cafe/bookstore. Good prices, nice atmosphere, good books. Borgo San Frediano 20r.
• Enoteca Le volpi e l'Uva, +39 055 2398132. The must of the tasting wines and savory titbits. Piazza dei Rossi, 1.
• Uffizi Museum The bar at this museum offers an amazing view overlooking la Piazza della Signoria, but it's only accessible through the museum, so you'll have to buy a ticket.
• Irish Pub (The Fiddlers Elbow) Piazza Santa Maria Novella. This pub has plenty of seating, in addition to live music and great staff.
• Bebop-great coverbands everynight and a €4 pint. Can be found north of the Duomo on the right on Via Dei Servi, before you reach Piazza d Annunziata.
• Ambrosia - Found in Piazza de Ambrosia. This is primarily a wine bar, and you can sample some great wines at a low cost provided you come with friends and share the price of whole bottles.
• Rivoire Piazza della Signoria. Founded in 1872 this terrace facing the Palazzo Vecchio is a Florentine institution.
• Paszkowski or Gilli. On the Piazza Republica, next to the hotel Savoy. The terraces on the other side of the piazza are equally pricey.
• Été, Via Faenza 63. A lovely little café with warm service and good local beer and wine. €3 draft beer.

La Cite. A very nice and cozy cafe/bookstore. Good prices, nice atmosphere, good books. Borgo San Frediano 20r.

Enoteca Le volpi e l'Uva, +39 055 2398132. The must of the tasting wines and savory titbits. Piazza dei Rossi, 1.

Uffizi Museum The bar at this museum offers an amazing view overlooking la Piazza della Signoria, but it's only accessible through the museum, so you'll have to buy a ticket.

Irish Pub (The Fiddlers Elbow) Piazza Santa Maria Novella. This pub has plenty of seating, in addition to live music and great staff.

Bebop-great coverbands everynight and a €4 pint. Can be found north of the Duomo on the right on Via Dei Servi, before you reach Piazza d Annunziata.

Ambrosia - Found in Piazza de Ambrosia. This is primarily a wine bar, and you can sample some great wines at a low cost provided you come with friends and share the price of whole bottles.

Rivoire Piazza della Signoria. Founded in 1872 this terrace facing the Palazzo Vecchio is a Florentine institution.

Paszkowski or Gilli. On the Piazza Republica, next to the hotel Savoy. The terraces on the other side of the piazza are equally pricey.

Été, Via Faenza 63. A lovely little café with warm service and good local beer and wine. €3 draft beer.

• Cavalli Club, Piazza del Carmine, 8. Roberto Cavalli, Italian fashion designer, has one his beautiful clubs in Florence. The inside has a stage with a projector of Roberto Cavalli's fashion shows running non-stop. The upstairs can be a private lounge for parties or VIP section on certain nights. This club was the most popular on Wednesday nights, but it’s open on the weekends as well. It’s black and leopard interior fits the natural and animalistic designs Roberto Cavalli creates. Roberto and his two sons are frequently at the club so look out! All ages are appropriate and the dress attire here is rather upscale. This is not just a seasonal club so all year visitors are encouraged to go. Drinks run about €10 each.
• Bamboo Lounge Club, Via Giuseppe Verdi, 57/R, +393394298764. 23:00-04:00. Bamboo Lounge Club is a great place for young adults and students to party. The music is great from European to American techno and many other worldwide DJs. Bamboo Lounge Club offers VIP tables and has two midsized bars. It is very clean and safe to be in. It is located on Via Giuseppe Verdi not far from the Duomo. Dress is a little more than casual, but not too upscale. The loud music, dancing, and exciting atmosphere gives people a chance to let loose and have fun. The club features mostly house, techno and hip hop music. Women free entrance until 01:00; men €10.
• Tenax, Via Pratese, 46. If you love house and electronic music this is the best club to go to. It’s a two-story club, located on the outskirts of Florence, features DJ’s from all around Europe, America, and Australia. This club also holds many concerts during the winter and summer. Many people come from all over to enjoy this clubs atmosphere. The dance floor is extremely large and is always very crowded. Be smart where you keep your bag and wallet because it’s very easy to get pick pocketed in large clubs like this. This club usually has a cover of €20 and the drinks are rather expensive, but it is a great place to experience at least once. It is very different than most of the clubs in Florence because of the multi-story building. To venture here would be best by taxi or bus. Since it is located in the outskirts of Florence walking could be difficult and not advised. There are many people who can help in directions in the Santa Maria Novella Station.

Cavalli Club, Piazza del Carmine, 8. Roberto Cavalli, Italian fashion designer, has one his beautiful clubs in Florence. The inside has a stage with a projector of Roberto Cavalli's fashion shows running non-stop. The upstairs can be a private lounge for parties or VIP section on certain nights. This club was the most popular on Wednesday nights, but it’s open on the weekends as well. It’s black and leopard interior fits the natural and animalistic designs Roberto Cavalli creates. Roberto and his two sons are frequently at the club so look out! All ages are appropriate and the dress attire here is rather upscale. This is not just a seasonal club so all year visitors are encouraged to go. Drinks run about €10 each.

Bamboo Lounge Club, Via Giuseppe Verdi, 57/R, +393394298764. 23:00-04:00. Bamboo Lounge Club is a great place for young adults and students to party. The music is great from European to American techno and many other worldwide DJs. Bamboo Lounge Club offers VIP tables and has two midsized bars. It is very clean and safe to be in. It is located on Via Giuseppe Verdi not far from the Duomo. Dress is a little more than casual, but not too upscale. The loud music, dancing, and exciting atmosphere gives people a chance to let loose and have fun. The club features mostly house, techno and hip hop music. Women free entrance until 01:00; men €10.

Tenax, Via Pratese, 46. If you love house and electronic music this is the best club to go to. It’s a two-story club, located on the outskirts of Florence, features DJ’s from all around Europe, America, and Australia. This club also holds many concerts during the winter and summer. Many people come from all over to enjoy this clubs atmosphere. The dance floor is extremely large and is always very crowded. Be smart where you keep your bag and wallet because it’s very easy to get pick pocketed in large clubs like this. This club usually has a cover of €20 and the drinks are rather expensive, but it is a great place to experience at least once. It is very different than most of the clubs in Florence because of the multi-story building. To venture here would be best by taxi or bus. Since it is located in the outskirts of Florence walking could be difficult and not advised. There are many people who can help in directions in the Santa Maria Novella Station.

Since there are a large number of tourists around, the center of Florence is brimming with webcafés and telephone call centers. Most evenings there are long lines for access to the phone-booths.

You can also buy a pre-paid card which will give you a steep discount on international calls by dialing a special number.

Wireless LAN access is becoming popular. Even when offered for free, you will need to provide your name and contact details to the provider of the service to obtain an access code. This is because of Italian anti-terror laws. Anonymous access is not possible.

Florence is generally safe and healthy, but beware the inevitable purse-snatchers and pickpockets. They thrive in crowds, particularly around SMN railway station and on the buses, sometimes working with a decoy such as an insistent beggar. If you have a bag with a classy, noiseless zipper, it will be opened.

• Florence is a great starting point and base for a tour of Tuscany. Attractive day trips include Pisa, Lucca, San Gimignano, Arezzo, Fiesole, Lucignano, Siena, and of course the wine zone of Chianti. Greve in Chianti is the market town of the Chianti zone and it is in the hills surrounding Greve that you can rent a B&B room or a small apartment on a working vineyard for less than a hotel in Florence. The SITA Pullman buses take you to Greve and Panzano in about an hour. From then on you see few cars and many cypress and olive trees.

  The SITA bus station is just west of the train station in Florence. This is where to go to catch a bus to Siena, San Gimignano, and so on. If you're at the roundabout, facing the train station, go 90 degrees left and stay on the left until just past the fork. You will see the entrance to the SITA garage on your right.

• Fiesole is in the hills above Florence, only a short bus ride away from the centre. It offers a beautiful view of the sunset, and a small museum located on ancient Roman and Etruscan ruins of a temple and an amphitheater.
• World War II Florence American Cemetery and Memorial. Open daily except for 25 December and 1 January; 09:00-17:00. The cemetery is the final resting place for 4,402 American military dead lost during after the capture of Rome and the battle for the Apennines. A monument is inscribed with the names of 1,409 Americans whose remains were never found or identified. The atrium of the chapel contains marble maps of World War II Italy campaign. Free to enter.
• Biking options outside of the city include the Chianti area, where you can fully enjoy the hills and the elegance of the landscape surrounding you, which has been taken care of endlessly through centuries. Strong scents can be enjoyed in Spring. The warm temperatures and usually stable weather in the good seasons can make the ride even more enjoyable. If you feel more energetic, ascents to Vallombrosa from Pontassieve through Tosi can be very enjoyable. You start from the Arno river plain and you end up in a thick, shady, fresh forest. In all cases, avoid the hottest hours in Summer and be aware of the traffic, which can be heavy and not cyclist-savvy, until you get in secondary or less populated roads.
• UNESCO World Heritage Listed rural building complexes (Medici Villas and Gardens) are scattered around Florence.

[[Fiesole]] is in the hills above Florence, only a short bus ride away from the centre. It offers a beautiful view of the sunset, and a small museum located on ancient Roman and Etruscan ruins of a temple and an amphitheater.

World War II Florence American Cemetery and Memorial. Open daily except for 25 December and 1 January; 09:00-17:00. The cemetery is the final resting place for 4,402 American military dead lost during after the capture of [[Rome]] and the battle for the Apennines. A monument is inscribed with the names of 1,409 Americans whose remains were never found or identified. The atrium of the chapel contains marble maps of World War II Italy campaign. Free to enter.

Biking options outside of the city include the Chianti area, where you can fully enjoy the hills and the elegance of the landscape surrounding you, which has been taken care of endlessly through centuries. Strong scents can be enjoyed in Spring. The warm temperatures and usually stable weather in the good seasons can make the ride even more enjoyable. If you feel more energetic, ascents to Vallombrosa from Pontassieve through Tosi can be very enjoyable. You start from the Arno river plain and you end up in a thick, shady, fresh forest. In all cases, avoid the hottest hours in Summer and be aware of the traffic, which can be heavy and not cyclist-savvy, until you get in secondary or less populated roads.