Angela
Elite member
- Messages
- 21,823
- Reaction score
- 12,329
- Points
- 113
- Ethnic group
- Italian
I'll start with Florence.
I'm sure everyone who goes to Tuscany will go to Firenze. (I have to interject a funny story: Some elderly Americans from a tour bus remarked that while they really enjoyed seeing this Firenze place, they had really wanted to see Florence. I swear to you it isn’t apocryphal.)
You need at least two to three days. I think most people find, as one of my favorite professors stated, that it is a feast for the eyes, brain and spirit. Just don’t come down with Stendahl syndrome (which recently some of our Japanese tourists seem prone to do) and faint away. Stay hydrated, wear a sun hat if going in summer, and only expose yourself to these wonders with suitable breaks in between for some cappuccino, expresso, gelato or aperitif and maybe a pannino or two and some aperitivo snacks as seems appropriate.
As to an itinerary, I'm sure tourists will hit the main areas, like the Piazza della Signoria, the Duomo and Baptistry, the Uffizi Galleries, the Ponte Vecchio for some jewelry shopping, the Accademia to see the David, or Santa Croce to see Michelangelo's tomb etc.
I usually recommend that people take one of those city wide tours when they first arrive. It gives the broad outlines, and orients you. Also, a word to the wise, make sure you book a tour for the Uffizi galleries, otherwise it’s just overwhelming for a first time visitor. The night tours are a great idea. Cool and quiet and less busy.
Here are some pictures of what you might see:
The first five are from the Piazza Della Signoria, which is the town square in Florence, the center of government. Florence's great artists all created internationally famous works of art to decorate it. There's also a lovely fountain dedicated to Neptune.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Piazza_Signoria_-_Firenze.jpg
http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/02/f8/fa/3c/piazza-della-signoria.jpg
http://www.aviewoncities.com/img/florence/kveit2587s.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hZRTmyZrKR0/UelIDYL-5mI/AAAAAAAAE88/IWizWZQiyFI/s1600/IMG_7525.JPG
http://cdn1.vtourist.com/4/7085692-Fountain_of_Neptune_central_meeting_point_Florence.jpg?version=2
These are of the Duomo (the Cathedral) and the Baptistry:
http://tuscantraveler.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/2505_06_duomo_firenze.jpeg
http://paradiseintheworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/florence-duomo.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8069/8172380171_100b2fa4e9_z.jpg
This is the famous Ponte Vecchio, lined with jewelry shops. The Germans were ordered by Hitler to dynamite all the bridges and monuments if they had to evacuate, but the General in charge refused to obey the order. Only one bridge was destroyed, but even though it took decades it was put back together.
http://www.hotelcertaldo.it/images/stories/yoogallery/FLORENCE/9 florence ponte vecchio.jpg
This is it, the one that was destroyed and then put back to together... the Ponte Santa Trinita.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Ponte_Santa_Trinita_Florence.jpg
This is the Uffizi Galleries, an enormous art museum...you really to take it in chunks.
http://famouswonders.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/uffizi-gallery.jpg
Of course, everyone goes to see the David...at least I hope everyone goes to see it. Try to go at the least busy part of the day. He's Colossal, and colossally beautiful standing in his niche, and a bit of quiet helps to absorb it all.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/David_von_Michelangelo.jpg
Ed. to fix a link
I'm sure everyone who goes to Tuscany will go to Firenze. (I have to interject a funny story: Some elderly Americans from a tour bus remarked that while they really enjoyed seeing this Firenze place, they had really wanted to see Florence. I swear to you it isn’t apocryphal.)
You need at least two to three days. I think most people find, as one of my favorite professors stated, that it is a feast for the eyes, brain and spirit. Just don’t come down with Stendahl syndrome (which recently some of our Japanese tourists seem prone to do) and faint away. Stay hydrated, wear a sun hat if going in summer, and only expose yourself to these wonders with suitable breaks in between for some cappuccino, expresso, gelato or aperitif and maybe a pannino or two and some aperitivo snacks as seems appropriate.
As to an itinerary, I'm sure tourists will hit the main areas, like the Piazza della Signoria, the Duomo and Baptistry, the Uffizi Galleries, the Ponte Vecchio for some jewelry shopping, the Accademia to see the David, or Santa Croce to see Michelangelo's tomb etc.
I usually recommend that people take one of those city wide tours when they first arrive. It gives the broad outlines, and orients you. Also, a word to the wise, make sure you book a tour for the Uffizi galleries, otherwise it’s just overwhelming for a first time visitor. The night tours are a great idea. Cool and quiet and less busy.
Here are some pictures of what you might see:
The first five are from the Piazza Della Signoria, which is the town square in Florence, the center of government. Florence's great artists all created internationally famous works of art to decorate it. There's also a lovely fountain dedicated to Neptune.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/eb/Piazza_Signoria_-_Firenze.jpg
http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/02/f8/fa/3c/piazza-della-signoria.jpg
http://www.aviewoncities.com/img/florence/kveit2587s.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hZRTmyZrKR0/UelIDYL-5mI/AAAAAAAAE88/IWizWZQiyFI/s1600/IMG_7525.JPG
http://cdn1.vtourist.com/4/7085692-Fountain_of_Neptune_central_meeting_point_Florence.jpg?version=2
These are of the Duomo (the Cathedral) and the Baptistry:
http://tuscantraveler.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/2505_06_duomo_firenze.jpeg
http://paradiseintheworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/florence-duomo.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8069/8172380171_100b2fa4e9_z.jpg
This is the famous Ponte Vecchio, lined with jewelry shops. The Germans were ordered by Hitler to dynamite all the bridges and monuments if they had to evacuate, but the General in charge refused to obey the order. Only one bridge was destroyed, but even though it took decades it was put back together.
http://www.hotelcertaldo.it/images/stories/yoogallery/FLORENCE/9 florence ponte vecchio.jpg
This is it, the one that was destroyed and then put back to together... the Ponte Santa Trinita.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Ponte_Santa_Trinita_Florence.jpg
This is the Uffizi Galleries, an enormous art museum...you really to take it in chunks.
http://famouswonders.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/uffizi-gallery.jpg
Of course, everyone goes to see the David...at least I hope everyone goes to see it. Try to go at the least busy part of the day. He's Colossal, and colossally beautiful standing in his niche, and a bit of quiet helps to absorb it all.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/David_von_Michelangelo.jpg
Ed. to fix a link
Last edited: