Sign in with Facebook"Firenze" Florence by rsilva
Florence Travel Guide: 5,085 reviews and 11,271 photos
We had the chance to visit Florence last summer for the first time, on the occasion of a friend's wedding.
Although the wedding was in a small city outside Florence, we decided to stay in the city for a couple of days.
Fortunately, I was not affected by Stendahl's Syndrome, maybe because I've lived in a few quite historical places myself. In any case, this does not mean I did not like the city. On the contrary, I think it is very beautiful.
On the occasion of the wedding, I was talking to some friends and I was asked what I thought of Florence, to which I replied: "Very nice, but not the nicest place I have been to". This was not the right answer. Although the person was from Bologna, I had a hard time convincing him that other cities could be nicer. I had forgotten that Italians are proud of more than just food :).
This is one of the top tourist destinations in Europe. This means:
- Prices are high (lodging, food, everything actually)
- It is very crowded and we all know tourists are not generally the kind of people you want to be around, even if you are one of them.
- Quality is generally not very good when it comes to eating out, unless you really know where to go. People take advantage of the fact you are a tourist - not nice.
In one of the restaurants we went to, I asked the waiter where the bathroom was, in Italian (I speak fluently, without any noticeable accent) and got a reply in English. They just know who the tourists are... Needless to say, both service and food were awful.
Of course, there is a lot to see in Florence.
From a historical point of view, it is absolutely great. You can spend weeks here and still not see everything.
- Piazzale Michelangelo. The view is absolutely fabulous and it is a great feeling just to sit down and watch the city.
- The ponte vecchio. It might be the most touristy and photographed spot in the city, but it is very beautiful and the surrounding area is very nice (I have this thing for rivers and canals).
- Santa Croce.
- Il Duomo. The colours are quite unusual.
- Galleria Degli Uffizi. We didn't have the chance to see it as the line was VERY long.
The list goes on, so if you are willing to ignore the cons, you will have a great time.
- Pros:The history, the ambiance
- Cons:Tourist traps everywhere
- In a nutshell:Very nice, but not the nicest place I have been to
Reviews (4)
Tip from a local
Restaurants
(3)
Last day in Firenze. It was very hot, we were tired and hungry, but had no idea of where to eat. Since we had a bad... more travel advice
The one we knew was good
Restaurants
(3)
Our friends had recommended this restaurant as one of the few with a combination of good food/service and price. We were... more travel advice
Great budget hotel, but remember to...
Hotels
(1)
This small hotel is located just 300 meters from the train station (SM Novella) and just a few minutes walk from the... more travel advice
Hello, you must be a tourist!
Restaurants
(3)
This restaurant was recommened by the hotel owner and was located just a few steps from the hotel, so we decided to give... more travel advice
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Comments (3)
I've been to Florence twice, but never in the summer. Really enjoyed it, but, as you imply, you must ask a local for where to eat. Excellent reviews.
lovely page - good tips. I hope to get to Florence later this year - and that hotel sounds like just the job.
Nice page and great pics of a beautiful city :)