Florence - One of Italy's Gems
Written: Apr 22 '03 (Updated Feb 09 '06)
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Pros: Lots to explore. Easy to get around on foot. Beautiful.
Cons: Very crowded in summer. Expensive. Road muffins everywhere you don't look.
The Bottom Line: A great city, but if you're looking for anything beyond the usual tourist experience in Florence, you'll have to do some homework.
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| lyagushka's Full Review: Florence |
Florence is right up there with the most famous of Italian cities, and it certainly holds its own among European destinations in general. I've been to Florence four times, most recently for a few days in a weeklong Italian vacation early this year. I can't say that Florence is my favorite part of Italy (that honor goes to Umbria), but it has always been a pleasant place to visit and has offered me something new with each return journey.
Firenze, as the Italians call it, sits on the stately and serene Arno River, in Tuscany. The seat of the formidable Medici clan, Tuscany was one of the wealthiest centers of commerce and political power during the Renaissance. This history of power and wealth has left the city a legacy of beautiful architecture, fabulous treasures of art and a deep-rooted cultivation of the finer things in life. Florence is blessed with an inordinate number of "must-see" attractions for tourists, but it also has some wonderful lesser-known gems if one cares to seek them out. And watching the subtle way the light changes the colors of the buildings as the sun moves on its course is a beguiling activity in any season.
If you find yourself a hotel in the heart of the old city, you will be able to visit all the major attractions (except Fiesole - a daytrip) on foot. This is really the most sensible way to see the city anyway. Many of the streets in the center are pedestrian only or practically so. Wear sensible shoes to prevent mishaps on cobblestone streets and around areas under renovation - an apparently constant process in Florence.
Here are some comments on those Florentine attractions that I can talk about from personal experience:
il Duomo
When a Florentine wants to express homesickness he says he is "nostalgic for the cupola," - meaning the cupola of Florence's duomo of course. The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (as it's formally known) at the heart of the old town resembles nothing so much as a multicolored, many-faceted wedding cake. Sheathed in pink, green and white marble, the church is a masterpiece of late medieval architectural design and included the tallest domed structure when it was built. The nearby octagonal baptistery and bell tower are ornamented in similar style. Perched above the nave is Florence's famous dome, painted inside with wild scenes of judgment day by Vasari.
For a small admission price (about €5) you are granted the privilege of climbing up 463 dark, narrow and at times claustrophobia-inducing stairs to reach a ringed walkway just under the dome. Here you can get a better look at the frescos of the dome. You can also go outside the dome for a panoramic view of the city. I did this for the first time in the summer, when the weather was hot, the staircases stuffy and stale, and the tourist crowds at their peak. It was certainly worth it, but the wintertime version was far more pleasant.
There is also a small museum underneath the church, known simply as the "Cripta." For €3 you can explore the foundations of the church and see many archaeological artifacts retrieved from excavations around and beneath the church. Parts of an early mosaic floor are preserved in situ, as well as some windows which are now well below street level. It's not the most impressive or fascinating little museum I've seen, but if it interests you, it won't take up too much of your time or money.
The Uffizi
The Uffizi art galleries contain some of the world's greatest masterpieces of painted art and sculpture. If you tour the museum, you will recognize paintings that you have seen in a hundred different contexts. But these treasures suffer a bit from their location in Italy. The Italians have so many incomparable and priceless works of art that frankly, they have become a bit blasé about them.
Yes, yes, another da Vinci, another Botticelli, another Michelangelo - stick it in the corner.
Gorgeous interiors notwithstanding, the Uffizi does not flatter its treasures. You will find them poorly lit and crammed too many to a room or even a single wall. Furthermore, you will do quite a bit of walking to see these masterpieces and you will hardly find a place to rest your tired legs and feet. There are few places where visitors can sit to contemplate the art or to refresh themselves. The idea here seems to be throughput. Get the tourists in, and get 'em out. No lollygagging here - just keep moving. You cannot wander from room to room as you please; your viewing is arranged in a definite order, each room giving onto one other in sequence. Admission will set you back €8 and you'll need at least an hour and a half to make even a cursory perusal of the collections, but they deserve far more time than this. The museum is closed on Mondays. I suggest you wear comfortable shoes and arrive well rested if you want to make the most of your visit. You can relax afterwards in the nearby...
Boboli Gardens
It would be easy to while away an entire summer's day in the Boboli Gardens. If you're in love, or falling in love, little can match the romance of a gentle breeze as one wanders the many crushed gravel pathways of this formal garden, surrounded by greenery, fountains and sculpture. The gentle slope of the land as it rises away from the river is not too taxing, and the €3 admission price makes this one of the cheapest ways to immerse yourself in the scenery.
If you want to make a day of your visit, buy some of the wonderful Florentine focaccia bread, some cheese, prosciutto and a bottle of wine or sparkling mineral water. You will recognize the perfect secluded spot for your picnic when you find it. If you don't want to bother with provisioning yourself, light refreshments are available in the gardens. Along with many freestanding sculptures, you will also find some sculpted grottos. These cave-like constructions were popular when the gardens were laid out in the mid-16th century. Unfortunately for latter-day visitors, the design of these grottos allows moisture to condense inside the semi-spherical interior. Over the centuries, the condensed drops carried minerals that have gradually deformed and obscured the sculptures, in much the same way that cave formations develop.
The garden is open daily, 9am-7:30pm in summer and until 4:30pm in winter.
Galleria Palatina
The Galleria Palatina is Florence's answer to Paris' Versailles. For some reason I'd never made it to this museum until my latest trip to Florence. Now I wish I'd visited it sooner. From the outside, this 15th/16th century palace is imposing, but not beautiful or elegant. But once you make your way inside this sprawling construction, which initially served as a dwelling for the Pitti and later the Medici families, your eyes will probably bulge with the staggering luxury of it all. I've toured Versailles three times, and I have to say that the Galleria Palatina makes the Sun King's home look like the backwoods folly of someone with more money than taste. Even the artwork here is more impressive than at Versailles.
Here you will find room after exquisite, high-ceilinged room full of enormous paintings, beautifully crafted antique furniture, luxurious drapes and wallpaper, and chandeliers to take the breath away. I was especially awed by the unbelievable tables made of inlaid stone. There were many of these, each with a unique scene or pattern constructed of thousands of tiny and precisely fitted stone pieces in shockingly intricate designs. Much of the furniture reminded me of pieces at Versailles and at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg as well. The Galleria is more modestly sized than either Versailles or the Hermitage, if "modest" is a word that can be applied here in any context. What I mean to say is that it's easier to take in most of the Galleria in a visit of a few hours. Again, there are few places to rest one's feet here. So if you wish to make the most of the visit I suggest comfortable shoes once again. Regular admission is €8.50, but we were only charged €6.50. Whether this was because we visited during the winter, or late in the day, I don't know.
Ponte Vecchio
The "Old Bridge" was once home to the city's butchers, apparently situated there to keep the stench away from the rest of the city. Now it is covered with jewelry shops. To my way of thinking the Ponte Vecchio isn't so much a beautiful site to behold as a vantage point for beautiful sites. From the middle of the bridge looking to the southeast, a lovely prospect of the Arno, a corner of the city and the distant hills with their tall and narrow cyprus trees is a delight on a summer evening. Actually, it's not bad at other times of year either. The bridge is closed to motor traffic and is the main corridor for pedestrian traffic crossing from the Duomo side to the area of the Uffizi, the Boboli Gardens and the Galleria Palatina. Unless you want to buy some jewelry priced for gullible tourists there's not much else to do here.
Fiesole
The town of Fiesole lies very close to Firenze and is surely the most popular daytrip from the city. Fiesole surpasses any spot in Florence in terms of its scenic beauty. In warm weather you may see artists with their easels set up, painting or sketching some of the gorgeous views. You can see Florence from this ancient hill town, and there is also a very well preserved Roman amphitheater, which can be visited for free. The amphitheater is another excellent spot for a picnic. Or you can simply wander around, taking in the views from different parts of the town. You could spend an entire leisurely day here, or see the highlights in a few hours. Either way, it's well worth the visit.
Getting to Fiesole is really quite simple. There's a bus that runs from the Stazione di Santa Maria Novella. I don't remember what the fare was, exactly, but it's very reasonable. Just be sure to validate your own tickets, otherwise you can be held liable for a fare jumper's fine. Don't hesitate to ask for help if you're confused. Italians are friendly and great communicators who will do their best to help you even with a language barrier.
Il Porcellino
One of my favorite little attractions in Florence is a bronze statue of a wild boar, situated in the Straw Market, not far from the Piazza della Signoria. This life-size statue was cast in 1857 as a replacement for an earlier copy of an even more ancient Roman marble statue of the boar. This version drools. There's a little fountain in its mouth that sends out a little trickle of water. Tourists rub it to ensure a return visit, while the locals rub it for good luck. The boar's snout has been fondled so many times that it gleams. I made a point to give the snout a rub on my last two trips, so it can't hurt. Another practice meant to ensure a return visit is to toss a coin into the Arno river.
Now for a few less well known attractions in Florence. The Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella is a very special place hidden away behind heavy wooden doors, not far from the train station. This herbal remedies and perfume shop was founded in (or shortly after) 1221 by the Dominican Fathers. In continuous operation since that time, it has been owned and operated by the Stefani family since 1866. To walk inside the dimly lit shop is to be greeted by the perfumes of a hundred herbs and flowers, the scents of the ages. In all honesty, though the physical space of this pharmacy is grand, the overwhelming impression it makes on one's first visit is olfactory, and it is an intoxicating impression at that.
When you enter the pharmacy proper there is a little stand with a list of the shop's products available in several languages, including English. Here you will find antique preparations such as Vinegar of the Seven Thieves, pure floral essences, skin lotions and several varieties of eau de cologne. Prices are not mentioned on this list and they are quite steep. We were simply wonderstruck in the pharmacy and though I'm not known for indulging in perfumes I knew I wanted to buy something in this shop. After sampling several scents and consulting the price list at the counter where two attendants wait on customers, I decided to pass on the €22 Iris Toothpaste. I settled instead on a 100 ml bottle of eau de cologne with a sweet, simple and light violet fragrance, for €45. My husband indulged in a bottle of pomegranate eau de cologne for men. We were so pleased we had the chance to see this place.
Vanda Nencioni
My husband and I are not shoppers by nature. When we do buy things other than food while traveling, our purchases tend to be something rather distinctive and not geared specifically towards the tourist flocks. We found a lovely old print shop while wandering the streets south of the Duomo, and spent the better part of an hour poring over the thousands of botanical, architectural, hunting and landscape prints in this delightful shop. Prices were neither outrageously expensive nor cheap. If you're looking for a souvenir that's a little out of the ordinary, I recommend you stop by the shop at the intersection of Via della Condotta and Via dei Cerchi.
Food
Since Florence is in Italy, you can be assured of great picnic fixings when you visit the deli. Still, there are good restaurants, and then there are restaurants that cater mostly to tourists. I've said it in my other reviews for Italy, and I'll repeat it here: the best guide to dining in northern Italy is Eating In Italy, by Faith Heller Willinger. If you're headed for a sojourn in Italy, pick it up. The author actually lives in Florence, and of all cities covered in the book, Florence receives the most comprehensive attention.
For good food that you can grab quickly and travel with I recommend Il Forno, at Via dei Cerchi 34r; Oliandolo, at Via Ricasoli 40r; and Pizzeria alla Marchigiana, at Via del Corso 60r. At these places you can buy a slice of pizza or a small sandwich and a drink. Oliandolo has tables, but the other two businesses are carryout only. They all have excellent selections and cheap prices.
Another quintessential Florentine event is to enjoy a drink or a meal at one of the many outdoor cafes in the heart of the old city on a summer's evening. You're probably better off eating elsewhere if you care about quality, and you could certainly find cheaper drinks elsewhere. But sitting in the Piazza della Republica, watching the crowds go by as shafts of sunlight reach between the buildings of the city is an irreproducible experience. Sit back, watch the pigeons dodge the sandal-footed pedestrians and muddle over your choice of restaurants or next destination. It's a cheap activity and one worth savoring.
The not so good...
Florence's drawbacks, other than the tourist hordes, are few. Still, it must be admitted that it is not the cleanest of cities. Living in Belgium, I thought I'd become inured to seeing canine excrement everywhere. But Florence takes it to a whole 'nother level, I'm afraid. Watch your step. Also, the summer months bring the sewery smells out of the drains in many streets. This was far less noticeable in winter, but I remember it well from my summer visits.
When to go
All of my visits to Florence but the most recent have been in the summertime. At the height of the summer holiday season, the city is absolutely packed with tourists. Admittedly, certain of the city's charms are not on display in the winter months. But for travelers like me who abhor crowds, these months provide ample recompense for the loss of the gentle summer breezes along the Arno. So don't be afraid to visit this city in the off-season. It will be a much more relaxing visit, with fewer crowds and shorter lines.
Final Thoughts
I would unhesitatingly recommend Florence as part of a trip to Italy. At the same time, I would strongly urge potential visitors to see other parts of Italy too. In a country with such pronounced differences from region to region, it would be a shame to visit only the large cities, or to neglect regions other than Tuscany. If you have more than a few days, try to visit Sienna, San Gimigniano and Fiesole. If you have more than a week, think about another region for exploration. Umbria and Emilia-Romagna are close by and have lots to offer, as I know from my own experience.
Looking for more information about Italy? You may find these reviews useful:
• Umbria - Italy's green heart, and my favorite part of the country
• Venice - La Serenissima, and advice on where to eat
• Venicescapes - an excellent small-group day-tour operator
• Bassano del Grappa - an excellent choice for a daytrip or side trip from Venice
• Eating In Italy - still the best guide to dining in northern Italy
• Hotel Accademia so-so lodging in Florence for a decent price
Flying into Rome? Try these cheap hotels for a decent room near the train station:
• 69 Manin Street
• Le Real de Luxe
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Couples
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