Rick Steves' Europe: Rick Steves' Florence Guidebook

Rick Steves' Florence: More Feedback

If you've traveled with this guidebook, please help us improve it for future travelers. How can it be more helpful and accurate? Did any recommended hotels, eateries, or sights disappoint you? Do you have any new experiences or new places we should consider? Any warnings or tips for people traveling with existing edition?

Uffizi and Accademia (David) tickets
Just returned from a trip including Florence, and wanted to add some info on reservations for the Accademia and Uffizi. Like others have said, the Uffizi reservations are many weeks ahead now, not just a few days. Also, tickets for one museum are no longer sold at another, so you can't use that route. Our solution: for the Accademia, we just went anyway to check out the situation, and found the line was only 20-30 minutes long. Some people with reservations had to wait that long, so no problem there. For the Uffizi, we booked a tour. When the tour reached the museum, the guide collected additional money for the tickets. There was some difficulty getting the tour, so I would try to book ahead. There seem to be many companies. Gassim and Miriam at Hotel Europa helped with the tour...great place, great location, great value for Florence. As a side note, work is currently being done on the Duomo, so there is a lot of scaffolding up. Hope this helps!
Kerrie <email>
Tucson, AZ USA Fri 05/27/2005

Panella's Residence
We were lucky enough to spend the best part of Easter week in Florence and have a few tips:

1) Panella's Residence on via della Pergola, also recommended by others in this forum, is great. Beautiful well-kept historic building about 3 blocks in back of the Duomo, huge room with lovely furnishings (way high ceilings), and very nice breakfast in the fantastic cellar. The hosts, Graciella and Giuseppe, made the place, and our time in Florence, a wonderful memory. Warm, welcoming, and very helpful, we're looking forward to seeing them again the next time we're in Firenze.

2) Trattoria Trevino at 70 via Ghibellina is a couple of blocks further from Piazza della Signoria than the other restaurants we visited but it is where we enjoyed the best meals we had in Italy, prepared and served by some of the nicest people I've met anywhere. It's a lovely trattoria, owned and operated by a family that's really into providing guests a great dining experience.

3) If you're trying to avoid crowds in Florence, Easter is not the best time to go. The cool weather kept it pleasant but the town was jammin'. I should have known but, unlike the US, all Italian colleges get out for Easter. Lots and lots of folks took the opportunity to visit Firenze.

A very special trip and we left lots of sights unseen so we have plenty of excuses to return.
Mike <email>
Gambrills, MD USA Mon 05/16/2005

Uffizi reservations
If you are going to make reservations for the Uffizi do it at least six weeks in advance in peak season. I had been told at the end of Arpil that there were no openings until June. I was able to reserve for other sites at that time.
Stuart Kaplan <email>
Teaneck, NJ USA Thu 05/12/2005

PALAZZO BRUCHI in Siena
We just got back from a trip to Rome thru Tuscany to Milan and wanted to share a couple of gems we discovered.We really enjoyed Siena. I would like to recommend a place to stay: Palazzo Bruchi, Via Pantaneto 105,(www.palazzobruchi.it). This is a 16th century building, convienent to il Campo. We stayed in the very spacious "Blue Room". the views are fantasitic. The Masignanis (owners) are a delight. By the way, we ran into Heidi Sewell in Siena at Locanda Garibaldi (its good as advertised) and she asked our input for an update on this book based on our experiences, which we gladly shared. Also would like to mention that Osteria il Tamburino is also recommended. We were able to connect with the owner & other locals there.

FLORENCE... We ate at Trattoria Antellesi, Via DePanzani 5, (just off Piazza DiMadonna) The food was great, the service very friendly, and the restraunt was full of locals (no tourists) who very very engaging. Their English was about as good as my Italian, but we still managed to have a good time.
John <email>
Sarasota, FL USA Thu 05/12/2005

Uffizi reservations
Today is May 10, 2005, and my wife and I will be in Florence two weeks from now. Trying to stay on top of things, I telephoned Italy today to reserve tickets for the Uffizi gallery. Despite Rick Steves' suggestion of phoning a few days ahead, I was shocked to learn that tickets already were sold out through June 3, which is a week beyond our intended stay in Florence. After scrambling, I found one internet site that had tickets for our available period, with an added charge of €4.50 per ticket, over and above the €3 reservation fee. The Uffizi is wonderful -- I was there in 1992 -- and is well worth the effort. However, it's apparent that during high season reservations need to be made far, far in advance, not just a few days before your intended visit as suggested by RS.
Charles Rosenblatt <email>
Beachwood, OH USA Tue 05/10/2005

Hotel La Scalletta
We stayed at the Hotel La Scaletta in the Oltrarno area, which Rick describes as "ramshackle and reeking with character". An absolutely delightful experience for us. Giovanna Campagna, the day desk clerk, is a gem who is also fluent in English and German. She was so helpful in helping make our trip memorable that we gave her a small gift when left. We thought she was going to cry. Huge rooms, great breakfast room, terrace on the roof, and only about 500 feet to the Ponte Vecchio. We highly recommend this one...
Tom Iarossi <email>
Encinitas, CA USA Sun 05/08/2005

Il Fratelli, Street Firenze
Such a standout reccommendation, with proud Chianti by the glass to be enjoyed curbside (!) with good 'crostini' alongside lunching locals. An essential experience that feels like being given a casual snack in a Florentine's kitchen.
Jonas K <email>
Toronto, Canada Fri 05/06/2005

Florence & Tuscany 2005 guide
We found "Florence & Tuscany 2005" to be most helpful. A few suggestions:

Reservations for Uffizi must be made at least 2 weeks in advance, not the "couple of days" suggested in your guide. We had to stand in line for 2.5 hours (mid April) because of this mistaken advice.

Also, the siesta is from about 2pm to about 7:30pm EVERYWHERE--Florence, Pisa, and small towns throughout Tuscany. Coffee and pizza can still be had during siesta in the larger towns, but dinner requires careful planning, especially if traveling to a small town an hour or more from your home base.

More info on traveling by car would be most helpful. The difference between maps (showing hwy numbers) and road signs (showing no hwy numbers) is frustrating and takes some getting used to. Don't get off the main road just because you see a sign to the town you are going to. You may get there that way, but it might take awhile. Better to stay on main road and look for a sign that also lists other towns in the direction you want to go. Anyway, prepare to be confused and see more of the beautiful countryside than you may have intended!
Cathi Marsh <email>
Santa Cruz, CA USA Thu 05/05/2005

April 25 and May 1 holiday ALERT
May 1 and April 25th alerts should be emphasized more, please! These are major holidays in Italy, with many locals swarming our tourist destinations. We were shut out of most of Florence due to the holiday weekend I'd planned for the visit. (didn't realize it was a major one!) And May 1 in Milan was even worse, not ANY museums or shops were open, police were everywhere!
Lindy <email>
Laguna Niguel, CA USA Thu 05/05/2005

Brancacci Chapel
Just a word of advice regarding the Brancacci Chapel. We followed Rick's tour of the chapel, and did not realize that you only have 15 minutes to visit the chapel before you are herded out. Had we known that, we would not have lingered on each fresco as long. We did not get to finish looking at all of the frescoes and reading about each one.
Conny <email>
Williamsburg, Va USA Tue 04/19/2005

Il Poggiolo B & B
We stayed at Il Poggiolo B&B just a 15 minute bus ride from Florence. Graziella's home sits up on a hill overlooking Florence, surrounded by olive groves. There are 2 apartments, one attached to the house, the other detached with a small kitchen. If you have only a day or 2 in which to see as much of Florence as you can, this may not be the place for you and you may do better staying right in Florence. You are somewhat limited by the bus schedule since the bus that stops at the foot of her driveway, runs only about every hour. (Even if you have a car, it is probably easier to take the bus into Florence.) But if you have at least 3 nights, and would like to come back to a relaxing place with beautiful country views after a busy day of sightseeing, this is a wonderful place to stay. Graziella is a most gracious hostess, willing to help in any way possible. One evening she prepared a lovely tuscan dinner for us. The other 2 nights we went to dinner at 2 local restaurants that she recommended and both were excellent. Breakfast was served in a plant filled room in the main house, and consisted of rolls, toast, cereal, juice, coffee, homemade fig jam etc. Price was 93 euros a night. web site is www.il-poggiolo.it
Conny <email>
Williamsburg, Va USA Mon 04/18/2005

Oltrarno
My girlfriend and I were so lucky to find a very central, weekly rental accommodation in one of the most beautiful and popular quarters of Florence -- Santo Spirito – where we rented an apartment for a whole week. We saved so much money this way. We have been planning this trip for a while and thought we could never afford a room in one of the over-priced Florence hotels. Instead what we got was a real “Room with a View” -- the rooftop view from the apartment, overlooking a charming narrow street, with a glimpse of the Santo Spirito bell tower and the cupola of the Duomo, were just great. In fact, we woke up every morning to the tolling of the bells of Santo Spirito, instead of the usual sirens or garbage trucks back home in NYC. The Oltrarno area, where the apartment is situated, if Florence’s “left bank” of sorts, and it has so much to offer in terms of art galleries, restaurants, cafes, bars and artisan shops. After a few days of exploring its streets and discovering so many great cafes, enotecas (wine bars), flea markets and antique stores, we felt like locals. What Florence hides behind its famously austere face, it more than makes up for with delightful, one-of-a-kind shops and restaurants.

And I haven’t even mentioned the museums! After an "hard day” browsing the many world-class museums and monuments, beginning of course with the city’s crown jewel, the Uffizi Gallery, it’s very relaxing to finally drop by the down the street trattorias and watch the street life. In case you couldn’t tell, we really loved it, and I recommend this experience to everyone. It was a great alternative to a conventional tourist experience, it's like "living Florence" instead of just visiting it.
David <email>
New York, NY USA Thu 04/07/2005

Hotel comments
Panella’s Residence in Florence where we (me and my husband) stayed for 2 nights on March 2005 after 13 years expecting to visit Italy (I visited Paris 5 times so far without visiting Italy) and using Rick Steve website to get information and hotel to stay recommended is really usefull. We were a bit worried at first since we didn't speak italian and no one recommended me travel there alone. It was very brief visit but it was great and unforgettable. I absolutely would like to come back soon. It's because the hospitality of the owners, Mrs Graziella Panella. The house used to be bed & breakfast hotel is comfortable, very clean, big bed room, big bed and big bath room which is hardly to find in Europe especially in France. Graziella is very warm lady, friendly and helpfull. She served our breakfast on her own and spent her time chatting with us for information we needed. It was amazing!!! The breakfast was so good, plenty and the juice was very good. Thanks for Rick Steve website providing people with information needed.
Tania Adnan <email>
Jakarta, Thu 04/07/2005

Florence Walking Tours
A caveat concerning Florence Walking Tours: our basic city tour last week was so bad we dropped out halfway through the tour and requested a refund. Our guide spoke too quietly, too quickly, dashed off down narrow streets without alerting the group, was unequipped to answer basic questions about the Duomo and - in the short hour we spent with her - rattled off at least two questionable, if not flat-out incorrect, facts. I love walking tours, and having had terrific experiences in Munich with Mike's Bike Tours and in Berlin with Berlin Walks (two very different companies, but both good for very different reasons), we were extremely disapointed. As the Florence tours were almost double the price, our expectations were high (perhaps I should have known they weren't guest-oriented when they told me there was no bathroom for clients to use prior to a three hour tour.) So more experienced travelers may already know this, but I think the lesson is: find out from other travellers before you go who the best guide on staff is, and call to find out which tour he/she is leading that day. The quality of the guide makes a tremendous difference, no matter the company's reputation.
Hanna <email>
Asheville, NC USA Wed 04/06/2005

Casa Rabatti
I have recently returned from a two night stay at the recommended Casa Rabatti. Your comment in the book that the Casa is run "with motherly warmth by Marcella" is SO true. I checked out of the Casa at 7:30 am and headed, by taxi, for the train station. As I waited for the train, I discovered I had left some of my valuables back at the Casa. As I approached the front of the train station in order to catch a taxi back to the Casa, I saw that Marcella had just arrived at the train station. She had caught a taxi and brought my valuables to the train station at 8:00 am in the morning! I am amazed and humbled by Marcella's warmth and love of her visitors. A stay with her is a very special experience.
Betty <email>
Jacksonville, FL USA Mon 04/04/2005

Trattoria la Burrasca
The recommended Trattoria la Burrasca was possibly the worst restaurant I've ever encountered.
Artful <email>
Walla Wall, Wa USA Sat 04/02/2005

Florence
Dear Rick,As a many time traveler to Florence and Italy, I want to thank you for "Florence Walking Tours". Our guide for basic Florence and the Uffizi was Freya. She was excellent. Thanks for the "vini e vecchi sappore" restaurant, very Tuscan with friendly attractive service. I suggest Bordolino, a restaurant in Oltrano east of Sta Felicita on a street one block back south of the Arno, ?Corso. Good dollar value, mixed crowd of Italians and tourists tourists. Hours of museums also very nice to have.Happy travels, Alan Chambers
alan chambers <email>
cincinnati, oh USA Tue 03/29/2005

we used RS recommendation of Paola Migliorini to guide us around florence on march 14. we are a family of 5 with 3 kids (7,9 &13). she was great and (mostly) kept them interested. we really felt comfortable with florence and the art and history after the tour.the children actually retained a large amount of the information that paola gave us. she made it fun and informative.
lisa <email>
USA Tue 03/22/2005

Siena sidetrip: Palazzo Bruchi
Palazzo Bruchi is a B and B in a private home--the Masignanis-very centrally located in Siena. We recommend it: so should you! We stayed in the Fresco Room--a huge family room for 3 with bath, good beds, antiques, and a stunning view out over the walls of Siena, especially at night with the stars and illuminated churches. (It has a separate entrance from the family apartment, which we didn't see.) E100 in early March. The breakfast part is self-catering in the room (there's a fridge, moka pot,and hotplate and packaged rolls): not great, but convenient. We got to Siena by taking a bus from Florence; it's an easy walk to Palazzo Bruchi from the bus station if you pack light.You can also take, as we did, the bus to Rome from Siena which is a comfortable trip, though the arrival is at Tiburtina, a long way from the center.

We found Siena, even in the offseason, extremely tourist oriented. The much touted patisserie Nannini is pricey and glitzy and does not feel like a place where locals go. After a quick standup coffee there, we trekked down the street to a good looking local bar on Sotto--not Sopra--for delicious (and inexpensive) panforte. In the thin winter sunlight, we joined the hordes of Italian teens basking on the paved campo as if it were a beach.
Margaret Thornhill <email>
Venice, CA USA Sun 03/20/2005

Hotel Cestelli, Firenze
Not in your guidebook, but should be!Stayed four nights in Florence at the centrally located Hotel Cestelli, a small, 8 room albergo run by the delightful couple Alessio and Asumi. It's in a 12 century building on SS Apostoli, 1 block away from the river.The rooms are simple and pleasant. We rented two rooms, a double with bath and a single without for a total of E105 per night(no breakfast served.) From the Cestelli, you can walk to any of the main sights in Florence, or across the Arno to good local trattorie such as La Casalinga.

The Cestellis have great recommendations for characteristic restaurants and were very helpful to our daughter in discussing her plans to study Italian in Florence over the summer. Their English is wonderful--they studied in California--but they paid us the kindness of praising our elementary Italian.
Margaret Thornhill <email>
Venice, Ca USA Sun 03/20/2005

The Best Guidebook Ever!
I couldn't have planned my trip without this book. Thank you, thank you, thank you for making my trip to Italy (Venice, Verona, Florence & Rome) the best trip I have ever taken. I left Italy with absolutely NO REGRETS because of your guidebook! My favorite and most useful was the guided tours of the museums. I took EVERY tour in Venice, Rome and Florence!
Dana Monello <email>
New York, NY USA Mon 03/14/2005

Florence, Siena, Cortona
We rented a car for several days to explore the Tuscan hill towns. We picked up our rental car in Orvieto (which is just a convenient train ride from Rome) and dropped it off in Florence. It was a challenge finding Hertz in downtown Florence. In the future, I may consider dropping the car off at Siena and then taking the bus to Florence or find another Hertz that is not in downtown Florence. Here are some of our hotel and restaurant experiences.

Cortona accommodations: We were disappointed with Hotel San Luca, especially when it was recommended by both Rick Steves and Lonely Planet. The hotel and room decorations are old. We paid full price for a double room in slow season and were unable to get a room with a view. (They were supposedly full in the dead of winter. Some locals we talked to found that hard to believe.) What was worse was our bathroom smelled like sewer. When we complained at the front desk, all we got was a shrug of the shoulders and a “Mi Dispiace” without any sincerity. So for the second night we decided to shop for a different place. We found this little “B&B” called Le Gelosie (www.legelosie.com). It is more like a “room for rent” (similar to those found in the Cinque Terre) in a small building near Piazza Signorelli. The owner, Michele (pronounced like “Mikhail”), bought this building, remodeled the units and made it a B&B. Michele emphasized several times that he wants to make his B&B our “home” in Cortona. He seems sincere in wanting his guests to have an enjoyable stay. From what I can tell, there are only four units. Our room was on the third floor (no elevator) and quite spacious and very comfortable. The bathroom is ultra modern with stylish fixtures including our favorite: heated towel racks. Since it is not really a B&B, instead of eating in a breakfast room in the B&B, you get a coupon to order breakfast at one of the local coffee shops. We really liked this as we got to eat with the locals, while enjoying Italian morning TV and Italian newspapers hot off the press. Not that we understand a word, but we very much appreciate feeling the “vibe” of locals preparing for their day ahead.

Cortona restaurant: Most of the recommended restaurants were closed. Luckily, we talked to an American who lives there and she recommended La Locanda nel Loggiato (Piazza di Pescheira, off of Piazza della Repubblica). The ambiance is very romantic, the service very friendly and the food was wonderful at very reasonable prices. We liked the restaurant so much that we ate there two nights in a row!

Siena accommodations: After enjoying the modern comforts in Rome, Orvieto and Cortona, we decided to become more humble in our choice of accommodations. We went for Alma Domus. Nuns do not intimate us and the 23:30 curfew does not affect us at all. For 60 euros we got an awesome view of the old town from our room! We didn’t mind the simple decorations, threadbare towels and the lack of heated towel racks at all. Unlike what RS’ guidebook suggested, the person we dealt with at the front desk spoke English and we were able to get a real double bed (not two twins put together).

Siena restaurant: It was a Saturday night and we wandered as if we were locals taking our passeggiata. We came across this restaurant called Boccon del Prete (Via S. Pietro 17, 0577-280388). Several of the tables have “Riservato” signs on them. We took that as a good sign and we were not disappointed. If you like good hearty meat dishes you will like this place. The ambiance is very nice as well and it appears to be a popular restaurant for locals to bring dates.

Florence hotel: We stayed at Hotel La Scarletta and I picked the hotel mainly because of its location. Even though it is an older hotel and I will never figure out its floor plan, the place has character. Our room is very quiet and spacious. The free internet access is another big plus. Breakfast was disappointing though.

Florence restaurant: Ristorante Bibo is indeed good value. As suggested in RS’ guidebook, we placed our gudiebook right on our table and got our 15% discount. However, since there is an automatic 12% service charge, we felt like it was simply a wash. That being said, the 15 euro menu is very good value. It also happens to be my boyfriend’s birthday so we got free limoncino!

Also see my postings on Italy (includes Orvieto, Cinque Terre and Milan) and Rome graffiti walls.
Amy <email>
San Francisco, CA USA Tue 03/08/2005

Hotel Meridiana - Highly Recommended
I also posted this on the main graffitti wall, but I don't want it to be missed, so here it goes again!

Hey there everyone, I just returned from my first trip to Europe. Our travel dates were Jan 20 - 27.

We spent 3 nights in Florence and 3 nights in Rome.
In Florence, our hotel, the Meridiana, was wonderful. The rooms were clean; the beds were small, yet very soft. The bathrooms were also clean (private bathrooms too!), the showers were tiny, but there was enough hot water to accommodate my 30 minute showers! Plus they had very large cotton towels, compared to our stay in Rome, where their towels were linen.Breakfast was included and they offered a better variety than our hotel in Rome.

The workers were all very nice and friendly, they all spoke English, and were able to offer help when we asked: from calling a cab, to calling the airport to find our lost luggage, to providing a map of the city and highlighting how to get to our destination points for the day, to recommending good places to eat.

They also offered wake up calls, an outside small patio on the main floor, a phone booth, and internet access in the lobby, for a very reasonable price (5 euros for 1 hour, the time is kept track by a calling card type thing) The only downside was that they are located north of most sights, but the walk is only about 1/2 a mile or so to the Accademia (David). Also, the street they are located on must be an exit from the city because there was traffic all through the nights and we constantly had to listen to cars honking their horns (when one honks, they all honk!)

There was a wonderful restaurant a few blocks from the hotel called "American Bar" the food, service, and prices were great.Oh, and I am quite sure our hotel was non smoking, when I asked where I could go to smoke they said "Outside"While our hotel was only a 3 star, we received excellent service and would highly recommend it...I know where I will be staying on our next visit to Florence!
Crystal Henderson <email>
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA USA Fri 03/04/2005

Hotel Globus
I wanted to report on this hotel, even though it's not on Rick's list. I was a little worried about staying there, in part because I'm convinced that some of the glowing posts about this hotel were posted by the hotel itself (something that's pretty common).

The hotel is on a small street (not an alley as someone reported, just a small, very old, pre-auto, cobblestone street) only about 5 minutes walk from the train station. It is in a typical old building converted to hotel use. The doorway has a awning with the hotel name on it and is easy to find. It's up one flight of stairs and some rooms are a flight or two above. There is a one person lift from the desk area.

The place is surprising modern looking and very well kept. The desk was always staffed and the people were very professional and helpful. We stayed in the economy twin rooms and they were very small, but adequate. Private bathroom. It was nice to have a TV with CNN and BBC to get some news.

Breakfast was hands down the best we had in Italy. Fresh rolls, fruit, some dessert cake type things, ham, cereal, milk, juice, and real cappuccino (plus hot chocolate for my daughter). Very nice man oversees it all. There is also a laptop with internet access in this room from noon on.

The area is interesting. It's a half block from the central market, which is open only in the morning and worth a visit. Around the market are many streets of vendors selling tourist stuff at reasonable prices and were not very aggressive. Laundry is just around the corner and there are also a couple of simple Doner kabob snack shops just a few steps away (one of my favorite Turkish meals, 5 Euros for a sandwich and a coke, great cheap lunch).

The two nights we ate out we had great meals. The first was at a small local restaurant about two blocks from the hotel (I don't remember the name, but the food was good and a full meal cost was only about 15 Euros a piece). The next night they recommended Buca Mario for a great (and expensive) Bistecca alla Fiorentina. It was a great experience. Wonderful waiter. Great, historic location. Fabulous food. A 2 ½ inch steak! The bill was 175 Euro for four people, far more than we normally pay, but very worth the food and experience.

The room was 70 Euros a night and even for the off-season this seemed very good for Florence. I would not hesitate to stay there again.
Al <email>
Seattle, WA USA Fri 03/04/2005

Great Sleep, Great Food, Great Florence!
Our family of 4 went to Florence Feb. 11-13th and really enjoyed it. Our hotel was Hotel Alessandra. We drove in and there directions were perfect...but we are also use to driving in Italy now and now how to look for signs (or the lack of!)! Nice people, FAB location, clean BIG room and beds were the BEST! We have been living in France for 6 months and that is the best nights sleep I have had since being here! Unfortunately, our quad was across the hall from the bathroom for those without in their rooms and not everyone has "good neighboor" manners. We experienced a 5am wake up without asking for it! Small elevator that we choose not to use and therefore had quite a few stairs to deal with; our choice. The breakfast was ok and basic. Our only disappointment was with the Accademia. We have EU passports and got great discounts but if we had to pay full price(costs more than Uffizi)we would have been angry. I think it is not worth it. The "David" can be seen in the piazza next to Uffizi for free; copy or not. The partially completed works of Michelangelo I thought were facinating. How rarely you can see a master at work! It was great for children to see. Other than that...skip it and spend the money on Pitti Palace! WOW! We went first thing Sunday morning and had the Ponte Vecchio all to ourselves and practically the same in Pitti Palace. Don't miss this! Ricks recommendation of Golden View restaurant was perfect for our last night. Had a great table by the windows, great pizza and a great Tuscan red wine..don't overlook this one. We went to the restaurants that the hotel suggested. We trusted them because they did NOT recommend the one right next to the hotel. Trattoria Nella is all Rick says it is and the gnocchi is that good. My daughter loves it and we ordered another one after we all ate hers! The other good restaurant the hotel recommended is close by Nella. La Grotta Guelfa is great! During the warmer months there is an outdoor seating area. Looks big but it isn't! went by at 12:00 for lunch and they said that they were full up! We understand why when we went back that night! Nella was great but La Grotta had larger portions for the price. Rick you should really check this place out! The gelato is great no matter which one you choose! The "beware" piazzas are right on the money...take heed! Didn't experience any gypsies like Rome but there were lots of hustlers!

The market shopping was fun and other shopping was fabulous if you desire great leather and great prices! We took a carriage ride in to the area east of Piazza Signoria. If we had another day I would have loved to walk it. Rick maybe this part should be expanded on in your next book. In review....Thank You Rick.....Thank You Florence!
Meg <email>
Elgin (Tourrettes sur Loup,France), Il USA Tue 02/22/2005

Florence
Just returned from a trip to Italy with my husband, and wanted to second Rick's recommendation on a restaurant in Florence - the Osteria del Porcellino was fantastic...small, intimate, great service, and not too many tourists. Great recommendation! One small note about the Florence guidebook - RS says that you can buy reserved tix to the Accademia and Uffizi at the San Marco, but the woman there said she couldn't do that for us. Luckily, it was January and we didn't encounter any lines. Otherwise, the book was dead on and invaluable.
Amy <email>
Seattle, WA USA Mon 02/07/2005

Panella’s Residence in Florence
Panella’s Residence in FlorenceOn a recent trip to Florence, I stayed for 7 nights at the Panella’s Residence bed and breakfast. It was my first trip to Florence, and having depended solely on the website for information and being a lone woman traveler, I was a bit anxious at first. As it turned out, however, I had a wonderful time in Florence. This is mostly due to the great accommodation and the magnificent hospitality of the owners, Graziella and her husband Mr. Panella. The house used to be the Panella family’s residence, and it is tastefully and comfortably furnished with antiques. I stayed in room number 43. A huge, comfy room with a king bed, large closet, fireplace and modern bathroom. Graziella was warm, friendly and was always willing to help. I forgot my jacket in the car in Jakarta, and Florence in January was quite cold (5 – 10 C). Graziella graciously let me borrow her beautiful leather and fur jacket and took me personally to the best place in Florence to buy leather jackets at very good prices. Breakfast, which is included in the room price, consists of homemade cakes of orange/carrot cake, apple/cinnamon cake, choice of yogurt, juice and very good Italian coffee. I didn’t have any specific itinerary, and every morning during breakfast, Graziella would help me plan my days. She and her husband would automatically pick up the phone and book a museum pass or find out the buss schedules for me. The residence is located in a quiet street but in a very strategic location. Duomo is only 5 minutes walk away. The train station, where the bus depot is also located, is only 15 minutes away. The Opera House (Teatro della Pergola) is only next door.

All the major sites in Florence, such as the Galleria Dell’Accademia (to see Michelangelo’s David), Uffizi Gallery, Basilica di Santa Croce, Giardino di Boboli, Ponte Vecchio, and Via de’ Tornabuoni (shopping for Gucci, Armani, Prada) are all within walking distance. Florence, and especially Panella’s Residence, is for sure a place that I will go back to.
Maura Soeparjadi Kwik <email>
Jakarta, Indonesia Thu 02/03/2005

Reserved tickets
We followed the advice to reserve tickets at the Uffizi but after searching for the ticket booth across the plaza from the entrance we still had to wait in a long line. And we watched while many small "tour groups" jumped ahead of the line and were admitted ahead of us with the reserved tickets. It was a rainy unpleasant experience.
Jim Francis <email>
Columbus, OH USA Mon 01/31/2005

museum Opera del Duomo
The museum "Opera del Duomo" is located on Piazza del Duomo 9, not the address listed in the book.
Dagmar <email>
San Diego, CA USA Wed 01/26/2005

The Bellevue house
We just returned from Florence where we spent one week. We stayed at the Bellevue House www.bellevuehouse.it , five minutes easy walk from the train station and walking distance from all Florence sights. The owner Antonio was always present and extremely helpful and attentive to all our needs. He even confirmed our flight schedule before our departure. The interior is charming furnished with antiques. Rooms are spacious and bathrooms are large. Breakfast was in the bar downstair and was included in price. We will definitely stay there again on our next. BTW, the hotel is in a safe neighborhood. We walked to it many times late at night, never with any safety issues or uneasy feelings.
Dagmar <email>
San Diego, CA USA Wed 01/26/2005

Hotels in Florence
We stayed at the Hotel Galileo in Florence and loved it. The staff was wonderful--told us about restaurants close and a bit away from the hotel but their recommendations were excellent. The hotel had a lift-teeny but working--great for my Mother who is 81 and me as I have M. S. I'd definitely stay there again.
Deb Scott <email>
Lakewood, CO USA Thu 01/06/2005

Warning on Posts
If you look at some of these posts, they read more like hotel brochures than real traveler comments. I wanted to check on the comments on one particular hotel, so I e-mailed the writer. This is what he wrote back:"Well, I'm sorry to say that the message you read was not written by me, so I can't help you out. I don't know if someone has "forged" an email address or what."Just beware that many of the hotel "reports" on these boards are probably posted by the hotels themselves.
Al <email>
Seattle, WA USA Mon 01/03/2005

Our photos and recommendations for Italy
For anyone interested, we have a web site of our trip to Italy in June of 2001. Aside from the pictures of us having a great time (thanks to our guru St. Rick), we have included a listing of the places we stayed, what they charged us, and our opinionated review of the room. Hope you find it useful in planning your trip. http://users.adelphia.net/~tabacchi/italy.htm

Ken Tabacchi <email>
Redondo Beach, CA USA Tue 12/28/2004

Bellevue House - Florence
My wife and I, plus another couple, visited several cities in Italy during our October trip, and spent two nights in Bellevue House while in Florence. We found the accomodations to be quite comfortable, and Antonio to be a very accomodating and gracious host. The location was very convenient and within walking distance of the main attractions and the train station. The building is on a well lit on a busy main street. At no time did we feel threatened or uncomfortable. It's not the Ritz, but at 90 euros per night, we thought it was very clean and comfortable. While not attempting to challenge the very negative comments shared by the previous poster, it certainly was not consistent with our own experience. The only negative we had was that the hotel was up 4 flights of stairs.

Bill <email>
Ft. Thomas, Ky USA Sat 12/25/2004

Piazzale
Rick's excellent guide to Florence doesn't mention a place we found remarkable-- Piazzale Michaelangelo, the city's park. It is across the river about 2 miles or 2 bridges away from Ponte Vecchio.The views from here are striking,panoramic and icons of Tuscany. Nice cafes at one level and the park proper above.
Paul and Sara <email>
Newburyport , MA USA Sun 12/19/2004

Bellevue House/Florence
Although most of Rick's recommendations are right on, Bellevue House in Florence is a dump. The owner, Antonio, refused to turn on the air conditioning even though the place was crawling with mosquitos. After seven PM, he locks up the only phone, leaving the guests with no outside world contact for emergencies. Although he promises that his assistant will spend the night there, the assistant leaves as soon as Antonio is gone. This hotel is in a rough neighborhood. We found the rooms only marginally clean, towels were not replaced, and the whole atmosphere was dingy.
Chris Clay <email>
Crescent Sps, KY USA Wed 12/08/2004

Bill <email>
Ft. Thomas, Ky USA Sat 12/25/2004

Villa La Sosta B&B - not listed in Rick's book
On a recent trip to Florence, we stayed at a B&B not listed in Rick's book. Villa La Sosta (www.villalasosta.com) received several great online reviews so we tried it out and we were not disappointed. Our host, Antonio, was helpful and friendly and the rooms were large and well decorated. The B&B is actually up a hill outside of Florence which was relaxing. We could walk or hop on Bus 25 to get into town. Just wanted to add another place to consider that is perfect for a couple.
Wendy <email>
Saratoga, CA USA Thu 12/09/2004

Hotel Beatrice - Florence
We liked the location of this hotel (very close to the train station) & the helpfulness & friendliness of Constantino. Not only did he make museum & restaurant reservations before we left the U.S., but he also offered a lot of good info when we were there. Best of all, after we had checked out, our rental car would not start & he helped us in trying to start the car & talking to the rental co. rep. We really enjoyed a nice, clean room & a good breakfast.
Byron & Janet Schnetz <email>
Fresno, CA USA Wed 12/08/2004

Trattoria Icche C'e C'e - you are not alone
My last meal in Florence, and the absolute worst.Again, mediocre food, poor service, and extremely gratuitous charges of "service" PLUS "Pane e Coperto" amounting to 30%. Shame on them.This restaurant shows no respect for the client's time, taste buds, and even sense of smell - I could actually see grease smoke burning in the kitchen, assaulting my nostrils as I contemplated how I might escape.What happened to this place since Rick last checked it?

Go instead to a wine bar for Bruscetta if you want a quick, informal meal.
Jonas
USA Mon 12/06/2004

Osteria Vini e Vecchi Sapori
My wife and I often ate at Osteria Vini e Vecchi Sapori in 2002 and found Giorgio to be a great host with great food. Alas, went there in November and found out Giorgio had died in 2003. Attempted to eat there but a young man who emerged from the Osteria (not a patron)was a little brusque so we decided to eat elsewhere.
Otto Fafoglia <email>
Chatham, Ill USA Tue 11/23/2004

Hotel Torre Guelfa - A Rip-Off
In all my travels in Europe, I found this hotel to be the biggest rip-off I've experience thus far. Their web page is totally misleading, so beware. The web page identifies regular rooms starting @ 140 Euros, and a "guest house" room for 100 Euro. This was the one city we wanted to treat ourselves, so we opted for the 140 Euro room, the most we've ever paid for a room in Europe.

When we arrived, we were sent to the first floor to a dingy, noisy room. When we complained, we were told we could have a better room for 200 Euros. We decided to stay put, and it was a big mistake. The room faces an alley where workers make loud noise literally all night. By then, I realized that we had been placed in a "guest house" room advertised for 100 Euro. I complained, but to no avail. Luckily, we only stayed there two nights. This was the only time I have ever felt ripped-off in Europe.
Chuck <email>
Phoenix, AZ USA Tue 11/23/2004

Florence
Rick's book on Italy was invaluable on my recent trip to Italy in October. The Golden View Open Restaurant overlooking the Arno River and Ponte Vecchio was fabulous, we loved the food, view, and service. I would like to recommend Rick check out a few places though to add to his list: The Hotel Caravaggio we stayed in was reasonable, well located, and the staff Carlo and Josef were wonderful. Also the Restaurant Accademia was great and had an amazing 4 course meal for $35 Euros and included wine. A must for anyone headed to Florence.
Janet <email>
Denver, CO USA Sun 11/21/2004

Florence Dining
Our first night we went to Cafe Pitti across from the Pitti Palace – you can sit outdoors which is a bit noisy with the traffic but indoors is serene - and the food is great no matter where you sit. This whole area is so quiet at night – the next day it was mobbed with shoppers.

The 2nd night we went somewhere very touristy and kitsch that Rick doesn't list but that we found in one of the ‘F’ tour books, but it was so much fun and the food was so great that we weren't sorry to be acting like tourists. La Giostra is the name of the restaurant and it is near Santa Croce – replete with twinkling lights on the ceiling, crazy owner/chef roaming around decanting wine, and famous people in frames on the walls. The only warning is that the servings are HUGE – to say we over ordered with just ap’s and main course each would be an understatement.

We got snack/lunch food at the Central Market - what a fun place to people watch - and took it on our trip to Sienna.

A note for the next book: Rick's 2004 maps has two hotel maps of the Altarona and no map for the restaurants - there were places we tried to find but the missing map was a hindrance.
Kristen <email>
San Francisco, CA USA Wed 11/17/2004

Torre Guelfa Hotel
We stayed at the Torre Guelfa listed in Rick's 2004 Italy book in early October. The rooms were huge and there was the typical Italian pensione bathroom with a tub with no shower curtain so we destroyed the floor daily. We loved this place for its real Italian feel - the little touchy elevator, the cold breakfast, the AMAZINGLY helpful staff.

But to top it all off - literally - the private tower that has 360 degree views of city is worth every penny and more. It makes this place better than any other place you could possibly stay unless you slept at the top of the Duomo. To watch sunsets and hear church bells throughout the city swinging along with a glass of your favorite Italian wine - WOW!
Kristen <email>
San Francisco, CA USA Wed 11/17/2004

Il Poggiolo B & B
We had a very enoyable stay at Graziella's lovely Il Poggiolo B & B. It is nice and close to Firenze, about 15 minutes by the bus service which stops at the front gate. If you are driving, the directions to Il Poggiolo are easy to follow. There are two nice restaurants within a couple of kilometres. We would highly recommend Il Poggiolo, Graziella is a wonderful host.
Richard Mort <email>
Sydney, NSW Australia Tue 11/16/2004

Trattoria Icche C'e C'e
I was disapointed with the eating recommendation for Trattoria Icche C'e C'e in Florence. The food was mediocre and they charged both a coperto and a service charge (which I thought was now illegal in Italy). It worked out to a 30% "tip", which was definitely not justified. Drop them from your list!
Gerald Gabel <email>
Victoria, BC Canada Tue 11/09/2004

Novacento, Florence
Novacento B&B, FlorenceWe stayed at Novacento, a great B&B only a block or so from the Duomo. Franco and crew were very helpful & friendly owners- they went out of their way to answer questions, make arrangements for us, and were eager to help with anything and everything. Nice breakfast every morning, very clean modern rooms, and a great roof deck with stunning views. Reasonable prices as well, with lots of connections for restaurants and discounts. Check out their website.
T & J Major
Carbondale, Co USA Fri 11/05/2004

David at tht Academia
I have been on 2 ETBD tours and several solo European trips using Rick's guides, and find them invaluable. I just returned from Florence, however, and think I have discovered a problem in the description of Michaelangelo's David that appears in various ETBD guidebooks. At the Academia, the description in front of the statue states it represents David after he has slain the dragon. He does not appear triumphant, but is coolly staring at Goliath after defeating him. Rick's books state that David is sizing him up prior to doing battle with him. Also, in his right hand he is clearly holding the end of his sling, not stones which he is preparing to throw at his enemy, as Rick states in his books. Perhaps more research is needed about this. Who has the correct description -- Rick or the Academia?
B. Golden
San Francisco, CA USA Thu 11/04/2004

Hotel Casci
We just stayed at Casci for 3 days and enjoyed it. (2nd floor of the building) A 15 minute walk from Train station, forget the cab unless you have loaded yourself with bags, we took advise of RS and went easy on bags, worked out fine. The 2 fellows who work the front desk were very nice. A nice greeting when we arrived. The older lady is a bit more 'reserved' but was a good stay. I gathered that the rooms vary in size. Kind of a luck of the draw, just that some are better than others but heard no real complaints. You get a nice B-fast which allowed us to skip lunches, just some gelleto instead. Cloth's can be sent out for washing you get them back as a jumbled mess, but clean.

They can also set up tours for you. We took the half day Sienna tour which was nice, about 50E each. They send you down by train station to meet the tour, they say the meeting sign is yellow, 'pale' yellow would be more accurate. We came there from Rome and when it was time to return to Rome they suggested a travel shop a short 3 minute walk away for tickets, no extra charge and printed out tickets right there. Euro Star 2nd class is just fine. We finally gave up on trying to locate 'recommended' eating spots and just winged it, all the meals were fine. We only got the primi meal (first course) and bottle of wine. Meals averaged about 7-8 Euros for each meal and about 8-10 Euro for liter of Casa (house) wine. I would recommend Hotel Casci.
Den <email>
USA Wed 11/03/2004

Ristorante La Spada
Ristorante La Spada was horrible. Some of our food was cold, some never arrived and the rest was just not good. Customers waited inside, hovering over our table near the door. Customers were sat at dirty tables.
Kathy <email>
Portland, OR USA Sun 10/24/2004

Panella's residence in Florence
The success of our week’s stay in Florence was due to three ingredients: Panella’s Residence, the adjacent opera house, and Zio GiGi’s Restaurant.

Panella’s residence is in every way as attractive and inviting as their very professional web site indicates. Housed in a 15th century building close to the Duomo it has been the Panella family’s residence for many generations. Rather than living alone in the large house, Graziela and Guiseppi Panella decided two years ago to convert the house to a residence. We had reserved the suite, which is a large (60 square meter) apartment located on the top two floors of the building. The downstairs living room was the library of Panella ancestors who practiced law and wrote the history of Florence; the antique desk and bookcases full of law books and books on Florence bear witness. A vaulted stone staircase leads to the upstairs where are located the den/dining room, a large bedroom with a king sized bed, and a modern bathroom. From the den, steps lead to a private roof terrace with a view of the Florentine skyline, ideal for soaking up sun during the day and dining on wine and cheese at night. The suite is sumptuous, comfortable, and quiet.

It was late and we were hungry and tired when we arrived in Florence, so Mrs. Panella took us to Zio GiGi’s (Uncle Guiseppi), an unpretentious restaurant nearby where we were welcome as family and served a splendid yet reasonable meal with Florentine steak as the highlight: a tender, juicy fillet of beef, served on a bed of greens and topped with a half inch layer of porcini mushrooms, accompanied by the house wine. We kept going back and were never disappointed. For a different experience we recommend a platter of cheese and a bottle of Brunello do Montalcino, one of the great wines of Tuscany, at the Golden O wine bar near Ponte Vecchio. Expensive but worth it, especially after an evening at the opera.

The best part of our stay in Florence was our hosts, Graziela and Guiseppi, who treated us as one treats friends and family. Humble and unpretentious, warm and gregarious, they made us feel at home. When they discovered we were celebrating my birthday in Florence, they put a bottle of champagne and a sumptuous chocolate and fruit cake in our room. The next day we shared it with them in an impromptu party. The worst part of our stay was having to leave them. But we will be back.
Bjorn Sundby <email>
Montreal, Quebec Canada Sun 10/24/2004

Florence - Uffizi Roof Garden
There is a roof garden on the top of the Uffizi with great views and good food. After walking around looking up at the ceilings of the public hallway and looking at the the famous practioners, my wife and I were pleasantly surprised at the view and the fresh air. We were looking right up at the lion on top of the Vecchio Fort - very impressive and a nice repreive from all the sighseeing. Your book was invaluable and gave us great tips. Thank you.
Bob O'Brien <email>
Port Washington, NY USA Thu 10/21/2004

Florence Hotel and Guide
I just returned from Italy--my second trip. Also my second time to stay at the Residenza Giotto. There's no breakfast to speak of (make your own coffee and pre-packaged croissant), but who needs it with the da Scudieri right across the duomo square--two euros for a delicious pastery and cappucino with the locals. The location of the hotel is unbeatable and it's quiet. Odd to not have a front desk at night, but in two trips I never found it necessary.

Also, if you plan to tour Tuscany, or even take a walking tour of Florence--it's well worth it to use Rick's suggestion of Paola Migliorini (www.florencetour.com). She is friendly, accommodating, knowledgeable and just a delight to be with. It might feel like a bit of an investment--but she is well worth it!
Lisa M. <email>
Asheville, NC USA Tue 10/19/2004

Tuscany's Secrets
Thanks for the recommendation, we saw details of this B&B on the Graffiti wall and, we are pleased we found it! Casa Portagioia is a place that has the quality of 5 star hotels, but Terry and Marcello's hospitality and kindness can never be provided by 5 star hotels. That is what staying in a bed & breakfast is all about. We went to a lot of restaurants, tasting local Italian food. It wasn't as impressive as we had expected. However, the best local Italian food is in Casa Portagioia. Marcello is the greatest Italian cook I've ever met, despite those who are in North End (Little Italy), Boston. There are just too many good things to say about Casa Portagioia. You have to go to experience yourself. Then you will know how great they are. -------------------------------------
Kevin and Pei Hau <email>
Boston, Ma USA Wed 10/13/2004

Last Supper Bus
In Milan the bus to the Last Supper is not #24, it is #16 and you catch it across the street from the hotel.
Angela Mack <email>
Huntsville, AL USA Tue 10/12/2004

Albergo Ascesi in Assisi
I stayed at the Albergo Ascesi (recommended in Rick's book) while in Assisi and was very pleased with the accomodations and service. Donato Gagliardi and Luciana made me feel very welcome, took the time to talk and answer questions, and were very tolerant of my terrible Italian! A single was not available when I called, but Donato gave me a double at less than the usual price (this was on a Saturday night, too!) I would recommend this place to anyone that visits Assisi.
Robert Werning <email>
Pensacola, FL USA Tue 10/12/2004

Il Poggiolo (B&B) Highly recommended
We were only able to visit Florence for one day during our time in Italy. If you have one day, or twenty days, or anywhere in between, stay with Graziella at Il Poggiolo in Florence. Her B&B is just outside the city, among beautiful Tuscan olive groves. Check it out at http://www.il-poggiolo.it/eng.htm#. Graziella was most gracious - she picked us up at the bus stop, she drove us to the store when we opted not to take advantage of reservations she had made for us at a local restaurant with traditional Tuscan cuisine (wonderful restaurants, we hear - our decision to forego the restaurant was personal). She also made reservations for us at the Uffizi Gallery. We will always remember Graziella and the beautiful hills in Florence where we spent the sunrise and sunsets walking, and hope to return soon.
Heather <email>
Davis, CA USA Sat 10/09/2004

Rick Steve's Book
I suggest Rick Steve's book for Florence...and I suggest www.casa-versilia.it
Antony <email>
Montreal, CA CA Wed 09/29/2004

Great guide - hotel prices
Great advice from Rick, although I felt (as in Venice) that hotels were usually quite ambitous to charge WAY over the Rick Steves Guide price.

Imperitive to BEGIN the conversation, 'Hello, I found you in Rick Steves' or else may find the hotel an irretrievably overpriced proposition. That's no fun!
J Kuhnemann <email>
Toronto, ON Canada Mon 09/27/2004

Florence - Bellevue House, Il Latini
I happily echo others reviews of the Bellevue House. Staying there was wonderful- clean, quiet, with warm and gracious hosts. Much nicer than other places I stayed in Italy for the same cost.

Had dinner at Il Latini- a bit difficult to find since it's tucked away, but well worth the effort. The waitstaff was wonderful, and the food delicious. Take your appetite and be willing to splurge a bit on calories and price.
KB
Atlanta, GA USA Mon 09/20/2004

Hotel Europa, Hotel Casci
Florence - Hotel Europa, Suite 39, E140 for a suite (2 HUGE bedrooms one with a queen bed and one with 2 twin beds), huge private bathroom with a jet-massage shower, breakfast from 7:30 to 9:30, small refrigerator, and air conditioning. This was right off Via Cavour and about a 5 minute walk to the Duomo. Our favorite thing about the suite was that all our ceilings had original 16th-century frescos. The hotel was very quiet and having that large suite to ourselves was most luxurious! I'm not sure the regular rooms in the hotel are as nice... they were on a different floor and did not look to be as beautiful or large.

Word of warning - we had booked (with credit card information) with Hotel Casci back in January and had reconfirmed in late May and received a confirming response from them both times that we were for sure confirmed in their system. However, when we arrived they claimed to have had an email problem and had no room for us, despite the email I was holding dated only 2 weeks earlier. They quickly saw that I was going to pitch a fit in front of several of their customers and walked us over to Hotel Europa where we were given this gorgeous suite I described above for 5E less than we would have paid for a single room at Hotel Casci. Now I do believe that they truely had a problem with their email and might indeed have somehow lost our communication in May, but regardless we had been booked with them since JANUARY so in my mid, they had no legitimate excuse for not having us down firmly in their records.
It all worked out in the end and they were even kind enough to call Hotel Europa with our Academia reservation they had made on our behalf which we thought was very considerate of them. It was just a lot of stress to deal with on our honeymoon and put a damper on our only day in Florence.
Jill Briesch <email>
Denver, CO USA Wed 09/15/2004

Capri
On the Ile of Capri take the one person chairlift, it was so wonderful,great photos. Also to avoid crowds and seek tranquility visit the estate of the Swedish Doctor, you are in a lovely scented paradise with a private garden view out each room.Capri is also a place for power shopping!
Susan <email>
Birmingham, MI USA Wed 09/08/2004

Florence
Make sure to read the hints on museums, waiting in lines was no problem, I just went to the "Precious Stones Musuem"(its around the corner from the Accademia-David),booked my times for that and others,paid and was off to air conditioning instead of waiting an hour or two in 95 degree heat in Florence this July.

Also, not in the book, but wonderful was my favorite restaurant on San Antonio the Palle 'd Oro, great food, moderate prices including wine.
Susan <email>
Birmingham, MI USA Wed 09/08/2004

palazzo ruspoli
has anyone ever stayed at the palazzo ruspoli? my friends and i are looking to stay in florence over thanksgiving, and we found a great package on tourcrafters.com for 5 days for $600 including hotel and airfare... let us know what you think!!

also, any advice on where to eat... we want the best food for the cheapest price!thanks
CC <email>
Boston, ma USA Tue 09/07/2004

Hotel Casci Florence
My wife and I very much enjoyed our stay at Hotel Casci. The breakfast was wonderful and everyone is so friendly and willing to help when we needed help. We were amazed when the night porter made capuccino for us at 5 AM on the day we left. I will certainly recommend the hotel to anyone I know who intends to visit Florence. The location is excellent and the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly. We look forward already to our next visit.
Timoty Lawton <email>
Las Cruces, NM USA Tue 09/07/2004

Great Hotel in Florence
Hotel Bellevue was excellent! We had a huge room for a good price and Antonio, the owner, was extremely helpful. Of course, it's 90 steps up to the hotel, but it's worth it.
Lisa <email>
San Francisco, CA USA Fri 09/03/2004

Hotel Elite
My family and I recently returned from Florence, and want to recommend Hotel Elite. It is near the train station as well as the important museums and sites. But the best was the woman who worked there (can't remember her name), as she was extremely helpful in providing us with info about Florence. Her love of Florence certainly came through in her excitement and eagerness.
Laurie Akers <email>
Marysville, WA USA Tue 08/31/2004

Don't rely on Rick Steves recommendations in Florence
That's not to say that his recommendations aren't good. They generally are, or should I say were. The problem I found is that most any place in Florence recommended by Rick Steves is overrun by readers of his books. And unforntunately, I don't mean that in a good way.

Here is an example of what I am talking about: When we first arrived in Florence we tried finding our out of the way places with out much success. Florence is so filled with tourists that even the places that seem to be hidden whole-in-the-walls are overpriced tourist traps. After a couple bad, overpriced meals we referred to Rick's book and decided to try Trattoria la Burrasca. True to what was written in the book, Trattoria la Burrasca had decent food at resonable prices. However, we couldn't help but notice every other table in the place was full of Americans whispering about how they had found the place out of Rick Steves book. Still, the food was good and price right, so a few days later we decided to return, and that's when it got ugly.

This time, like the first, the place filled up with Americans (never an Italian in sight), but unlike the first time, they didn't whisper about Rick Steves' book, they yelled about it. Across the trattoria..."HEY DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS PLACE FROM RICK'S BOOK? US TOO! DON'T YOU JUST LUUUUUV HIS RECOMMENDATIONS?!" And then everyone started pulling out their Rick Steves books and laughing and shouting (as a general rule I don't take guide books with me when dining out, so we didn't have ours). Soon a couple tables thought it would be really great to have everyone hold up their Rick Steves' books and take pictures to sent to Rick. So, next thing I know, my whole family is shading their faces from the cameras while the rest of the Americans make this big show of holding up their books. In short, all I wanted was a peaceful Florentine dinner and but what I got was a room full of ugly, boisterous Americans. I might as well have been eating at a TGI Fridays back in the States. Just about any restaurant you go to near the heart of Florence is going to be at least 75% tourists in the summer, but if it's Rick Steves' book, you can count on it being closer to 100%.
David
Pleasanton, CA USA Mon 08/30/2004

Stay away from Fiorentina hotel/hostel - Florence - Italy
If you ever get a chance to visit Florence - Italy, stay away from Fiorentina Hostel. They somehow call themselves 1 star hotel, but believe me, this is a 'nightmare for humans'. It looks like a creepy house, with screachy doors and a 100-years old elevator, but this is the good part. The counter desk staff, which is in fact made out of one guy (albanian of what I understood) who doesn't speak any language other than some italian, does not seem to know what is the meaning of "respect among people". He treated me and my wife like crap, and worse, the manager of the hotel is basically the same. On their web site, they advertise that you gone get a parking spot - included in the 70 EURO night charge. Believe me, you won't get that - worse you'll be asked to pay extra for parking and - remember this - you need to leave the keys of the car with the parking owner (very dubious person). On the top of this, the rooms look like in horror movie. When we saw our room, we initially thought someone was killed in there or something like that: messy, messy, messy. I noticed also some dead bugs. Well, we ended up paying 140 EURO for an excellent room at Best Western, and we left the next day.
Dan <email>
Vancouver, BC Canada Sat 08/28/2004

HOTEL CURTATONE!
Hotel Curtatone was one of the best hotels I have stayed at in all of Europe. The location is excellent, the hotel is unique and beautiful, the breakfast was fantastic and the staff was so warm and welcoming. Stefania was so helpful and knowledgable. She is such a charming person! I strongly recommend Hotel Curtatone.
Jennifer Simone <email>
Evansville, IN USA Fri 08/13/2004

Hotel, Driving, Davids, etc
Another vote for Soggiorno Battistero! Great value, great location, great email help from Kelly in planning the trip, great atmosphere, great room: just great! (But if you need an elevator to get to the fourth floor, think twice....). We made a mistake trying to get close in our car to drop off our luggage (despite Kelly's warning!): the car's nav system made a valiant effort and got us into the one way and then pedestrian-only (!) area but then we were swarmed by Vespas (!), then ran into a policeman and so ended up going straight to the parking at Parterre, which is what we should have done in the first place! (Note: if you're driving in old towns in Europe, take a GPS or get a car with a navigation system - it's a life saver for the one way, narrow streets (if you're just a little smart in how to use it!). In Florence: make sure you see ALL the Davids and decide which you like best. Verocchio's??? If you're tired of expensive cafes, try the cafeteria just down the street from the Battistero (I tore out the section from Rick's book, but it's in there). You can sit one floor up and watch the street action but feel that you can feed the family without taking out a third mortgage....
Ray Clarke <email>
Malvern, PA USA Mon 08/09/2004

CASA RABATTI in Florence
Highly recommended! My first experience staying at Casa Rabatti was a little over a year ago...we were treated like family with such genuine warmth and hospitality by both Marcella and her husband Celestino! When I took another trip back to Florence in March of 2004, there was no question as to where we'd stay! Even though we hadn't made reservations and Marcella was completely booked, she went out of her way to put us up in her daughter's house (which was temporarily closed because of the low-season) a few blocks away. Like Marcella's house on Via San Zanobi, her daughter's place is equally as beautiful, clean, and cozy! Finally...a third trip to Florence in the months of June and July 2004 brought me right back to Casa Rabatti where I was literally treated like a daughter during those two months. I was also able to witness first-hand day after day how wonderfully Marcella treats all of her guests and how pleased they all are with their stays in Florence thanks to her!!
Natasha
Boston, MA USA Mon 08/09/2004

Bellevue House, Florence
Bellevue House an oasis! We arrived in Florence leaving hot, humid Milan and were delighted with the Bellevue House! Antonio and his wife, Rosanna, were very friendly, the room was quiet and faced a lovely courtyard. Air-conditioned and clean, with breakfast provided at the cafe on the street with a view of Santa Maria Novella church - perfect. You need to be able to climb a lot of stairs to stay there - it's on the 3rd or 4th floor.

We had reservations at the Accademia on July 24, which as it turns out we didn't need, as the line was very short. Michaelangelo's "David" was spectacular as was his "Prisoners". Definately needed reservations for the Uffizi! We avoided a huge line by making a reservation by phone 2 months in advance.
Dave Johnson <email>
Sacramento, CA USA Mon 08/09/2004

Hotel Globus
Hotel Globus!!!! WOW!!! WE absolutely adored this hotel and all the people in it. Nicolas and Nicola at the front desk were so incredibly helpful. They sent us to a chraming restaurant, Anita's, which was the best food of our trip. The hotel staff (Hi Nicolas) and restaurant staff all made my daughter's fourteenth birthday very special.The breakfast at the hotel was amazing, and the staff once again, of the 14 different hotels we stayed at in this past month, these people made this place, and Firenze the most wonderful and unforgettable of our whole trip. And the price was only $90 Euro for a large twin in the middle of July!
Valerie Waldean <email>
Seattle, WA USA Sat 08/07/2004

FLORENCE - HOTEL
Soggiorno Battistero! What a location! Great huge rooms// clean bathrooms. I was pleasanlty surprised! Kelly and Luca are very nice! Kelly gave us a fantastic suggestion for dining "Tratorria Za-Za" near the Central Market!!! AWESOME! I would stay here again in a heartbeat!

Ellicott City, MD USA Tue 08/03/2004

Siena - Residenza d'Arte
Word cannot describe the beauty and uniqueness of Residenza d'Arte. We truly had an unforgettable holiday in this fantastic place. It's like a farmhouse fused with one art gallery, and in every room there are beautiful pictures, sculptures and furnitures in modern design. It's a great idea, of an entire family that love the art, and want to give the chance to every guest to see an old place with a refreshing change inside.
Kelly <email>
Ny USA Tue 07/27/2004

Barber
For a great, authentic barber hair cut (razor etc) while in Firenze, I got a great "Capelli" at Bacci Piero, Via del Oche 26, just two blocks from Albergo Firenze toward the Dome. 12 Euro
Jeff Peterson <email>
Kirkland, WA USA Sun 07/25/2004

Soggiorno Pezzati Alessandra...Wonderful place to stay
(e-mail: alex170169@libero.it) I returned from Florence just this last May and found this Soggiorno in Rick Steves' Italy 2003 Book.I am surprised that it isn't in the 2004 edition. Alessandra and her husband Max are full time residents there and are warm, friendly and very helpful. Room rates are reasonable, the facilities are immaculate and all rooms have an electric hot water pot with tea and capuccino restocked each day. The Oltrano District is more "neighborhood" with many good eating places yet all the museums, churches, etc. are within easy walking distance from the Soggiorno. I spent eight days there, loved my stay and hope Rick will get this great room accomodation back into the 2005 Book for travelers to Florence.
Peter Zari <email>
San Diego, CA USA Thu 07/22/2004

Florence
Just returned from Italy, spent 2 nights in Florence and found it uninspiring. To me Florence was a cosmopolitan city full of foreigners; the rich ones to see the art, the poor ones to make money. I’ve heard less English on NYC buses than ones here. I’d stay elsewhere (Lucca, Siena) and daytrip in to see the art if I did it again.
bert fink <email>
Swarthmore, PA USA Thu 07/22/2004

Us in Florence July 8-11, 2004
We found a great hotel right next to the Uffizi on the Arno called Hotel degli Orafi for 200e a night. It was beautiful and the staff waited on us hand and foot. The breakfast they serve is better than your standard hotel breakfast. They have a terrace on the 5th floor that has the best views in Florence. One side is the Arno and behind you is the Duomo and the bell tower. It has a bar on the 5th floor that has drinks and snacks. The rooms are a great size and the bathrooms are beautiful too. We used Ricks book for everything else.

We ate at Traitorria Nella and it was fabulous. We also ate at Il Latini and this is the most fun we had of all our dining experinces in Italy. It is a big party and everyone is invited. If you do not get there at 7:30 you will wait at least an hour in the street. But they serve you free wine while you wait so you don't get to jealous of the people inside. We shared a table and never saw a menu they just asked us what we were in the mood for and started bringing plates of pasta. The chicken liver crostini was great. They also brought out a trough of assorted meats. It was very medevil and fun to dive into. The chianti on the table is 1e a glass. They gave us a bottle of their house wine on the house (gratis). The waiters are almost like stand up comics and we laughed throughout the meal. When the bill came we asked them why we had to pay since we never actually ordered anything or saw a menu! They got a kick out of that. Lot's of Italians eat here so you know it is the real deal. Do not go here unless you know how to be patient and go with the flow.

We made the recomended reservations at the Uffizi and followed Rick's tour to the letter and it was really fun! We also booked a Walking Tour of Florence through Walking tours of Florence and it was awesome. The girls who conduct the tours are excellent and they really bring Florence to life. The 3 hrs went by quickly. If you have not been here before or even if you have this is worth booking. ALso, they can give you recomendations on where to eat and shop so you don't get ripped off.
Mark & Tracy <email>
Costa Mesa, Ca USA Tue 07/20/2004

Florence - Hotel Cardinal
hi justed wanted to share a jewel of a hotel that i found. It's called Hotel Cardinal Florence. It's only a few blocks away from the Duomo and right at the intersection in a small street in front of Piazza G Saluemini. This hotel was renovated and is a 3 star. to me it was more like a 4.5 star. The walk up is sketchy because there is another hotel right under it.

But for 40 Euros a night for a single with bath if you pay cash.. it's listed as 50 online but if you reserve and pay cash, the guy gives a discount. But let me tell you it's very modern, the furniture is very nice and chic, there's AC and tiled floors, and the bathroom is very clean.. this is a great deal for 40 euros.. check out the site to make reservations.. http://cardinalofflorence.hotel-firenze.net/ Great Deal and Find!!! i totally recommend it..
Blaise <email>
Hercules, CA USA Tue 07/20/2004

Motorcycle South of Florence
For Experienced Riders Only! An excellent way to see the Tuscan countryside is to rent a motorcycle. Don't rent a scooter, as these are not allowed on some of the main roads and bring your own helmet. Parking was easy everywhere we went and the 222 to Siena then loop through Asciano, Montalcino, Montepulciano, Sinalunga - returning to Siena via 326 and E78 - was beautiful. Be aware that Italian riders will pass you on the right if they can. Pull over often for the locals to pass. I was happy with Florence by Bike.
Owen <email>
Eugene, OR USA Mon 07/19/2004

Tourist House Ghiberti
Correction: Website for Tourist House Ghiberti is www.touristhouseghiberti.com
Karen
Foster Ctiy, CA USA Sun 07/18/2004

B and B in Florence
Just returned from 2 weeks in Italy, and in Florence stayed at a lovely place not in Rick's book. Tourist House Ghiberti on Via M. Bufalini just a couple of blocks from the Duomo is a small (5 or 6 rooms) B and B run by a young couple in a historic building. The rooms are largeand modern as are the bathrooms (ours had a tub and separate shower!). There is a computer in each room with free internet access, a room safe, remote controlled air conditioning, and a mini bar where the sodas and drinks are cheaper than the store! On the premises there is a jacuzzi and a sauna free for guest use. In June when we were there, it was 150 euros a night, but they offer a discount with cash payment. Their website is www.tourishouseghiberti.com Book directly through them rather than an agency.
Karen Tunnell <email>
Foster City, CA USA Sun 07/18/2004

Precious Stones Museum
The Precious Stones museum has staged entry times. One cannot just walk in. The entry times in early July were 0900, 1045, 1230, 1400, 1545 and 1730.
Steve <email>
Cupertino, CA USA Sun 07/18/2004

A great hotel in Florence
My family and I stayed at the Casci back in June for two nights. The hotel is in a great location and the service and the hospitality was welcome. We will definitely recommend Hotel Casci to our friends. We liked the free internet service!
Randy Topp <email>
Toronto, Ont CAN Thu 07/15/2004

Florence in June
You do have to avoid the vendors and the Vespas. We walked everywhere-took not one taxi. The crypts in Church-San Croce make it worthwhile. It also is near the Anglo American paperback excahnge and the moorish synagogue-with its tight security. Lunch at Mercato Centrale a delight-do try tomatoes in Italy are world's best. Dinner across the Arno-per Rick- is ideal. we liked La Casalinga and sitting outside at Osteria Santo Spirito. I bought my gloves and wallet at Roberta's also Oltrarno. My daughter loved the science museum. I wandered to see the Ferragamo museum, the frescos in the MaxMara store on the fancy shopping st. and the 13th century pharmacy near the train station.
Machlowitz <email>
NY, NY USA Sun 07/11/2004

Florence
BEWARE SOGGIORNO PEZZATI-

Just stayed here in June 2004, wanted turn right back around and RUN! Chose this due to the comments on this website.Wanted to save a little to splurge on other stuff, what a mistake. I have no idea what these people were thinkingthat said it was great.She is very nice but that was it. We paid $106 euro a night for a run down cracker jack box. For a family of 4(2 small children). Which I explained to her. We live in Italy so I know there standards in SOME hotels are not to the US. The bathroom was the size of a closet,the shower was on top of the toliet you could no way fit 2 people inside. The make your own coffee and fridge didn't make up for anything.

IT WAS SO DISGUSTING It ruined our trip.Her special parking price for tenants was $30 euro a night! For this amount you could stay in a normal hotelwith air included and reg size bath room. The smell of cleaning product was so terrible. Our window was looking into the neibors kitchen with a screeen that looked 50 years old, she said we had a nice courtyard view!2 flights of stairs dirty and dark. What a dissapointment for your first visit to Florence. As we were sightseeing we came across so many other hotels we could stayed at much better.It is not central either, only from the train station but who want to stay close to that its' always a seedy area. It pays to stay city central pay a little extra for normalcy ,cleanliness,at least an euorpean breakfast and a nice place to rest your bones after walking all day long. it's no wonder this is not in his book anymore. I have no idea on the hype about this place but if you are a backpacker, or have a serious budget, or one person maybe ok. But give your self a little bit and experience something a little nicer on your tour of Europe.
Nicole <email>
Brugnera, italy Wed 07/07/2004

Florence and Cortona Experience
We just returned from three days in Florence, followed by four days exploring hill towns from our base in Cortona.

We enjoyed the Bellevue House in Florence. It's not fancy, but very comfortable. Antonio is a very gracious and helpful host. Florence's art and history are fascinating. We found, however, that getting away for a half day to Fiesole was a welcome break from the city's crowds and noise. It's an easy and scenic bus ride on #7, which you catch at the train station.

We fell in love with Cortona. It's a small, very hilly and picturesque town which seemed very peaceful and relaxed. Even though Americans have discovered it since Francis Mayes' book and movie, it did not seem spoiled by tourists. Our room at Hotel San Luca had a beautiful view of the Tuscan countryside. The hotel can be rather noisy when filled with tour groups, but the view made up for the noise.

One suggestion for Rick's guidebooks: give instructions on paying tolls when driving the Autostrade. Once you learn the process,it's rather simple: take a ticket when you enter, and pay either a staffed toll booth or machine when you leave the freeway. We held up traffic (with angry Italian drivers doing their thing)until we figured out that you take the ticket rather than pay when entering the highway. In summary, it was a great trip - with the help of Rick and his great team.
Hugh Judd <email>
Kirkland, WA USA Mon 07/05/2004

Accommodation in Florence
I suggest Rick Steve's book for Florence...We are a family of 5 people and we are accommodated in Dante Alighieri Apartment, very GOOD Apartment, wonderfull location, well equipped and very very nice.The Owner Simone is extremely helpful and charming.. We want recommended a very good restaurant "Birreria Centrale" wich is located in Piazza dei Cimatori 1/r Florence. Website www.rentflorencecity.com email dante@rentflorencecity.com
Mary <email>
Barrington, Rode Island USA USA Mon 07/05/2004

Two Florence Hotels
Recently stayed at both Rick's recommended Hotel Bellettini and Hotel Maxim. Ended up in the more expensive annex (no additional cost to us). Our double room was a dream. You can see it on the hotel website. Our friend's single room was small and stuffy. Location was OK, felt a little gritty being so close to the San Lorenzo vendors.

Then on to Hotel Maxim for two nights (a triple with three twin beds and private toilet/shower). Great location! Two minutes from the Duomo and five from the Uffizi. My only complaint was that the bedroom floor needed a good cleaning! I would stay there again, and you can't beat the central location.

Rick has a good beat on the shopping areas as well as the good gelato places--Gelateria Carrozze (try the chocolate mousse gelato) and Vivoli's.
Helen Turner
CA USA Sat 07/03/2004

Bed & Breakfast Novecento
My husband and I stayed at the Novecento B&B in Florence recently, and it was fantastic! The location was great - down the street from David and one block away from the Duomo. The rooms were clean and nicely decorated. The owners, Franko and Sawako were great hosts. They were very welcoming and helpful in cordinating our day to day excersions. We would definitely recommend this place to anyone.
Carmelina Chiofalo
Hamilton, Bermuda Wed 06/30/2004

Hotel Casci
We just wanted to say how much we enjoyed staying at Hotel Casci in early June. We are a couple with two children and would definitely recommend Hotel Casci to anyone traveling to Florence. The staff was wonderful and very helpful. The room was clean and comfortable and the location excellent. We loved the breakfast, served in the pretty breakfast room. If fact, although Hotel Casci is a two star, our experience here was better than in the three star hotels in which we stayed in Rome and Milan.
David and Terri Goff <email>
Winston-Salem, NC USA Sun 06/27/2004

Great respites in Florence
In Florence, Il Latini is a nightly party! One of the waiters has been lured to Manhattan by one of his very pleased guests.. We stayed in Bellevue, which as a traveling family of 8 was perfect. The hosts were very supportive of our nascent Italian speach and very eager to help. Great AC! On the balcony of OPEN BAR, the scenery was a great match for the food. Very reasonable and lots of fun. Caffee latte comes pretty close to our home capuchino.
Rhonda <email>
Sparks, Md USA Fri 06/25/2004

Florence: Beware of psychotic drivers
I'm sorry but the only thing I found enjoyable about Florence was seeing "David." I did not like the amount of cars or crazy moped drivers. They had a total disregard for public safety. The streets were narrow and crowded which made for a very tense walking situation. The museums were wonderful (if you like that kind of stuff) however, be prepared for disappointment if you're looking to take pictures. Every museum had NO CAMERAS all over the place as well as employees scolding if you even took the camera out of your pocket. I fully agree with Rick Steves on this one-do a day trip.
Micina <email>
Waianae, HI USA Thu 06/24/2004

Florence B&B
On a recent 17-day vacation we wanted to spend 3 nights in Florence. After reading all the posts on driving in Florence and looking at the parking prices we decided to stay slightly northwest of the city and use the bus. We stayed at Il Poggiolo, which is an updated 1920s stone farmhouse on 5 hectares of olive grove. From the large terrace you can see the lights of Florence about 5 kilometers away. Graziella is the hostess who genuinely cares about whether you have a good stay and is always ready to help with reservations and advice. Our room for 4 was the original barn portion of the house which now houses three beds, fireplace, frig, microwave, and full bath in a room approximately 22’ by 35’ with 20’ ceilings. She also has a smaller detached accommodation.

There are three restaurants on the same road as the B&B within 3 kilometers and Graziella is able to ensure that you get waited on by someone who speaks some English. These are small places, two with great views, that serve local Tuscan food.

If you have ever wanted to experience an “Under the Tuscan Sun” location this is your chance. Graziella produces organic extra virgin oil which you can buy and bring home as a souvenir. Her web site is www.il-poggiolo.it and you can book thru that site. My preferred method for faster info and the ability to learn your options quickly is to contact her directly at graziellacam@libero.it or phone her (remembering the time difference) at 011 39 0554226157. This is a wonderful chance to be part of a Tuscan family for a few days and learn how it would be to live there while still seeing the art treasures of Florence.
Robert Crowder <email>
Dallas, TX USA Thu 06/24/2004

Florence Accommodations
I got this recommendation from Rick Steves' 1999 Italy book for Florence, and it was a wonderful experiences - clean, quiet, and great location. We did not stay in Room 6. Soggiorno Pezzati has 8 rooms with bath - we paid E64 in May 2004. Check out the website at www.soggiornopezzati.it and contact Daniele Pezzati at 055287145@iol.it or 055291660@iol.it
Kirsten Jones <email>
Eugene, OR USA Mon 06/21/2004

Soggiorno Pezzati Daniela
A few comments about our stay at the Soggiorno Pezzati Daniela: FIRST, Daniela was VERY helpful immediately upon our arrival by phoning the Uffizi and the Accademia to make reservations for us. Fantastic!

SECOND, the room was clean w/bath, coffee/tea. Location was convenient if you prefer to walk (as we do) for 10 minutes to the various sites.

BUT THIRD, if you are making reservations with Daniela (nice person), I strongly urge you to NOT stay in the room right over the street: No.6, as we unfortunately did. Incredible street noise (people yelling & talking loudly, moto/vespa traffic)LATE into the night (2am?), and then the garbage trucks and Vespas start up again about 4:30am!!! These were the worst 3 nights of our trip, sleepwise. I suspect that the other 5 rooms, which are deeper into the building, may be less noisey.
Michael
Bellingham, WA USA Sat 06/19/2004

Hotel Loggiato Dei Serviti
I booked this hotel online after reading Rick Steve's recommendation. It was beautiful!!But what I am writing about is the kind and wonderful staff at this hotel. While in Florence my niece became very ill and had to be hospitalized. They were not only helpful to us by assisting with changing our travel plans but were genuinely concerned about her and our entire family.Many thanks to Francesca , Simonetta and everyone at Hotel Loggiato Dei Serviti!! Am glad we were in good hands while in Florence!
Mary Ellen Davin <email>
Greensburg, pa USA Thu 06/17/2004

Hotel Maxim
We ended up with a much better rate than the book stated, which was fine with us. (only 88euros/night). The room was clean, but very dark. The towel rack was heating when we got there, so "maintenance" came and told us "he shut it all down" and turned the a/c on. Little did I know that meant shutting the hot water off....yes, cold shower in the am, but they quickly remidied that. They got us reservations to see David (only 3 hours after we arrived!). Uffizi was on strike, so we missed that.

Our train tickets were stolen in Florence. Filing a police report was an experience! Thankfully we had the rail protection plan, so off to buy more train tickets. Thankfully we purchased the car/rail passes through AAA and they are taking care of all paperwork for the refund!

Loved Florence in spite of the minor problems. Great shopping, great sites. The location of the hotel was awesome. We enjoyed sitting the square at night listening and watching street performers. Great Gelato store just down the street from Maxim. Maxim did have a computer in the hallway for internet access anytime. THis was great. Staff was always helpful and pleasant. I would go back.
Joyce
Atlanta, GA USA Thu 06/10/2004

Hotel Casci Florence
Great hospitality at the Hotel Casci !! I just wanted to say how much we appreciated the Lombardi's kindness to me and my family when we stayed at their hotel in April. Their hospitality, helpfulness and graciousness helped us adjust to our new environment. I am still impressed with the languages they all speak so fluently! I will recommend Hotel Casci to anyone I know who would like a great place to stay in Florence.
Diane Lightsey
Savannah, GA USA Tue 06/08/2004

Soggiorno Magliani
We stayed in double with shared bathroom here in Mid-May. Cristina and her family are incredibly sweet and kind. There was a curfew but it was not a problem for us. The room we had sat on a busy and loud street, so for those who are light sleepers this may not be the best option. Not too far from the train station (with a bad map - about 20 minutes, a good map about 10 minutes!) Not too far from the Accademia and Duomo also. The price was the best part. I would recommend it if travelling on a budget.
Kelly
Philadelphia, USA Tue 06/08/2004

Great Stay In Florence
We spent 10 days in Florence at Residenza Giotto as recommended by RS. Our e-mail reservations were quickly confirmed, and throughout the visit we enjoyed a delightful rooftop terrace overlooking the Baptisteria and Giotto's Tower. The staff made us feel at home and welcome. The location was fantastic--this is the place to stay!
Barbara Nichols
Washington, DC USA Tue 06/08/2004

Florence, Siena, Tuscany
FLORENCE: Used Rick's recommendation and stayed at the Hotel Pendini. The staff was very helpful and the hotel was convenient for walking to most places we wanted to see. Found the street vendors overwhelming and assertive in Florence.

Had a wonderful meal and a fun evening at Il Latini, but was shocked to find about 20 people ahead of us waiting to get in at 9:45 on a Sunday night, and another 10 or so more right behind us! Reservations are a good idea. Had exceptional food - the best of our trip - at Trattoria Nella. The walnut ravioli was memorable!

TUSCANY: Highly recommend the scenic drive to Montalcino and Montepulciano - some of the most beautiful countryside to be found anywhere. A great and restful contrast to the crowds in Florence. Enjoyed sampling differnt wines at the enoteca at the Fortezza in Montalcino.

SIENA: Loved walking around the quiet streets at night-it was serene and surreal to stroll those ancient streets with alomost no one else around. Il Campo is the opoosite - jammed and alive late into the night. Hotel Duomo had updated, comfortable rooms and baths; pleasant staff. Had fine meals at Da Divo and the Osteria Nona Gina. The Duomo isn't free - they are charging admission at the Duomo, 3.50 euro, and the hours seem to vary from those in the book. Found the best quality and prices for Deruta pottery in Siena at the Riproduzioni d'Arte Senese on Via delle Terme not far from San Domenico. The Senora is delightful and quite charming - she speaks a little English, we spoke less Italian but had a great chat.
Cathy
Longmeadow , MA USA Mon 06/07/2004

Pensione Bretagna
Pensione Bretagna was wonderful. It isn't in this year's book but I found it listed under the updates for Tuscany. The location was very convient. I often stopped back at the room during the day to drop off my jacket, purchases or just to relax. The service was great as well as the price. The bathroom was down the hall but it was a private bathroom with my own key. I extended my stay there an extra 2 days because it was such a great place to call home during my stay.
Christina <email>
Minneapolis, MN USA Thu 06/03/2004

burning a CD from digital memory cards
If you want to burn a CD from your digital camera memory card, go to Foto Locchi. It is a block from the hotel "Albergo Firenze" as mentioned in Rick's guidebook. The staff was very helpful and even stayed open past closing time in order to burn my pics so that I could free up space on my memory cards. Their phone number is 055-213743, address is Via del Corso, 21R. My wife and I were in Florence May 12 - 15. We had to search for a place, but I think Kodak has the marketshare in CD buring from memory cards. Look for Kodak signs and ask the shop keepers.
Matt
USA Tue 06/01/2004

Hotel Curtatone
My wife & I stayed at Hotel Curtatone on our first stay in Florence and we could not have been more pleased. The staff was a pleasure (I recommend asking for Stefania...she is extremely helpful and charming). The Hotel's location is excellent as everything of interest is within easy walking distance. Combine the hotel's amenities and services (great breakfast, internet service, concierge service, etc.) with the very reasonable rate and you get one great value. Highest marks.
Chad
Pleasant Prairie, WI USA Tue 06/01/2004

Hotel/Food
We stayed at HOTEL MORANDI ALLA CROCETTA. While it's a nice establishment, we don't know if we'd stay there again. We might try to find a place a little closer to the sights. Also, our room was in need of some major dusting as you could see dust build up on many things in the room. The towels they provide are the thin kind (tablecloth-like.) I guess this is common in Italy, as 3 of 5 hotels were like this.

We ate at OSTERIA BELLA DONNE. It was so wonderful that we ate there twice! The caprese & ossobucco are very well done. The third night, we ate at LA SPADA. The food there was good, too. We actually met some Rick readers at the table next to us and had a great time talking to them & exhanging stories.

A word of warning about IL LATINI. Do not try to go there without reservations! We tried, and there was practically a mob already assembled about 20 minutes before they opened. We decided not to stick around, but ate at the wonderful La Spada instead.
Melinda
Palo Alto, CA USA Tue 06/01/2004

Hotel Campiello
This is a terrific hotel. The staff is friendly and helpful and the front desk is staffed 24 hours a day. There is an elevator, a computer downstairs for e-mail (free to use but very slow), and the hotel is centrally located. The breakfast offerings are substantial and there is an 8% discount for cash. Everything Rick says about this hotel is true and I will stay there again on my next visit to Venice.
Steve
Vista, CA USA Sun 05/30/2004

Florence Dream Domus--Florence B&B
We highly recommend the Florence Dream Domus B&B, which has only been open a few months and is still an undiscovered great value. The rooms are very luxurious, cool and quiet, breakfast is great, and the location is within easy walking distance to everything. Perla, the owner, is delightful, speaks English and is a great source of restaurant recommendations. She goes out of her way to make your stay perfect. Website: www.florencedream.it, email info@florencedream.it, Tel. 055 29.53.46.
N. Keane
San Francisco, CA USA Sun 05/16/2004

Soggiorno Pezzati Daniela
Soggiorno Pezzati Daniela. Daniela is a kind and helpful host. The pensione is clean, quiet, and a short walk from the train station. The rooms have a refrig, table and chairs, and a tea kettle. We thought it was great. She's not listed in the current Rick Steves' books, but can be reached at www.soggiornopezzati.it or her email: 055287145@iol.it
Cathy Hitchcock
Portland, OR USA Sat 05/15/2004

Globus Hotel-Florence
When I booked our various Italian lodgings, it was with great trepidation since we had never been to Europe. Reading guide books and hearing the experiences of a friend who had been in Italy recently were our only preparation. Arriving at the Globus dispelled all fears. From that moment forward, every member of the staff bent over backwards to welcome us warmly, answer any question, offer advice, make arrangements or recommendations or help a guest with anything whatsoever that he or she might need. The rooms were clean, modern and completely comfortable. There was never a shortage of hot water or clean towels. A laptop computer in the breakfast room was available to guests most of the day and into the evening. The breakfasts equalled or surpassed those at our other Italian lodgings. Our "superior double" room had a balcony with a grand view of the Basilica di San Lorenzo cupola and Medici Chapel rooftops. The location is exceptionally convenient to the San Lorenzo markets, Santa Maria Novella church and the rail/bus stations. Of course, in Florence, all the "hot spots" are in a relatively small area. If, like me, you want more than the very modest mom and pop pensione but not the price or luxuries of a 5-star hotel, book the Globus with confidence.
ANONIMUS
newyork, NY USA Wed 05/12/2004

Europa Hotel and Suites -- what a delight!
We just returned from a two week tour of Italy that included four nights at Florence's extraordinary Europa Hotel & Suites. Under the warm and gracious hand of proprietor Mr. Gassim, the establishment offered much more than we expected in the way of amenities and hospitality.

Situated between the Academy and the Duomo, and less than half a mile from the railway station, the location is exceptional. Despite its position in a busy part of the city, the hotel offers up very quiet rooms that are back from, and above, the noisy streets.

We had a choice of two room types and, because of unusual circumstances, wound of spending time in both. The standard hotel rooms are spacious, comfortable, and provide good views of Brunelleschi's Dome and Giotto's Bell Tower. The suites, one floor lower (so the views aren't quite as spectacular), have fancy furnishings and terrific marble bathrooms, as opposed to the small the funky baths in the standard rooms. It's a 20 Euro per night splurge to upgrade from the standard rooms to the suites.

Among other amenities are free Internet access and a mini fridge (not a minibar--they're not selling anything). Breakfast is an ideal time to try out your French or German on fellow guests who come from all across Europe, or chat with fellow Americans or Canadians.

We enjoyed this charming hotel so much that we plan to stay there again next time we're in Florence. It's part of the reason we fell so much in love with this beautiful city.
Bill and Sandy Slover
Bellingham, WA USA Tue 05/11/2004

Florence, city and accommodation
I used to study in the academy of fine art in Florence since 1995, this city is one of the most richest with story and cultural in the world.

I returned to this beautiful city with the nostalgic to see the most important places of it. I took a base for myself the Hotel Curtatone (3 Stars Hotel in Curtatone Street, 12) which has an excellent location (3 Blocks from the train station, and a short walk to the Duomo), If you look for a nice and warm place to stay in this city, friendly atmosphere, and he nice outlets of restaurants (excellent buffet breakfast, with fresh flower on your table every day) and lobby bar (where you can enjoy a drink and talk), you have to choose this hotel where you can really feel at home. You can find a very large room, clean bed sheets, big bathroom, “Cantuccini” and “Vin Santo” and an apple for a good luck with the complements of the hotel management. I have recommend the hotel to many of my friends and relatives who was visiting Florence and they all return back to me with thanks and same impression. If you want to take a hint of what I’m talking check the hotel site, it gives you a real information and pictures about what you will find in this cutie hotel: http://www.hotelcurtatone.it/ita/
Hanan Nabulsi
Milano, MI Italy Sun 05/09/2004

Hotel Casci a perfect choice
Just a week ago, my husband and I checked out of this wonderful hotel, after being there for six days. We are now back home in the United States and we reflect often on our most enjoyable stay in Florence! Our daughter, who was a student in Florence from January until just last week, selected this hotel for us based on its excellent location, reasonable price and positive comments in her guide books -- and we think she made a perfect choice! Hotel Casci is one of the most friendly and accommodating hotels we've ever stayed in, and we enjoyed every aspect of our stay there. We especially appreciated the wonderful breakfasts everyday, their willingness to let our daughter join us, and the early breakfast that was set out for us before our very early departure on our last day. We happily recommend Hotel Casci to any friends or family who might be traveling to Florence.
Beth and Bruce Willis
Plymouth, MN USA Wed 05/05/2004

Eating and Sleeping in Florence
We spent two days and one night of our recent three week honeymoon in Florence. We stayed at Bellevue House, recommended by RS, and loved it. It was clean and comfortable, the rooms were nice sized, the bathrooms were huge and modern, we had a great view from our window and the staff was incredibly gracious. Great value at euro 95/night (5% discount if you pay in cash).

For our last night in Italy before flying back to the US we had dinner at Tratorria La Barrusca, near Cntral Market. Its a lovely little family run place with incredibly reasonable prices. We asked for the "specialita della casa" and had wonderful antipasti, pasta, lamb, the house wine, and the torta della nona and vin santo for dessert for a lot less than we spent on less satisfying meals elsewhere, and it was all wonderful.

We also found our favorite gelato of the whole trip in Florence, at a little stand Rick recommends just off of Ponte Vecchio on the Ufizzi side of the river.
Kristi
Indiana USA Tue 05/04/2004

Florence in early April
We spent a couple of days in Florence two weeks ago now. Definitely too short a stay, but we will be going back some day. Would have had a little more time, but we did find it hard to find our way in and out of cities in our rental car, but that's another story.

First of all, five of us stayed in the Diamante Apartment at 50 Via Del Scala, which is very close to the train station. This definitely would have been a great location to call home for a week or more, as it was we just barely had time to sleep there (we had a very early flight to catch.) I found it on line at info@italianvacationhome.com. Margherita, the owner, was very helpful as we were making plans for our visit, met us at the appointed time, showed us around the apartment and advised us where to park our car. If you don't require the always-having-someone-at-the-desk of a hotel, then I would recommend her place. In addition to the apartment we stayed in, which could handle five or six, there are several other smaller apartments in the same building.

Because it was recommended to us by friends, we ate at Il Cantastorie Ristorante at 7/9 r Via della Condotta. If you go in the evening, there is a musician who plays a programmable keyboard and sings everything from Italian Standards to Elton Jon and Bon Jovi, dancing all around the restaurant while he sings, banging on various percussion instruments scattered about the whole time. Maybe it wasn't the most authentic Italian experience, but it was fun.

David is currently being restored, so expect him to be wearing scaffolding on one side. You might even get to see the restorer at work. There was also work going on at Piazza della Signoria and in the Medici Chapel. If you go to Italy, maybe anywhere in Europe, expect at least some of the sights to be covered with scaffolding; it's the equivalent to our highway construction zones here.

We didn't have a definite itinerary, and other than David, did't even try to do anything that suggested the possibility of a long wait. We had a great time rambling around for a very full day, walking down many streets, crossing the river, and going into many shops. There was a great street market, permanent I think, close to San Lorenzo. We found the shopping in Florence to be much more fun than shopping in Rome.
Tom
Indianapolis, IN USA 04/16/04

Florence in March
We stayed at the Hotel Bellettini "Annex" Room 52 for over two weeks in late February and early March. We loved the refrigerator, the warm marble floors, the balcony with views of our courtyard & San Lorenzo and Duomo domes, 2 additional windows, the towel bar/warmer, shower with doors, coffee/tea in room, cookies daily, and fabulous beds. We loved that there was one sink in the bathroom and another in a dressing area, and 3 mirrors! and more closet space and hangers than we needed. It was absolutely quiet, even when other rooms were in use. We enjoyed Italian cable TV. The breakfasts were excellent but 2 weeks of the same menu got monotonous. The internet was fast; seldom did we have to wait to use it. We had confirmed our discount price($124 euros)with an email and printed out a copy at home. Later we phoned with an Italian phone card to say we'd be much later than planned when our arrival was delayed to late at night. The staff couldn't have been more pleasant. Yes, you have to go around the corner to the annex from the lobby and use 4 keys to get from the street to the room, but I felt totally secure.

In early March we found no lines anywhere except to the Uffizi without a reservation, and for the Tratoria ZaZa near us in the SanLorenzo area. It's impossible to recommend one great restaurant, because we picked tratorias, risorantes, osterias, and bars at random and ate well every time. In fact, we ate so well that by the second week we began to frequent the little delis near our hotel, have them heat the food extra hot, then dashed to our hotel room to make a picnic supper with some wine selected for the purpose.

In late winter, we found no dog droppings, sales everywhere with real discounts, no need for dinner reservations. We spoke with many Florentines who admitted they dread the summer crowds even though it's their profitable season. People seemed friendlier, more relaxed, less hurried and more willing to deal with our lack of Italian, & requests for directions and information, etc. And wearing a long raincoat gave one a place to conceal your valuables more securely, though the young tag-teams of pickpockets I'd seen in summer visits were not in Florence yet in March. We used the guidebook regularly. The Pitti Palazzo is not particularly described, and is just awesome. We enjoyed the Pietre Dure museum also, and Michelangelo's house was interesting. Finally, some good news: all trains, all classes, went all smoke-free on March 1, 2004.
Carol
Chisholm, MN USA 04/16/04

Hotel & Restaurant in San Gimignano
Stayed at the Hotel Antico Pozzo in San Gimignano and it was lovely. San Gimi is a wonderful walled city and quite pleasant at night after the hordes of tourists have gone. Paid 180E for a triple that was huge and served a lovely breakfast with eggs. And while you are there the Ristorante la Mangiatoia was incredible. A bit pricey but worth the money.
Pat Kludt
Hudson, ma USA 04/10/04

Beware Restorante il Ritrovo
Went to the Restorante il Ritrovo near the Duomo based on recommendation in the book. They did have 8-10E lunch specials but they were not written down in english or italian and the staff could not communicate what they were to me. So I had another dish at 9E but with a coperto AND a service charge I wound up with a quite a bit more expensive lunch than I had planned. It was tasty but all the other restaurants I ate at the service was included so I was a bit startled at the end. And I never did get any bread. The good news is that I ran into a group of 4 Rick Steve's book holders and we chatted for a delightful hour after the meal.
Pat Kludt
Hudson, MA USA 04/09/04

Florence Museums
I waited too long to make a reservation for the Uffizi and the lines by 10am were way too long. But one morning I got there half hour before opening and got right in. Used Rick's Tour in the book and it was very helpful. Also visited the Museum of San Marco which was also well worth it.
Pat Kludt
Hudson, MA USA 04/09/04

Hotel
I want to wholeheartedly recommend the Relais Uffizi as a wonderful little hotel steps from the Uffizi and the sitting room has large windows to people watch on the Piazza Della Signoria. Great bathrooms, big rooms, friendly staff. I went off for the weekend and they kept my bags for me. I paid 160E for double, used as a single and it was great.
Pat Kludt
Hudson, MA USA 04/09/04

avoid hotel Palazzo Castiglioni, Florence
Hotel Palazzo Castiglioni, Florence: A strong No.-- Noisy. Avoid this place. We regret staying there. The room was dark and dingy, and the telephone ringing from the lobby felt as if it was in our room and went until 3 AM. The roar of motorcycles and the sounds of people talking and machinery all night on the street were amplified and seemed louder than if we were right there. We came there in end of low season (March 2004) and many rooms were obviously available. We were told all were booked except for room 5, (our room) and were not shown the other rooms, even when we asked to pay to upgrade to a suite. Almost nobody was in the breakfast room (we would have heard) so we knew most rooms were available. Staying at this place did not ruin our Florence and Tuscany experience – how could it? – but it made for a nasty start with sleepless nights. This is the first online review I have written about a hotel, but the decision to write reflects how unhappy we were there. It was the most expensive of our Tuscany hotels at 160 euros a night, and all of the others at about 85 euros were much better. As a final insult, when my wife and I each took two pieces of pastry for breakfast, we were chastised, told it was one per guest, and we each had to hand one back.
Stanley Brodsky
Northport, AL USA 04/08/04

Florence - Hotel, Walking Tour & Restaurant Info
Just returned from Italy and stayed at the Hotel Accademia near the train station. The hotel is clean and the staff is courteous. The negatives here primarily relate to the stairs you have to climb to get to the rooms with your luggage, and the breakfast that was essentially either cereal or a cold hard roll. Another biggie (for my wife) was that the bathroom does not have a separate shower, you pull a shower curtain across and shower next to the toilet. Although the bathroom was very clean this just didn't work for her. We spent a lot of our time near the Piazza Della Republica and the Piazza Della Signoria, so we would probably look for a hotel in those areas next time.

We also took a walking tour with "Original Walking Tours" and it is well worth the time and money. Sarah (from southern California) was wonderful and you look at the buildings and statues in a completely different way afterward. We also booked the "Breakfast in Tuscany" walking tour with them. If you don't mind a bit of a mountain hike this is a great way to spend a half-day. We drove to Fiosole about 20 minutes from Florence, then hiked about 2.5 miles through the national forest. The views of Florence and the surrounding villas are spectacular, and you also visit the rock quarries where a lot of the stone was obtained to build Florence. The tour ends with a visit to the villa where "A Room with a View" was filmed and you have a terriific lunch and wine at a restaurant overlooking Florence. Our guide was "Peter" who is a great young man from Annapolis, Maryland who recently obtained his Master's degree. Also recommend "Il Latini" for dinner one night while you are in Florence. Get there early as they don't take reservations. Free pour Chianti on the table, appetizers, first & second course, vegetables, dessert & dessert wine was 40 Euro per person but well worth it.
Mike & Mindy Pera <email>
Orange, CA USA 04/03/04

Hotel / Restaurant Recommendation
Just got in from Florence and wanted to recommend the Hotel Uffizi - http://florenceby.com/relaisuffizi info@relaisuffizi.it. It is in a perfect location - steps from the Uffizi, the Arno river, the Ponte Vecchio, the Piazza Signoria and good restaurants. I'm so glad I didn't stay near the train station (as some of these postings suggest) and opted to be in the heart of the city. After dinner I could easily stroll along the river. The rooms are very big and beautiful, the bathroom was amazing. The staff is great - Allesandro and Elisabetta and another guy from India- I didn't get his name, but he was very kind. The breakfast room looks over the Piazza Signoria. On days when you're overwhelmed by all the tourists (I was shocked by the swarms), just head up to the sitting room of the hotel and watch them from above as you quietly read a book. (best of both worlds). The layout of the rooms is a little funky, but I appreciated having my nook overlooking residential rooftops.

I had a double room for 150 eu / night. Although I was alone, I opted not to take their only single room, as it was the size of a closet. For dinner, I recommend the Hosteria Ganino on Piazza Cimatori. A fun little place around the corner from the hotel. Have the gnocchi which they make there. yummm - and a very good tiramisu also. Also great for solo travelers because you are often seated with others. I met a very nice couple from Rome one night and a guy from London the next night. I didn't end up going to the museums. I called for reservations, but they are closed after noon on Saturday and Sunday. Without reservations to the museums, standing in line wasn't where I wanted to spend my time. Definitely walk around the outskirts of the city. Equally beautiful piazzas, churches, and quaint streets, but without the swarms of tourists. Have a great trip. Liz
Elizabeth Harvey
Portsmouth, NH USA 03/31/04

shopping
First of all, I want to thank you for the suggestion NOT to drive a car in Florence. Unfortunately we did not follow it. It's really difficult reading signs the way they are posted on buildings, especially after dark. I would like the shopping for leather suggestions strengthened. I thought the best place for gloves was The Glove Factory right across Ponte Vecchio on the south side. We found this in another guide book.
Dr. Wendy C. Kasten
Kent, OH USA 03/30/04

Bellevue House wonderful
Meant to post this a long time ago . . . We spent Thanksgiving weekend in Florence (weather cool but not cold, and no tourist crowds at all) and stayed at the Bellevue House, which is in Rick's book. It was wonderful -- huge room with large bathroom and owners who went out of their way to be helpful. Our room was the Fiorenza (see the rooms here: http://www.bellevuehouse.it/inglese/room.asp); my husband and I took the big bed, and our three daughters, ages 4, 8, and 10, all fit comfortably on the pull-out sofa. (Before booking, I made sure that the owners agreed to let us have three kids in one room -- some European hotels, for fire safety reasons, won't.) Our room faced the street, but it had double windows to block the noise. We like to leave the windows cracked open, though, and it actually wasn't even very noisy.

For breakfast, we were given tickets good for juice and delicious pastries and cappuccino in a cafe a few doors down the street. We got to see more in three days with three kids than I'd thought we would! Of course, we did miss a lot. We got most of our art fix from that we could see walking around -- such as in the Piazza della Signoria -- although we did go in Santa Maria Novella, and my husband went to the Accademia by himself. We all enjoyed the science museum, which we probably wouldn't have even known about if it weren't for Rick's book. I really wanted to go in Santo Spirito, but hit it at the wrong time of day; however, we contented ourselves by sitting in the little piazza in front of it (Rick refers to it as "seedy"; it didn't seem seedy to us, just empty of tourists) and eating the best panini -- we went back to buy seconds! -- and gelato from Cafe Ricchi. And don't miss the view from Piazzele Michelangelo! The buses in Italy are cheap and easy to figure out. Have fun!
Jennifer Herrin
Heidelberg, Germany 03/27/04

driving with Best Italian Tours under the tuscan sun....
I have recently visited Florence and have decided together with my wife to leave our walking shoes in the hotel and listen to our concierge that strongly recommended that we took a driver to take us to Siena and San Gimignano for the day.the name of the company that we hired was Best Italian Tours.the owner of the company who took care of us the whole day could not have done a better job.he is a young man in his early 40's from florence with a B.A.in economics from Boston College. he knows all the hot spots in Tuscany and Italy and makes sure he tells them to you with a smile on his face. his prices are more than reasonable and is willing to go out of his way to make your trip a memorable one.
harry crooks
milan, italy 03/25/04

Casa Rabatti
Stay at Casa Rabatti in Florence. Rick was right on with this lovely Florentine family. Marcella welcomed my wife and I like we were her grandkids. She even gave us a kiss goodbye.
B. Jones
Clayton, NY USA 03/17/04

Soggiorno Pezzati Daniela
Last month, I visited Florence with my three daughters. We met friends, and all stayed at the Soggiorno Pezzati Daniela- taking up four of the six rooms. I agree with the other postings. It's very conveniently located and good value for the money. The rooms are clean and pleasant, beds comfy, and it's great to have a fridge, table and chairs in the room. We visited the wonderful bakery down the corner at least twice a day, and there's an internet bar on Via Guelpha- less than five minutes away. We ate at an excellent vegetarian restaurant close by, Il Vegetariano, also a nice, friendly cafe called Siena, in the open air market. We also ate at two pleasant places recommended in Rick's book, a little Osteria around the corner from the Palazzo Vecchia, and the Spaghetti Hydra (which has changed it's name, but I can't remember what it's been changed to!). Florence was wonderful.
Nini Engel
Cambridge, UK 03/09/04

Navigating Florence with Rick
We used your Florence guidebook to lead us through all of the museums and ate at several of your recommended restaurants. You are correct in saying that the Duomo Museum is under rated - it's fantastic and the frescos in the cells at the monastary of St. Marks are also remarkable. My best meal turned out to be an endless stream of free samples handed to me by one of the proprietors of "Perini" a fabulous deli located in the central market (which I also found in your book). You should add the cafe OIO at pizza Piattellina 7r to your where to eat in the Oltrano district, it's a knockout.
Annoe Hughes <email>
Springfiled, VA USA 03/04/04

Dante House - Torn down?
We tried to find the Dante House but all we found was a work site. One of the workers told us it had been torn down.
Raul Lithgo <email>
Bothell, WA USA 03/03/04

Beautiful Apartment in Florence Italy
I was absolutely thrilled with the Dante Alighieri Apartment! I stayed there for two weeks, and loved having this lovely apartment as my home away from home. The owners have done a wonderful job of decorating the place. Every detail has been lovingly attended to, and the apartment was spotless. This place is really large by European standards, and the spacious living/dining room area is wonderful. I cooked many meals at there, eating them as I looked out on the beautiful tower of the Bargello. Within the space of three blocks, there are terrific little food markets, wonderful restaurants, an excellent wine shop, numerous boutiques, a great gelateria. The view from the large windows is magnificent, and the street below provides an endless stream of fascinating people to gawk at. You cannot beat the location. Just a few blocks from the Duomo and many other major Florence attractions, there just isn't a better part of the city in which to stay. The American Express travel office is directly below the apartment, so it was very easy to book tours, exchange money, etc. I highly recommend the Dante Alighieri apartment, and would definitely want to stay there again the next time I visit Florence!www.rentflorencecity.com email dante@rentflorencecity.com
Lindsay <email>
Connecticut, USA USA 03/02/04

Kudos for Rick's advice
We stayed at an R.S. recommended hotel (Castiglioni), and ate at several recommended restaurants, including la Congrega and Paoli in Florence, and le Logge in Siena, all of which were excellent. Ristorante Don Chisciotte, which is not listed, was our favorite, however. Best food, ambiance, service. Following Rick's guide to the Uffizi, we breezed thru the halls while other people mostly wandered aimlessly. One suggestion for future guidebooks: include email addresses for restaurants. We made several restaurant reservations before we left the US by fax or phone, but email would be simpler and cheaper.
Gary
Duluth, MN USA 03/02/04

Hotel Globus - Florence
I stayed 2 nites @ the Hotel Globus last summer & loved it. The hotel was a little pricey but after my debacle of apartment rental in Rome, spending some extra money & having a nice hotel to stay was exactly what I needed. The hotel is located only a few blocks away from the train station & very convenient. The staff was extremely helpful & breakfast every morning was a treat. Our room was huge w/ webtv which was great to be able to send emails home & hear from the rest of the world.I would stay there time & time again & would recommend it highly!
Kelly <email>
NYC, NY USA 03/01/04

Packing sleep aids right now
Husband and I stayed in Florence last spring, and this forum will help immensely to plan next spring's trip. We highly recommend Osteria Santo Spirito for dining ecstasy-- the boar was incredible, you won't regret one calorie of their gorgonzola gnocchi. I felt only slightly gauche asking for a doggie bag. You must also take the Original Walking Tour of Florence. Offbeat, lively-- worth every Euro at twice the price. Stayed in pricey, four-star accommodations last year, but will go for budget next spring, so we appreciate the feedback on the pensiones, hostels and whatnot. Just to be safe, we're planning to buy a $6 bottle of over-the-counter sleep aids as a hedge against losing any sleep at these $100-a-night-or-less places to stay. And earplugs just to be safe. If we stay at Poggiolo, we'll definitely become mouth-breathers. Thanks for all the feedback
Sarah <email>
Farmington, MO USA 02/25/04

Medici Godfathers
This series is indeed fabulous. I agree with the other posters. My brother felt that Florence was just so so when he and his wife were there in October. We had many very frustrating conversations about Florence, especially since he and his wife devoted four days to Milan. Anyway, he saw this mini series and acts like Florence is now the best place to go etc. This just shows you how well done this series is. He has been transformed! And is planning a trip back this October! As Rick Steves says, when you understand the history behind what you are seeing, it makes all the difference! So try to catch this on PBS, or request it from your library!
Sylvia
Atlanta, GA USA 02/23/04

PBS Medici MiniSeries
This was in fact a wonderful series, it was presented here in San Francisco in two parts, both parts two hours long. I am considering purchasing it from PBS! It is presented in such an interesting manner, if only my high school history had been this interesting (many many moons ago!)
Deb <email>
San Francisco, CA USA 02/21/04

Great Series on the Medici
I wanted to share a bit of information with anybody that is fascinated with Florence and/or Italy. PBS is running an incredible series called, "Medici, Godfathers of the Renaissance". It is a 2 or 3 part series that is wonderfully entertaining and fact filled starting with the Medici family member that started it all Giovanni. It covers the political maneuvering, art masters , and the power struggle in the Catholic church. I really think it would be great for pre-trip research and is perfect for those of us just counting the days before we can make it back to dear Firenze!
C Keathley
Clayton, MO USA 02/21/04

Hotel Bellevue
Hotel Bellevue was great and near to the station. Don't try to go to Florence on New Years Day. Even the restaurants were closed.
Tyler Stevens <email>
Kaysville, UT USA 01/25/04

Fabulous Small Florence Hotel
My husband and I just got back from our first trip to Italy (Rome, Florence, and Venice), and I really just have to rave about a little one star hotel we stayed at in Florence called Il Bargellino. It consists of 10 rooms with gorgeous marble floors throughout. The rooms are gigantic for European standards (literally the largest I have seen in Europe withot paying through the nose), and are beautifully furnished with antiques that the owner's have lovingly refinished. The hotel is owned by Carmel Coppola, who is originally from the U.S., and her gracious husband Pino, who made us feel right at home. Carmel and Pino were invaluable during our stay, and helped with everything from booking museum tours for the Uffizi and Accademia, to offering suggestions for restaurants. They basically did whatever they could to make our stay an enormously pleasant one.

Several of the rooms have French doors which lead out to a gorgeous terrace with chirping birds and beautiful trees and flowers. This was a wonderful place to have lunch when the weather was warm. The hotel is located 5 minutes from the trains station--but NOT in the seedy area. You would literally never know the station is so close! There are many great restaurants in the area, as well as the San Lorenzo Central Market, where we liked to assemble picnics for lunch. The Duomo is 5 or 10 minutes away by foot. The hotel doesn't serve breakfast, but there are great cafes right on the same street. When I saw the quality of this hotel, I couldn't believe the price--only 64 EU a night! And, believe me, I am a picky princess! It is only 10 EU more for a room with a bath! Next time we go to Florence, I will, without a doubt, be staying at Il Bargellino. If you'd like more info, the web site is www.ilbargellino.com and the hotel is located at 87 Via Guelfa.
Jennifer Banash <email>
Iowa City, IA USA 01/14/04

Florence Accomodations: Soggiorno Pezzati Daniela
In Florence we stayed at the Soggiorno Pezzati Daniela at the end of December. Very inexpensive, clean, and very quiet. Safe area and close to all the sites. Daniela is wonderfully helpful with questions. Having a fridge in the room was great for water, snacks. The grocery, laundry, cheap internet, and train station are steps away. The room was large with a view of the back gardens of neighboring homes. The bathroom and shower were a bit small. Highly recommended.
Rebecca <email>
Fremont, CA USA 01/13/04

Soggiorno Pezzati Daniela
The four nights I just spent at Soggiorno Pezzati Daniela in Florence were wonderful. Daniela is very friendly and helpful. She takes very good care of her guests. Her rooms are very clean, comfortable, quiet, and reasonably priced. The location is great - just a block or so from Mercato Centrale. For breakfast, there are several good coffee bars just steps away. I definitely hope to stay there again sometime!
Laurie
Round Rock, TX USA 01/11/04

Florence Italy
We have just returned from Florence where we spent a wonder 2 weeks over the Christmas holidays. We stayed at Soggiorno Pezzati (per Rick's book) again and were delighted. Daniela is very gracious but is only there in the am. This is a walk up to private rooms on the second floor. No one will coddle you but it is quiet and convienent. The rooms are typically small but spotless. The beds are comfy and large. Heat was Italian but sufficient and the price can't be beat! We only paid 56E cash and that helped as I found the cost of dinner has increased dramatically. Last year we were able to have a nice dinner for 2, inc. house wine and dessert, for about 40 E. This year, the same dinner at the same place was close to 60E! There were several holidays during our stay but we still visited several towns and enjoyed them all.
Susan Smith <email>
Frederick, MD USA 01/11/04

Hotel Pendini in Florence
Hotel Pendini in Florence gives me the creeps. First, it's 150 years old and the place smells old too. They had coffin like beds. There were mosquitoes haunting us all night. The elevator had strange voices while we were waiting. The attendants looked scary. I am still having nightmares about that place. The only good thing is that the location is right at the shopping area, but it's not worth the agony of staying there.
Sabrina
San Francisco, ca USA 12/07/03

Visiting Florence in November
We stayed at Hotel Centrale for three nights last week. The hotel map in the book has two #5s and it took us a little while to find the hotel. The hotel is located on the third floor and the entrance is not very well marked. (The old elevator is just large enough for one person and a suitcase.) Our room had a view of the Medici chapel. The room was clean and very spacious. We didn't hear any street noise except for church bells that rang every 15 minites from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm. (This is not as annoying as one might think.) We paid 72 euro per night for double with private bath, and got a free bottle of wine when we checked out.

We were glad that we visited Rome and Florence in November since it was not that cold (Rome was pretty warm) and the museums weren't crowded at all. A word of caution about train ticket purchase from vending machine: We selected non-smoking car, but the machine selected a smoking car. (The machine doesn't let you know that your selection is not available.) Virtually everyone in the smoking car smoked for the entire hour and a half we were on the train from Rome to Florence.
Mike
Edison, NJ USA 12/05/03

Florence Hotel/Restaurant
Stayed at Rick's recommended Hotel Bellettini in Florence Nov 19-22. Excellent location, clean and comfortable. They have a web site (hotel.bellettini@dada.it) Free computer use in lobby was a nice amenity. Breakfast room each morning was bright and cheerful with good selection. At the front desk Gina made reservations for our Uffizi and Accademia visit (although no crowds). Serena at front desk was extremely helpful. Sign posted behind front desk says to show your Rick Steves guide book for extra discount. We did! Thanks Rick for saving us some money. Can't say enough good things about our stay at this hotel. Good restaurant just around the corner from Hotel Bellettini (across from Cappelle Medicee) Trattoria Il Porcospino. We ate there twice as the food was excellent. Don't skip dessert -their tiramisu was out of this world.
Pam Ames <email>
San Diego, CA USA 12/03/03

Florence and Siena
We recently spent November in Italy, with several days in Florence and Siena. What a marvelous experience.

We stayed at Hotel Casci in Florence, which is only two blocks from the Duomo. The staff at Casci made us a part of their family. They served breakfast every morning and even brought your food to your table from the buffet table. They provided an accurate map to the sights and recommended great eateries. They have free Internet and email service for their guests. The rooms are perfect, clean, and inexpensive. Service was impeccable and available at all times without fail.

When you see the sights in Florence, I would recommend reservations for the Uffizi and Accademia museums. We had reservations, but didn't need to use them as both museums were virtually empty. Remember to pay attention to the house rules as cameras may not be allowed and dress codes may be enforced. Use the WC before you go in as these museums are huge and the WC's are at the exits. Don't forget to vist the Duomo museum behind the Cathedral. It is amazing and was empty when we were there in the evening.

We took a day trip to Siena via train. I'd recommend you take the orange city bus from the train station to the main bus stop in the center of town, otherwise you have a long uphill walk ahead of you.

In Siena, check out the main plaza, il Campo. There ae no cars except official cars and taxis, so there is no pollution and no noise. It is a wonderful and relaxing experience. Also, walk outside of town and up the hill to the fort above the stadium. This isn't in Rick's book, but it gives you a great view of the Tuscan country side and of the entire city. No one except the locals seem to know it's even there. In the basement is a wine-tasting restaurant.

CC <email>
Denver, Colorado USA 12/01/03

Residenze Johlea
We stayed in Firenze at the Residenze Johlea & Johanna (www.johanna.it). The rooms were wonderful and the staff helped us make reservations for museums. We would definitely stay at this place again. They have several locations; we stayed at the Johlea II, which was close enough to walk, but far enough to be away from the crowds.
Janet Syslo <email>
Omaha, NE USA 11/18/03

Florence in December
If you are interested in museums and like time to contemplate the art in silence, visit Florence in the winter. A few years ago we visited Florence the week before Christmas. We stayed at the Casci (great place as others have noted, with reduced rates in December)which put us within walking distance of everything. The weather was mild and dry. We went to the Uffizi on a day it was open late - arrived at 4 PM and had the place to ourselves for several hours. Imagine sitting alone in a room full of Boticellis. There were no more than 10 people in the entire museum. Same thing when we went to the Accademia to visit David. Got there at opening on a Sunday - went in - no line. Seeing no other visitors, asked at the admissions desk if they were open - answer was "yes, but you are the first ones here." For at least 10 minutes it was just us and David. Europe is great in the summer for the parks, biking, and outdoor cafes. But for art and museums, it is worth a trip in the winter.
Suzanne <email>
Columbus, OH USA 10/31/03

Florence - Hotel Casci, Etc.
Enjoyed 3-1/2 days in beautiful Florence just the other week. Stayed at the Hotel Casci and definitely would endorse it. Mrs. Lombardi and Paolo and others who staffed the reception area were extremely pleasant and helpful. The rooms are comfortable, clean, and quiet, with beautiful bathrooms. The hallways are beautifully furnished, too. Everything is in top condition. Breakfasts were more than adequate in a pleasant breakfast room. Perfect location, too.

Florence is definitely for walkers. It is always very crowded around the Duomo and San Lorenzo, but I really enjoyed walking and exploring on the other side of the Arno to get away from the crowds for a bit. It's a wonderful walk to and from the Piazza Michaelangelo and San Miniata Church. I walked back down from there to the city just at sunset one evening and was rewarded with postcard-perfect views of Florence.

This was my first trip to Italy, and I was a bit nervous because I speak no Italian. This was no problem at all in Florence, and with Rick's phrasebook not much problem elsewhere either. Florence is definitely welcoming to tourists.

I also spent two days in Lucca and found it was easy to rent a bike there, which I totally enjoyed. I am anxious to go back to the area again to explore a bit further afield.

Judith Beck <email>
Perkasie, PA USA 10/22/03

Two wonderful days in Firenze
Our one week tour of Italy included two nights in Florence. Train from Cinque Terre had great countryside views. Albergo La Scalletta is a mansion built around 1500. Room had a ceiling that was about 20 feet high. Quiet, clean room. Fantastic view from the rooftop terrace. Uffizi, Accademia, and Bargello museums were great, each in its own way. Had a great time eating with the locals at Trattoria Sabatino, next to the ancient city wall. Wonderful overall experience.
Herb <email>
Crescent Springs, KY USA 10/15/03

Tuscany rental agencies
A very good booking agency for renting in Tuscany is hallotuscany. Their website is www.hallotuscany.com or info@hallotuscany.com The owners are Ginzia and Selita.
Lynn Wright <email>
SC USA 10/14/03

B and B outside of Florence
For those with cars a wonderful bed and breakfast outside Florence is I Melograni, located just southeast of Empoli. This is a convenient location for train trips to Florence and Siena. The owners are very engaging and made our stay very enjoyable. This is a beautiful family villa, within a short distance to many hilltowns. Contact Susan and Ricardo at clowes@dada.it Nearby is a great restaurant=Trattoria Sciabolina, a family restaurant with wonderfull food. Susan will give you directions to both.
Lynn Wright <email>
SC USA 10/14/03

Florence and Siena
In planning our trip we decided to visit Florence on day-trips from Siena. In retrospect, we think it would have been better to allow for a few days in each place. Siena was wonderful but the bus trips to Florence and back added to the fatigue of touring the sights and the schedules were not always convenient. We will definitely have to return to Florence to really be able to fully appreciate it.
Diane
San Francisco, CA USA 10/14/03

Hotel La Scaletta
Stayed at La Scaletta in Sept. and found it convenient and comfortable. Some have complained about stairs so if this may be a problem ask for one of the three rooms on the lobby floor. We used the garage around corner for our car and if doing this, figure in the cost of 27 Euros a night. As to food, be sure and stop by Osteria la Congrega near the markets for good food in a charming setting. If you're exhausted and want a calm place with good food the Trattoria Bordino just across Ponte Vecchio is fine, although not inexpensive. In Oltrarno, Trattoria Casalinga's food was good and the blue-collar atmostphere with locals was neat. It had a line while all the others around the square were partially filled. All mentioned in Rick's book.
B. Crislip <email>
Tampa, FL USA 10/03/03

Florence - Residenza Dei Pucci
I stayed at Residenzia Dei Pucci for (what should have been) 3 nights in Florence on a recent trip to Italy. While the room was one of the nicer 3 star hotels we stayed in at that price range (lots of character, nice furniture, spacious room and bathroom), a few things about our stay there greatly disappointed us.

First, I thankfully happened to pull open my Rick Steves guide while on the train on the way from Rome to Florence and realized that the hotel's reception is only open daily from 9 am until 8 pm. Our train would be arriving at 8:15 pm in Florence, so I called on my cell phone from the train to ask if they could stay open until 8:30 pm. Fortunately, the woman at the reception did stay the extra half hour to give us our room key. It sounds as though others who have posted to this site were not so fortunate. Shame on me for not reading the fine print before booking our train tickets, but I find it terribly inconvenient that a hotel does not have someone staff their reception overnight.

Which leads me to my next point...after a wonderful Italian meal of wine and delicious food, my boyfriend and I arrived back at Residenza Dei Pucci at midnight on our 2nd night to find that we were locked out of our room. (Keep in mind that I had asked about a curfew, and there was none - you are given the key to the outside doors in addition to your room key.) Someone in our little hallway of 3 rooms had pulled the large wooden door to the hallway closed (to which we did NOT have a key), thus locking us out of the entryway to our room.

After repeated knocking on the wooden door and a visit from a policeman (who was in a neighboring hotel watching a televised soccer game), we were unable to get anyone on the other side of that wooden door to open it for us (presumably it was closed by a person staying in one of the 2 other rooms). Since the reception closes after 8 pm and there is no emergency number, we were forced to get another hotel room in Florence for that night. Keep in mind that by this time it was after 1 am, and we had nothing but the clothes we were wearing.

The next morning after we relayed our story (and were questioned skeptically by the reception), we received an apology and a credit for the 1 night we were locked out of our room. Of course, that was expected since we had to pay another hotel for the night we stayed there. We had thought that perhaps Pucci may credit an additional night or do something to demonstrate "good will" for our inconvenience, but they would do no such thing. We were expected to pay for the other 2 nights we stayed there.

As you can imagine, we were fearful that the same scenario would happen again on our 3rd and last night in Florence (especially since they were unable to uncover the culprit), but the hotel assured us that they would do something to disable the locks or would post a sign to ensure no one would pull the door shut again. Thankfully, no one did pull it shut, but there were no signs, and the locks were not altered when we came back that night.

To their credit, Pucci did say this is the first time anything like this had every happened as long as they had owned the hotel, which I believe, but I do feel that if there is a door that locks that prevents you from entering your room, you should be given a key to that door if the reception is unavailable. This is something that anyone staying at Pucci should be aware of in order to avoid this type of inconvenient situation.

On the upside, we do consider ourselves fortunate that this was the worst of the travel experiences we had on our 12 day trip in Italy.. the rest went as smoothly as can be. Ciao!

Leslie
Chicago, IL USA 10/02/03

Florence comments
BELLEVUE HOUSE – Near train station. Antonio, the owner, is VERY helpful and sweet. The only catch is the number of stairs you have to go up to get to the front door. Terry cloth towels changed every two days. AC at no extra charge.

MUSEUMS – The RS guides are great. Don’t even think about going to the Uffizi without reservations. Get there about 10 minutes ahead of your reservation time – The guy manning this door will let you in early. Then you buy your tickets inside. If there is a huge group at the “Reservations only” line, it’s probably just a tour group. Go ahead and get in line behind them. It should only be 10-15 minutes before you get in. Be sure to notice the museum closing times, e.g. the Bargello closes at 13:50.

BOBOLI GARDENS – So huge they’re overwhelming. There are some great views of Florence from some points in the gardens.

FIESOLE – Take the bus ride to Fiesole for the view. The restaurant by the viewpoint (Ristorante La Reggia degli Etruschi) is quite good, and only a little pricey. There is a functioning (if tiny) monastery of San Francesco above the viewpoint. Check it out.

Michael
Seattle, WA USA 10/02/03

Hotel Accademia
During our 2 week visit to Italy my husband and I stayed 2 nights at the Hotel Accademia. We dropped off our Europcar ASAP as we arrived as driving in Florence as Rick mentions is a nightmare. By the way, it was an easy experience renting via AutoEurope. We picked up the car in Rome and dropped it off in Florence 2 days later ($160/3 days for compact manual) without difficulty.

Hotel Accademia was clean, with spacious room and double bed. Air conditioning with remote control, cable TV. The only thing was that you could sit on the toilet and take a shower. The staff was pleasant. The breakfast was decent. It was 90 euros per night during August. It is in few minutes walking distance of the train station and most sites could be walked to in 10-15 minutes including the Boboli gardens which did look unkempt and dry (what do they do with all the money they collect as admission!).

The best experience (next to the shopping) in Florence is sitting outside in the evening enjoying a drink and the magnificent view of the Duomo. There is a friendly English pub on the northwest side fo the piazza with pints for 4.50 euro. A couple of the restaurants Rick lists are closed for holiday in August but there are plenty of good trattorias for reasonable prices and delicious gelato to be found throughout the city.

Chicago, IL USA 09/11/03

Florence
In Florence we stayed at the Soggiorno Pezzati Daniela, which is recommended by Rick. It is a very nice place, and inexpensive too - the price is not 62.00 + air-condition optional as you may read in the book, but 72.00 + air-cond. is included (thank God!). Daniela is very nice; you’ll have your own keys from the building, entrance door and your room, so you won’t have to report to anyone. The only minus is that when taking shower you’ll have to squeeze between the toilet seat and the wall, but that’s OK. The room was bright, nicely furnished in Ikea style, there was a fridge in the room, so we could bring water, fruit and other snacks and store them in 35ºC heat.

There’s a Lavarapido just around the corner - Via Guelfa 55 red: 2.50 € for washing, 0.50 € for laundry powder. Don’t waste your money on drying - it doesn’t dry properly anyway, just use the centrifuge (0.50 €), and then hang your clothes outside the window in Daniela’s hotel. For laundry you must have exact change only.

Gelateria “Vivoli’s” is really very good. The best thing there is not gelato though, but mousse - what a magical experience! Do take Mousse alle Fragole (strawberry mousse) and Mousse al Cioccolato (chocolate mousse) - fantastic!!! For gelato it doesn’t matter where you go - it’s good absolutely everywhere.

Eating: out of all places to eat recommended by Rick, the best was Trattoria Nella (near Palazzo Vecchio). We didn’t arrive early and were not disappointed - the food was really good as well as the service, don’t try their tomato with bread soup (typical Tuscany dish) - it’s not a soup as we know it - it’s a tomato puree with the pieces of bread mixed in. Interesting, but not what I’d expected. Trattoria “Sabatino” (South of the river) on Via Pisana 2 red, was really cheap indeed (14.00 € for 2 of us), but the portions were too small (several pieces of thin sliced meat and 4-5 tiny pieces of potatoes), and the environment was very cheap as well: no promised tablecloths but transparent plastic covers on the tables, and we had to share our table with others. Also, it’s quite far from Ponte Vecchio (unlike what Rick says) - we walked about 10 minutes to the Palazzo Vecchio, and then about 30 minutes to the Trattoria.

Shopping: don’t buy any Deruta ceramics in Florence - the prices are outrageous (close to the ones in the USA or Canada)!!! It’s better to do in Siena. Leather goods are in enormous quantities but check the quality: it might be not very good. At the market do bargain - I bought a leather wallet for 26.00 €, which was originally priced 47 €.
C. Vasilyev <email>
Vancouver, BC Canada 07/21/03

We were very disappointed with the Hotel La Scaletta. Ricks other recommendations were wonderful. But La Scalatta was dirty, and not very friendly. One note on Rick's guidebook: the science museum location is incorrect. It is near the Uffizi, not the rail station.
Laurie Relling <email>
Portland, OR USA 07/19/03

Editor's note: The 2003 edition lists the correct location.

We stayed in a wonderful Bed and Breakfast in Florence I found on another website: http://www.florenceby.com/villalasosta/index.html. It was outside the city limits, so it was a short bus ride away, but it was nice to get out of the city and into a bit of the country. If you are traveling around, I would highly recommend staying in at least one B & B just because you can get personal recommendations from the host. Guisy and her dog Skipper run Villa la Sosta, and she gave us maps and directions, and dinner recommendations, she really took good, personal care of us. Another thing - there is a restaurant in Florence, near this B & B called Pane e Olio - small place run by Roberto. No menu, you eat what his daughter makes that night. Fabulous food and a great time! Try it out!
Karin <email>
Cincinnati, OH USA 07/14/03

Cinque Terre from Florence
It's a quick trip to the Cinque Terre from Florence. . .only 2 hours. Take one night there at least if you can!
Stan
Edmonds, USA 07/12/03

Re Florence/Venice/Hill towns
Rick Steve's guidebook is incredibly helpful. With this book you can find a great hotel or two in both a hill town/Tuscan countryside and in all the other places you are interested in staying.

I recently made the trip from Florence to Venice and by Eurostar train (the ONLY way to go in the summer. . .it's air conditioned!) it only took about 3 hours. It's not bad at all. If you will have a lot of luggage between to drag with you between these two cities, try to find a hotel nearby the train station--I spent some time in Pensione Ottavianni which is mentioned in the Let's Go guide book in the Santa Maria Novella neighborhood. It was good and it was a fair price. Another hotel I can think of that is nearby the Santa Maria Novella piazza (also in the Let's Go book) is Hotel Visconti. From the looks of it (I did not stay there) it looked a little fancier than Pensione Ottavianni. They are in the same building.

Try to squeeze the Cinque Terre into your travel itinerary. It was the most romantic place we went in Italy. Even more romantic than Venice if you ask me. It was quaint, breathtakingly beautiful, and an authentically Italian place. So beautiful! I actually never went to any hill towns or into the Tuscan countryside (I just looked out into it from the top of the Boboli Gardens). Instead, I opted for the Cinque Terre. Arrividerci!

Amanda
Seattle, USA 07/12/03

Hotel Pendini
Although our room was spacious, clean, air-conditioned and did have a view of the Piazza Republicca, we suffered from the VERY LOUD MUSIC emanating from Cafe Pazkowski every night from 9:00 until 1:00 a.m. and then intermittent yahoos caterwauling in the piazza throughout the remainder of the wee hours. If you want to try to sleep at this hotel, make sure you can get an interior room. Otherwise just plan to stay up all night long!
Melissa <email>
Glendale, CA USA 07/08/03

Hot Hot Hot
Be sure to get a room with a breeze or a good fan. It is sooo hot in the summer in Florence. I just left, and we were fortunuate to persuade the desk person at Hotel Perseo to give us another fan.
Ann Roberts <email>
Austin, TX USA 06/28/03

Boboli Gardens, Florence
We enjoyed our stay in Florence, however, Boboli Gardens was a disappointment. It was unkept,dry and weedy. It was also dusty on a hot day. Maybe another time of year it is green and pretty.
Gloria Emmert <email>
Tucson, AZ USA 06/24/03

No Photos
Be advised...Most museums (especially the Uffizi and Accademia) and many churches do not allow photographs to be taken (with or without flash). I was very disappointed.
Bill <email>
Bellingham, MA USA 06/24/03

Casa Rabati
We did not have reservations for our one night in Florence. I sent out some emails the day before, got several responses and chose Casa Rabati. We had a huge room and our host was wonderfully sweet (she spoke little English but tried hard). There's an inexpensive self-serve laundromat just around the corner. This was the only city on our month-long trip where panhandlers and gypsies came up to you and were really insistent - especially around the train station. Leather salesmen are very flirtatious and don't give up easily - be firm! We tried to take a walking tour recommended by the TI, meeting at Santa Novella church, but the tour guide never showed up, so we wandered around on our own.
Sonia <email>
Saskatoon, SK Canada 06/19/03

Hotel Bellevue in Florence
We also stayed at the Hotel Bellevue as mentined below. It is an extremly nice hotel with very helpful hosts. Upon checking into the hotel, Jacmo suggested that he call and get us reservations for the Accadamie and the Ufizi! I highly recommend it.Web: www.bellevuehouse.it

Tim <email>
Baton Rouge, LA USA 06/17/03

Florence
My sister and I recently returned from our first trip to Italy. In Florence we stayed at the Bellevue House (Web: www.bellevuehouse.it). Our twin room was actually a double bed in the main room with a single bed in a small area between the main room and the bathroom. The room was much larger than expected and was clean. The bathroom was huge (~6 ft x 12 ft) and entirely newly tiled with the biggest toilet I’ve ever seen. The towels were changed daily. There is no elevator and all the rooms are up the equivalent of 6 flights of stairs (80 stairs). Antonio and his partner were the most helpful and warm of all of the hotel personnel we met on our trip. The location is close to the train station and the Church of Santa Maria Novella and is about a 15 minute walk to the Accademia or the Uffizi Gallery. At 110 Euros a night, I would recommend the Bellevue House (provided you can carry luggage up the stairs).

We took the “Original Florence Walk” recommended by Rick and enjoyed it immensely. We also got reservations for the Accademia and the Uffizi Gallery. Even with tourism being off in May, there was still a line at the Accademia (which we walked right by). We had the early 8:15 reservation and were able to see David with hardly any one else in the room. Wonderful!! We very much enjoyed the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens. We did climb to the top of the dome of the Duomo to see the construction as well as the view and so we could say we did it!!. I also enjoyed the Mercato Nuovo and the Santa Croce Church. Thanks again Rick for your most valuable information!!

LA Meharry <email>
Vancouver, WA USA 06/17/03

Hotel Casci
I agree with PC, Hotel Casci is a great place to stay. Paolo and his family are very pleasant and helpful. Located just 3 blocks from the Duomo and only about 2 from San Lorenzo street market. Our room was very nice and the bathroom had recently been updated. Frescoes adorn the breakfast room ceiling. They also have a full set of tour guides that you can browse through.
C Keathley
St. Louis, MO USA 06/11/03

Comments on trip to Florence - May 2003
We just returned from Italy - Florence, Siena & Milan. This post concerns Florence only. Please be advised that these are OUR experiences based on ONE trip.

Hotel: Residenza Giotto. Great location, clean, nice sized rooms. No public spaces. Staff is cold. The terrace has a great view but is not inviting. Breakfast was a tray of packaged goods in your room with instant coffee. Instant coffee in Italy!!

Sights: Rick's book's tips are very useful. Pay attention to when sights are open and closed - no logic to it. I found some of Rick's comments to be too judgemental - but once I realized that, I could work with it.

Food: Ristorante Bibo - we did not like the food or the atmosphere. Too touristy. Osteria Vini e Vechi Sapori - Excellent hole in the wall. Good food, warm service. We found a couple of good places on our own - Golden View in Oltrarno, right on the back of the Arno. Turn left after crossing Ponte Vecchio. Looks touristy at first glance. Warm service, great food, excellent location. Il Guscio - Near Porta San Frediano - Via Del'Orto 49. Very good food, great service. The host reminded me of Arnie from the Sopranos. We were there from 5/23 to 5/28. Weather was nice & warm. We were told it was warmer than usual. Crowds were not a problem. Florence is a dream! Go see it. Enjoy!

C&T <email>
Maplewood, NJ USA 06/06/03

Hotel Casci in Florence is wonderful
Wonderful place to stay: centrally located but far enough away from the train station and center of town (5 min walk) to be nice and quiet. Free internet, English-speaking staff, meticulously clean rooms! About 100Euros a night for a single, but that was the average rate last September. I would definitely recommend it highly. They can also book tours to Uffizi, etc. have laundry done on the same day for not much more than a laundromat, and were very helpful! Elevator was a nice addition, too, lol.
pc <email>
Fair Oaks, CA USA 06/06/03

Lodgings in Florence, Venice & Rome
This past May (2003) we spent three weeks in Italy. Places we have used in the past were either booked solid or had doubled their prices so we relied on Rick Steves' guide books for rooms. Unfortunately the books give little guidance on accessability. We are both in our mid-seventies and sent out bales of e-mails and faxes looking for places that wouldn't require us to climb endless flights of elevatorless floors; this was our ninth Italian trip and we knew what these stairs could be! We had a very nice room (with elevator) at the Hotel Paba in Rome and then (after some time spent in Arezzo and Sansopolcro at hotels we already knew) we stayed at the Hotel Pensione Elite in Florence. It was the closest to the train station (a longish block and a half) and over the phone Nadia had assured us she would give us a first floor room with "not too many steps". The room was fine - very large and comfortable. The steps ? Well, we managed although it was sometimes a little hard to drag ourselves up at day's end and it certainly seemed to be "the best room in the house" (It had held a horde of young men before we got there - they were late in leaving and we had to wait while a seemingly endless supply of cots, beds and mattresses were removed).

What really clinched our appreciation for Nadia and her helpfulness was when we got to the train station for the Venice train. Alice bought a Herald Tribune and found she couldn't read it - her glasses were gone. While we were frantically searching the platform area to see where she had dropped them, Nadia came rushing in with them; she had run all the way over from the pensione (stairs and all) and how she found us in the crowded station we will never know. We are eternally grateful to her and urge any travelers who want a caring and helpful place to stay in Florence to consider the Hotel Pensione Elite !

In Venice we had great difficulty finding a place (we started sending e-mails in February for the 2nd week in May) partly because elevators are practically non-existent in Venice and the floors go up and up. The Hotel Doni offered us a choice of a bathless 1st floor room or rental of a 1st floor apartment. We opted for the apartment (at 110 Euros/night) and were delighted with it. We had a large bedroom (and a small unused one) with living room, kitchen and bath one flight up with rooms cleaned and beds made daily as well as replenishment of the coffee supply. The apartment was around the corner from the Hotel Doni (directly over the very good Trattoria Alla Rivetta) and close to Piazza San Marco and the San Zacharia vaporetto stop. When we worried about getting up in time (3 AM) to get to the airport for our early flight, Gina from the hotel went out and bought an alarm clock for us to use. Grazie mille!

Alice and Alan Stewart <email>
Bath, ME USA 05/31/03

Florence - Hotel Nella
I spent 3 nights in a private room with bath at Hotel Nella. While it is lacking in ambiance (almost an insitutional feel), the room was super clean, and the staff was very nice. It is owned by a man named Mohammed who gave us tips on Florence and was extremely friendly. He also owns the hostel downstairs, I believe its called Hotel Pina.
Kara <email>
New York, NY USA 05/29/03

Florence
I just spent six days in Frienze (Florence). The people were friendly. Some of the best stops were the unexpected ones: the Sant Maria De' Ricci Church was quite a find as well as a restaurant in San Marco called the Accademia.
lrv <email>
baltimore, md USA 05/06/03

Florence Apartment
We stayed at the Florentia Apartments and it was amazing! Very close to the train station, great price, with a/c and washer. Super clean! (the 4 of us booked the Diamante apartment: 1 double bedroom with full bathroom, 2 twin beds on loft + separate bathroom, and full kitchen/living room with extra sofabed. Worked out to about 40 euros per person per night. www.florenceandtuscany.com (florentia apartments) or www.italianvacationhome.com
angela <email>
Markham, ONT CAN 05/27/03

Reports from Travelers in Florence
On Rick Steve's recommendation, stayed three nights at the Accademia Hotel, just delightful; room was large for Europe, overlooking a tiled patio. Hotel staff were more than helpful, recommending local restaurants (trattorias) that were very good. I made reservations for the Uffizi, Accademia Gallery and the Medici Chapel by telephone (they speak excellent English). The longest wait we had was ten minutes!. Delightful dinner at Giglio Rosso near the hotel. Thanks to Rick Steve's recommendations and advice, the trip was wonderful.
Tom <email>
Corona del Mar, CA USA 05/27/03

Difficulty of overnight parking in Florence
I'd like to suggest that someone at Rick's double check the accuracy of your advice, at the bottom of page 227 of "Florence 2003," re OVERNIGHT parking in Florence. In April ('03) I found that: 1)Fortezza da Basso parking lot is closed due to long-term construction; 2) Parcheggio Oltrarno either no longer exists or is really hard to find (I never found it); and 3) there is no overnight parking in Florence for anything like the daily rates quoted on page 227. In my opinion, the best advice you could give readers is that for overnight parking in Florence, they should make arrangements in advance with their hotel.
Kent Osborne <email>
Beaverton, OR USA 05/26/03

La Cupola Hotel
La Cupola Hotel has clean and basic double room with shower etc. only E82 per night with a continental breakfast served in the bar below. The fantastic thing about this place is the wonderful terrazza. We sat there with our bottle of wine and looked over to the Duomo which you feel you could almost touch.In Via Panzani it`s a 5 mins walk from the station and about 3mins walk to the Duomo. Antonio Lauria the owner has just taken over so he has lots of improvements in mind. I have his e-mail if anyone wants it. Also try Trattoria Baldvovino at the side of Sante Croce. Food to die for!
Jean Camilli <email>
Kyle of Lochalsh, Scotland 05/25/03

Need Good Shoes in Florence
Just got back from a trip through northern Italy, and I want to emphasize the need for very good walking shoes in Florence. Much of Florence's streets and sidewalks are of uneven cobblestone. The effect is like hiking in the wilderness, not in a city. If you don't have a good pair of shoes or sneakers, you WILL suffer. I had to buy a new pair of sneakers while I was there (it only cost 15 Euros(!)), but before I did, the bottom of my feet hurt, my ankles hurt, my shins hurt, my knees hurt, etc. It almost ruined the vacation. I would suggest a pair of light-weight hiking shoes/boots that can give support to your ankles.
Matthew Slick <email>
Portland, OR USA 05/22/03

Another Florence Spot
Another great spot in Florence is the area above Piazzale Michelangelo; there is a great osteria called Omero. Fantastic food,lovely patio, and great wine as well. There is a wonderfully old and dimly lit church surrounded by a cemetary that offers spectacular views of Florence.
Sam Oxford
Clayton, MO USA 05/12/03

Just returned from Florence
We just returned from a trip to France and Italy and stayed in Florence for a couple of days. We stayed at Casa Rabatti. It was half the price of all the other hotels on out trip about 45 Euros. It was also the best bargain. We rang the bell and Marcella came down the stairs to walk us to her daughter's Pensione on Nazionale close to the train station and about 1 block from the Central Market ( a great place for picnic supplies and a morning latte). The room was on the third floor, a very large room and clean and there were 2 bathrooms down the hall. There was also a small shared refrigerator in the hall and they provided free cold bottled water. It is a little noisy at night but that didn't bother me at all. They let us leave our luggage until our night train left. Marcella and her husband Celestino are great. Marcella spoke about 75% Italian and 25% English and oddly enough we understood about 90% of what she told us. They gave us such a warm welcome.

Right around the corner was the Trattoria Barrusca. This was the best meal we had in Italy and the least expensive. We had antipasta, pasta dishes and a whole bottle of wine for about 20 Euros. And the restuarant is tiny but is really charming.

Florence wears me out. I love the art but the crowds, noise and heat can be a little overwhelming. The Boboli Gardens, lots of gelato and less crowded late night walks are key to enjoying Florence. Rick Steves never books never fails me when choosing hotels and restuarants.

Lori <email>
Richardson, TX USA 05/12/03

Palazzo Pitti & Boboli Gardens
The Palatine Gallery & Royal Apartments are wonderful. They have the largest collection of Raphaels. The Mary Magdalen by Perugino is sublime, Alessandro Allori's version of Judith & Holofernes is a treasure as well. For visitors that will not be able to travel to the tuscan countryside, go to the very back & to the top of the Boboli Gardens and you will see a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside-cypress trees, olive trees and Green everywhere. It is hard to find green spaces in Florence, so the view was a real treat for me.
Sam Oxford
Clayton , MO USA 05/10/03

Visiting the Ufizzi
1st time visitors to Florence should absolutely plan on going to the Uffizi. Book your reservations for late afternoon or the earliest time slot. Avoid 10Am - 3:pm times- you'll be with everybody else in Florence. Go to http://www.weekendafirenze.com/ - you can book your tickets on line, print out the receipt and avoid long lines(Go to the front and show your receipt for tickets- there are no signs to tell you this) You can book from U.S. or go into a cyber cafe and book while in Florence. The Uffizi has the most incredible art collection. There is much more than the Botticelli's and Raphael's. Don't miss the view from the corridor window overlooking the Ponte Vecchio - great photo op. There is a cafe at top of the museum, take a seat, order un caffe, and enjoy the view of the Duomo. You can thoughly enjoy all that the Uffizi has to offer in about 2 hours. Buon Divertimento!
C Keathley
St. Louis , MO USA 05/10/03

Florence
Hotel/Pensione Bretagna : Stayed there for five nights, great location, cheap and quiet, very helpful staff, clean rooms, building has seen better days though. Uffizi/Academia Advance Bookings : Well worth it, but be prepared that 'no queuing' means just that. Instead of standing in a queue you just have to fight your way in through a crowd of other people with 'reservations'. Boboli Gardens : Overgrown, shabby, don't bother. When you've had enough of palaces and culture escape instead to Fiesole (#7 bus, 1 euro each way, about 15 minute journey) up on the hill. Well worth the effort. The views are spectacular. Beware of pickpockets when getting on the bus. Eating : Many small places south of the river near Plaza Santo Spirito etc.
Karel & Sue Hladky <email>
Manchester, UK 05/02/03

Florence hotels
Visted Florence in early April. Stayed at Berlini Palace (right next to Uffizi). For great last minute rates, go to baglionihotels.com. Choose the city you want in Italy and check Special Promotions. We stayed 3 nights at 110 euros per night (tax included) that included a real buffet breakfast (with bacon and eggs)in a wonderful frescoed dining room. This is a 4+ star hotel with fresh orchids on all the dining tables each morning. We reserved at the Uffizi for the early morning and got right in, no waiting - had a wonderful time.
Roy Pool <email>
Dallas, TX USA 04/22/03

Florence
Another great restaurant is Il Latini. Communal tables and no menus, relax, the waiter will ask you one step at a time what you want. There is a little unease at first, but we had a great meal, great staff and the tab was inexpensive, 60 euros for two.

We ended up waiting in line at the Uffizi. You're supposed to walk up to the head of the line and show the person your time slot reservation. They will tell you to stay there for a couple of minutes then go in. We got behind a tour and were in line 20 minutes when we could have been inside. DUH!

Alan <email>
Draper, ut USA 04/18/03

Florence Restaurants
Osteria No. 1 is not in Rick's book, but is on the same street as several other recommended restaurants, so when we saw the others were full, we ducked in there since it looked nice and had similar prices.

First, our coats were yanked away from us by the woman at the door, who then demanded a tip when she returned them to us later. We'd planned to leave her something, but she was extremely rude about it. Second, the food was slow to appear, and when it did, they forgot a course (though they thankfully took it off our bill.) The food wasn't bad, but it certainly wasn't up to the other restaurants in the area.

Not in Rick's book, but HIGHLY recommended is "Il Profeta" restaurant on Via Borgonissanti. We stopped in as we were passing on our way to the train station from our hotel, and liked it so much that we asked the waiter for a card so we could recommend it. They have a website: www.ristoranteilprofeta.com. Fabulous food, quick service, great prices, and they got my wife and I out the door in plenty of time for us to catch our train a few blocks away. An absolute gem of a place with fun, interested owners.

Douglas O. <email>
Hopkinton, MA USA 04/18/03

Florence Sidewalks
Forgot to mention in my previous posting--beware the sidewalks of Florence! Far more than any other Italian city we visited, the sidewalks of Florence were FILLED with dog poop. You might consider packing extra plastic baggies to cover your shoes in your suitcase in case you take a misstep and don't have time for a cleaning before you leave! I last visited Florence fifteen years ago, and there wasn't nearly the volume of poop in the streets. Not sure what's changed, but many other tourists commented on it to us, as well!
Nicole <email>
Boston, MA USA 04/18/03

Uffizi is Insane, Other Museums Wonderful
Uffizi Gallery--we made reservations in advance here, as Rick suggested. Didn't help us much. We were expecting to enter at the time we had reserved, but instead, the reservations-only entrance was an even worse mob scene than the regular line.

The Uffizi clearly sells many, MANY more tickets for each time slot than it has available, so the entrance was a complete zoo. There was no line, no signs saying where to stand or where to wait, and kids were getting stepped on. We finally got in the doors about forty minutes after our reservation time, and while we were outside, the couple next to us had their camera stolen. Then, after we got inside, we were kept in another area for about fifteen or twenty minutes before we were allowed to proceed to the exhibits. The Uffizi wasn't worth the headache to get in. This was in mid-April. I couldn't imagine how bad this place would be during the regular tourist season. I'd only recommend that travelers go to the Uffizi if they 1) aren't traveling with small kids; 2) are bound and determined to see the Botticellis and Raphaels, and 3) don't mind being jostled and waiting a LONG time to get in. You can see a lot of Florence (and its other museums) in the time it takes you to get into the Uffizi, even with reservations.

On the other hand, at the Accademia, we walked right in. The reservation system worked wonderfully, the exhibits were well-labeled, and there wasn't a crowd (though it was a smaller museum and took less time to go through.) The Bargello was also fabulous--every bit as great as the Uffizi, and with NO crowds, no waiting. We heard several others inside (Germans and Americans, mostly) commenting to each other as they walked through the museum about how much more enjoyable it was to see the Bargello than the Uffizi.

We also had a great experience at the Duomo museum--no crowds, easy in and out, and we were able to see and understand everything inside using just Rick's Florence book.

A tip--get Rick's Florence book in addition to the Italy book if you plan to see a lot of museums in Florence. It'll save you money in the end on the museum's individual guidebooks. Several other travellers borrowed our copy to read about the exhibits in each museum as they walked through, and said they wished they'd had it themselves. If you're not museum-bound, the Italy 2003 book alone will be just fine.

Nicole <email>
Boston, MA USA 04/18/03

Cantinetta dei Verrazzano
This place is more pretentious than your "Italy 2003" book implies. We were urged by the waiter for a sampler that was way overpriced. The "fine, light meal" was over 40 Euros for two.
Bill Horton
North Mankato, MN USA 04/10/03

Hotel Pensione Alessandro,
The Hotel Pensione Alessandro was just as nice as you said it would be. We have recommended it highly to friends. Location was perfect, very courteous, attentive staff and fairly priced.
Bill Horton
USA 04/10/03

Bellevue House, Florence
I just returned from my first trip to Italy. Stayed at Bellevue House in Florence on the via della Scala. Antonio was superb,room was large,clean and comfortable, great price,too. Antonio was very helpful w/ restaurant suggestions and other little tips. I was there when war broke out, but that didn't interfere w/ our plans or attitudes. People were friendly, security a little tighter at airports. Rick Steves' self-tour through the Uffizi Gallery was awesome. Just like having your own personal guide. Plan on going back next year and visiting Rome.
ursula bond <email>
USA 03/30/03

Firenze and the Italians
I first went to Firenze for six months in 1967, when I was working on book & document restoration at the Biblioteca Nazionale. This was as a result of the disatrous Arno River Flood. Got to know and love the Italians, & their beautiful city of Firenze. I have have been back many times, and love Florence and the whole surrounding Tuscany area. Plan to go once again this October.
Richard F. Young <email>
Harwichport, MA USA 03/23/03

Florence
We stayed in Florence 3 nights: 2 nights @ the Soggiorno Battistero, next door to the bapistery (wonderful view but quite a bit of night noise) and 1 night @ Albergo Firenze. Be aware that the Soggiorno Battistero is on the 3rd floor (that's our 4th floor) with steep stairs. But the view is wonderful! The Albergo Firenze was much quieter. The Albergo Firenze's location was great and the desk was very helpful. Rick's recommendation of Trattoria Sabatino for a great neighborhood restuarant in the Oltrarno area was right on. We had a very inexpensive, but very good, meal there. No tourists--just locals. If you're looking for "touristy" shopping, try the Mercato Nuovo between the Ponte Vecchio & the Piazza Republica.
Marcia <email>
Spokane, WA USA 03/17/03

Hotel Ungherese **
Stayed the weekend of 3/14/2003. Price was 87e for a double with child "cot" incluced. Breakfast included egg, fruit, youghert, cold ham and cheese, etc. Prices on website www.hotelungherese.it were higher than actually charged for the time we were there. It is on the far east side of the city, slightly north of the center. Follow signs for "stadio", which is near the hotel. Parked in front of the hotel for two days without problem. Street cleaning on Thursday; no parking on street that day. Used buses for getting to the center as described in guidebook. Hotel has bus map and sells bus tickets. All stops are marked with small circles on the map. Called by phone 055-573474 one day in advance to reserve. Others checking out were also paying 87e. All hotel recommendations in the center that I called or emailed were booked. Better to go to the center for food. Not much in hotel area. Bus ride about 10 minutes to Duomo. Ate dinner at Hot Spot between Duomo and main piazza with copy of David. 9e for two courses, plus dessert and wine. No fixed price menu at lunch. Also had good lunch at Tratorria near Santa Cruce church listed in guidebook.
Michael Thomas <email>
Houston, tx USA 03/17/03

Florence
My daughter has attended school in Florence since Sept.2002 and I visited last week of Feb. 2003. Weather was perfect for lots of walking. I would recommend the small Hotel Unicorno on Via dei Fossi very near the train station - English speaking polite staff and great breakfast. Very close by is the best restaurant in Florence "Il Latini." About $30 per person, festival seating, no menus and the food just keeps coming per your verbal selections from the choices given by the waiters. I had the best lamb ever, just falling of the bone! Also good eating at "Za Za" restuarant from Ricks's book - it gets the award for best tiramisu. Warning: the best deals on leather jackets are not in Italy. You may as well go to Nordstrom.
Jean LeTellier <email>
Bellevue, WA USA 03/11/03

Florence in February Too!
Florence was my wife's favorite because it's more user-friendly than Rome with tons of art. We stayed at the Hotel Accademia, recommended by Rick. Small, simple, clean room and a nice breakfast room. There is a laundromat a few doors down, and a great restaurant next door. They had a great Bistecca ala Florentina (rare T-bone steak). You can walk just about everywhere in Florence. Although to get up to Piazzale Michaelangelo for a scenic overlook of the city some locals recommended taking a bus. Lots of American college students all over Florence. We hit the Accademia Gallery, Uffizi Gallery, Palazzo Vecchio, among others. They were all worth seeing, but you can get museumed-out in Florence because there is so much to see. The Palazzo Vecchio is not to be missed. You need to call in advance to reserve museum tickets in Florence because of the long lines (that's cheaper than using www.selectitaly.com). Le Fonticine was one of our favorite restaurants in Italy- it's listed in Frommer's Italy 2003, which you must take with you! Carry this book along with Rick's in your day-pack and you will have well-rounded information. There is a lot of shopping to be done in Florence (leather jackets, jewelry, etc.) if you're interested.
David W. <email>
Cary, NC USA 03/07/03

Florence in February
I loved the restaurants La Burrasca and La Congrega on Via Panacile. I stayed at Locanda dei Guelfi on Via Guelfa and loved it (www.locandadeiguelfi.com). Great value. When I was there, most of the museums were free on Tuesday (Feb 18). That saved me about $15. I will go to Italy in February again as there were no lines!
Kathy <email>
North Attleboro, Ma USA 02/27/03

Pensione Pendini
We recently spent a couple of nights at Pensione Pendini in Florence and had a traditional, treat of a room there. It was large, warm (a big plus for European winter traveling), and very Florentine, with high ceilings and tall shutters. Because the hotel was so empty (in February) we had a "room with a view" of Piazza Repubblica. We stayed there last year as well and have read that some people find the staff surly and unhelpful. We saw a little of that last year, but this year they were friendly, helpful, and pleasant. It's a terrific hotel, VERY centrally located, and really is a taste of old Europe.
Julie Miller <email>
Wurzburg, Germany 02/12/03

Florence Hotels: Scaletta vs Pendini
I will take a bit of the blame for not asking beforehand (now I would actually ask if the mattress will be comfortable and is there streetnoise) but....Hotel Scaletta is one of Rick's recommends (their website even has a photo of Rick Steves at his laptop) It is supposed to be 3* and the mattress and streetnoise made it totally un-sleepable. I don't mind going down the hall to the bathroom but for over $100/night I need a decent sleep. The woman on the desk was no longer at all friendly after we (very gently) complained. I've stayed in better 2*'s in Siena (Albergo Bernini) I give Hotel Scaletta a firm 1*! Hotel Pendini on the other hand is a bit pricey (c.$150) but what a delight!! Beautiful furnishings, what a bathroom!! and so what the elevator is cranky..walk. The breakfast room was elegant and so was the service in every way. This is what I call 3* plus.
codybrandy <email>
Boston, Ma USA 02/06/03

Great Florence Hotel
Bellevue House in Florence is a fantastic place to stay: reasonable prices, huge comfortable rooms with air conditioning and private bath. I have had the privilege to stay here a few times and each time gets better. Antonio Di Grazia and his wife opened this small gem about two years ago and keep improving upon it. They run their small hotel (actually a B&B as they have only 6 rooms which does not qualify as a "hotel" in Italy) with a true concern for their guests comfort and convenience. Extremely friendly and knowledgeable in the hospitality business, they have poured their hearts and souls into this terrific hotel. Check out their website at http://bellevue.interfree.it (exactly as spelled, no www.) or e-mail them at bellevue@interfree.it for more info. The location is great , central to the sights and train station. They are located on the 3rd floor of Palazzo Riblet at Via della Scala 21. The tel number is 055-260-89-32. Doubles with bath are80-110 euros.
Mark Williams <email>
USA 01/08/03

new ticket cost
I was in Florence in October but forgot to say the church of Santa Croce now charges 3 euro to enter the church. As you are facing the church go around to the left to the small ticket window. It's certainly worth the 3 euro but just wanted you to not be surprised.
Virginia Lindsey <email>
Hillsboro, OR USA 12/19/02

Soggiorno Pezzati Alessandra
We just returned from Florence where we stayed two nights at Soggiorno Pezzati Alessandra, a place we found through Rick's guidebook. After booking I found a review online that blasted the place (and Rick for recommending it) but we decided to stick with Rick's recommendation. Big mistake!!

There was no "warm and friendly staff", in fact, there was no staff at all. We were greeted by a maid, who seemed very nice but spoke no English. She asked for payment for the two nights immediately and we paid in cash. After spending five minutes in the room it was obvious that the street noise was outrageous. I asked for another room or a refund and was told that I had to return in a couple of hours and speak to Alessandra herself, who is only there for a brief time each day as this is not her real job.

On returning and speaking to Alessandra I was shown the room next door, which was equally as loud. Deciding that sleep was an essential element of our stay in Florence, I asked for my money back and we would seek other accomodations. Alessandra refused and told me that I should have requested a quiet room when I made my reservation if that's what I wanted. I then asked if we could pay for one night and leave and she again refused, saying that she couldn't make any money if she did things like that.

We decided to stay and hope there would be less noise at night. Wrong again. It seems that the street alongside the River Arno, one street over, is one way and this little street is the main thoroughfare going in the opposite direction. It is very narrow, cobblestone and is lined on both sides with four or five story buildings, creating a noisy little valley below our windows. Add to this the fact that there is a bus stop directly in front of the rooms and the buses screech to a stop and then accelerate in a cloud of diesel about thirty feet from our windows and you have a recipe for a long, sleepless night.

Sorry, Rick, but you missed the mark badly on this one. We spent the night discussing the book burning party we were going to have in front of our fireplace as soon as we got home. The only attraction to this place is that it's cheap but I promise you we wouldn't stay there if it was free the next time we go to Florence.

Alex Baker <email>
Mandeville , La USA 12/03/02

Odd experience at Hotel Bellettini
I just got back from 2 weeks in Italy, including a stay at the Hotel Bellettini in Florence. It was fine, except for a bizarre interchange with the head desk clerk, which I had to work hard to not let ruin my stay.

I was sitting in the lobby when another American guest went over to ask her to change a museum reservation to an earlier time. Gina, the hotel employee, told her it would cost 3 Euros a piece as a "tax." The guest was a bit surprised, but asked her to call and see if it was possible. I offered to take one of her tickets so she could save 3 Euros since I needed a ticket anyway. Gina went ballistic, and started yelling at us. She was really offended I had offered to "cheat" her and her country out of 3 Euros. "This isn't like the US!" she kept saying. I kept apologizing and said I was only trying to help, I didn't mean anything negative towards her.

Later I realized it was a hotel service charge, not a "tax" and went back to apologize again, saying I had misunderstood. Gina would not talk to me, or make eye contact, and that lasted the whole 5 days I was there. If it weren't for the other very gracious staff, I may have left. I made sure to check out the night before because I didn't want to have to do business with her. Sure enough, after breakfast, when she finished checking me out, she was ice and obviously hoped I would never return.

I have traveled a fair amount, and have NEVER experienced anything but positive connections with staff. This was a really unsettling thing for me, and it makes it really hard to know what to do about recommending this place. Rick Steves uses this hotel all the time; one of his groups was there at the same time. But I felt compelled to share my experience with others.

Lucky Hollander <email>
Portland, ME USA 11/25/02

Florence- to love or not to love?
Florence is one of the most incredible cities in the world. Yes, the art is fantastic and there is so much of it to be seen in just two square miles. There are also many fabulous trattorie, gelateri, and the Ponte Vecchio is stupendous. Trash? I saw no more than I would see on any U.S. street. One of the glorious things about Italy in general is the people. Gli Italiani e molto simpatico. They don't spend their evenings sitting in from of a television, they are out in the world living life as it should be lived. Perhaps some Americans are just too used to the plain vanilla suburbs and super strip malls. I will continue to hold Firenze close to my heart along with the many other Italian cities I have vistied.
C Keathley
Clayton , MO USA 11/20/02

Bed and Breakfast
B&B " Il Poggiollo " We recently had the opportunity to stay in a beautiful bed and breakfast on a olive grove. It was wonderful! The bedroom was large and decorated very tastefully.We had a private bath and a kitchenette was also included. Breakfast was delicious and bountiful. We had a beautiful view overlooking Tuscany. Our hostess was very friendly and helpful. We give this B&B our absolute highest recommendation. Mike and Christine Aurora, Canada
Christine and Mike Valentini <email>
Aurora, On. Canada 11/19/02

tracking Michelangelo
I took Rick's suggestion of reading "The agony and the ecstasy" before coming to Italy. I had finished most of it prior to arriving in Rome and Florence. The incredible story of Michelangelo's life, starting at age 15, the interaction with the Medici's, various Popes, his own family, and the various political players at the time made the entire renaissance really come alive for me for the first time. I had seen the film years ago, but it only represented 4 years of a 89 year life.

I was so excited to read about the painting of a fresco in a church I could go to, the descriptions of various marble carvings he had worked on, then seeing them at the Casa Buonarroti, Bargello, St Peter's, etc. He should not be judged by David alone. In the back of the book, there is a list of all of Michelangelo's art (paintings, frescos, and statues), and exactly where each are located. This all allowed me to thoroughly enjoy Italy so much more this time.

Virginia Lindsey <email>
Hillsboro, or USA 11/19/02

Florence & Siena
Florence: Hotel Machiavelli between Mercato Central and Train station (great location & very convenient to station) was clean, quiet, roomy with excellent staff and a most pleasant place to stay. Several fine meals at Trattorias on Via Faenza- Trattoria da Guido at Via Faenza, 34-R and several adjacent Trattorias- these are just around the corner from hotel.

Phone number to reserve tickets for Uffizi was most helpful.

Siena: Hotel Athena was excellent-large room, helpful staff, clean and quiet. Excellent meals at Osteria Nonna Gina (our Siena favorite- great food with good prices- ate there twice) and Trattoria La Tellina, a bit pricier, but good. Great, quick by the slice pizza at the White Horse (Blanco Cavalli ?spelling)- ate there twice. PS- appreciated the laundromat tip!

Sue & Jim Eltringham <email>
Prescott, AZ USA 11/14/02

Italy
We travel to Europe, usually Italy, once or twice a year and have done so since before Rick wrote his first book. The main reason we use his books is because as experienced travelers we know how accurate and dependable his information is, hotels and restaurants included. If you don't use his books, whatever your age or experience, you aren't traveling intelligently. Of course, extremely negative comments usually tell you more about the complainer than the thing complained about, but even so I hate to see a great country like Italy and it's people maligned. YOUR modern world was invented in Firenze, a city recognized as the greatest repository of art in the world. Roma has been and still is the center of the modern civilized world. All roads still lead to Roma and even with the trash TOURIST leave you can see the exact spot that is Mile Zero. Roma perfected what Greece discovered then Firenze gave it new birth. But all is not the past in Italy. The Italians today are the world's design experts. Whether it is cars, clothes or kitchen utensils, it was probably designed in Milano. (And if not, probably in Scandanavia, not the US) Americans are so insular they cannot see that most things, even mundane articles like toothpaste or floor tiles, are made as well or better in Europe. If America is the greatest country in the history of the world, and I believe it is, it is because the Europeans who came here made it so. Filthy? You mean like New York? Yeah, the Italians are a bit messy. When they finish inventing the modern world maybe they'll get around to sweeping up a bit.
Charles M. Luther <email>
Katy, TX USA 11/05/02

Italy for art lovers only
These hotels were clean and adequate: Gerber-Rome, Accademia-Florence, Cannon Di Oro- Siena, Hotel campiello-Venice. But Italy is for art lovers. The cities themselves except Venice were delapidated, run down and filthy. Italy as a whole is poorly developed and run down compared to other European countries. The Metros are filthy and sanitation is poor. So called modern building construction is the ugliest I ever saw and the scenery in the surrounding hill country is drab compared to Switzerland or Spain.

Venice was so clean, even the water. I enjoyed the art in the Venice Accademaia over Florence. Careful with open shoes, we saw discarded syringes on the streets in Rome. The grounds and areas around the sights are so poorly kept up in Florence and Rome that you wouldn't go in if you didn't know that there were masterpieces in them, including the Vatican Museum which is a horrible structure and St.Peter's Square. So dirty.

Marie
Verona, NJ USA 11/05/02

Italy trains and Florence Hotels
My husband and I are in Florence right now. This is our first time in Italy and the first thing we were surprised about was the trains! Nowhere does it talk about the fact that even if you buy a first class ticket, you may not get a seat, much less a standing spot on a train! It is crazy! People were standing in the WC! :)

We stayed one night at the Hotel Belletini. It was wonderful. The bed was our most comfortable yet - we have been traveling for 2 months already. The internet is free and the people are great. The breakfast is also above par!

We are now staying in a place called 'Alter Ego.' It is an additon to the Belletini that is about a ten minute walk from the Duomo. It is quiet and clean and CHEAP. Only $65 Euro for private bath and 2 people with bfast. We thought we were left with $80 shared bath so we really felt lucky. :) Florence is great so far!!

Mari Stevens <email>
Seattle, WA USA 11/01/02

Viva Firenze!!
Just returned home from a two week trip to Italy that started in Lake Como (see comments in that section) and then to Florence. I stayed at Pensione Bretagna and I fully recommend it. Located just perfectly on the Arno River just a block and bridge away from the Ponte Vecchio. What views from the lobby and dining room windows!!

The rooms were just okay but I had the largest with a lovely private bath. the staff was friendly and the breakfast bountiful. Rick suggests breakfast out, but the convenience factor alone makes waking up to cappacino in your hotel to tempting to miss. The lobby and artwork in this hotel is wonderful. Make sure you make reservations for the Uffizi and Acccademia in advance as I did. I went right in watching the stupid people (Ricks term, not mine) stand in line. It does cost a few euros more however. 'David' was spectacular. No pictures allowed. Visit the Boboli Gardens at the Pitti Palace (best views in city).

Visted the San Croce church where tombs of many famous people are (MichaelAngelo, Galileo, Marconi, and a memorial to Dante!!) I climbed to the top of Giottos Tower. Total mayhem. There were no traffic police. As the climb got narrower, traffic was going both ways. They should do as others allowing a few up, then a few down. Took a side trip to Pisa, and as Rick suggests, stay briefly then leave. Had made a reservation on-line for the tower and I am glad I did. I just made it in time and the lines were long. People without reservations has to wait at least two hours!! Nothing to do in Pisa for two hours although their Duomo was among the most beautiful in Italy. The climb to the top of the Tower is mostly hype but I had to do it. Back to Florence and dinner in Oltrarno, very lively but more crowded than Rick suggests. I am glad I did not stay on that side.

Mitchell Grant <email>
Coconut Creek, FL USA 10/25/02

Hotel Enza
We stayed at the Hotel Enza in Florence namely because of the Rick Steves recommendation. The staff was helpful but the rooms were below standard for the 94 Euro price. The shower had a build up of black mold, throughout. The bedding was old and smelled. My daughter received numerous Bed Bug bites over her face from the pillows. There also was a great deal of road construction outside the door creating lots of noise starting at 7:00 I would not recommend this hotel.
Shawn Bilak <email>
Conyers , GA USA 10/22/02

Pendini
We have stayed at the Pendini many times and the staff has always put themselves out for us. They have all been wonderful and considerate. As far as the shower...if you've traveled in Italy, that's the way many showers are. 150 Euro is not much money for a hotel in the that area of Florence. It's a great hotel and a bargain
Ann <email>
NYC, USA 10/21/02

Hotel Pendini
Staying at Hotel Pendini is a total disappointment. I have to diagree with Rick that it is a "very well run" hotel. Front desk is generally under staffed and there is always a wait. The elevator broke down twice during the 3 days we were there. Male staff is definitely more friendly and efficient than the female ones. The room looks nothing like the picture in the website except the wallpaper and the brass bed. They charge Euro 150 a night and you get garage-sale-quality furniture. Forget about a bath tub - you only get a shower head coming out of the wall and a drain on the bathroom floor! I can't understand why this hotel is so popular. Poor value for your money. If I ever go back to Florence, I rather stay at a 2-star property and pay much less. At least, I won't be expecting too much.
Sebastian Dupree <email>
Fort Worth, TX USA 10/19/02

Florence
Two notable graves not listed in Rick's Florence guide: Jacopo Peri in Santa Maria Novella, wrote the first opera, "Euridice." And a plaque (may be a memorial or grave?) for Marconi in Santa Croce. We liked the Science Museum too, but it could use some English language labeling and some interactive working models.
nancy vanbrundt <email>
evanston, IL USA 10/16/02

florence
My husband and I used Rick's Florence book for several days last month. I'd read about the statue/painting/architecture as we roamed through the Uffizi, the Bargello, and L'Accademio. Enjoyed two white-truffle dishes at Camillo Trattoria in Oltrarno, and loved the food at Da Benci. For those of you who don't want to rent a car, we found a great driver (not guide). Stefano Giusti handled our transfer from Pisa airport to our Florence hotel and drove us (on two trips) to San G, Greve in Chianti, Siena, and Montalcino. We were free to taste the wine and enjoy the countryside. And, I got to practice my very limited Italian with this patient, patient man.
fran destefano <email>
Sewell, nj USA 10/11/02

Florence sights
I visited Italy in early Sept., including 4 nights in Florence. There were surprisingly small lines at both the Accademia and the Uffizi. But the big hidden gem was the Science museum (which Rick gives no stars for). If you have just one scientific bone in your body, this museum is the greatest. Pre-Columbus maps of the world, post-Columbus maps, models of the universe, telescopes, microscopes, Van de Graaff generators, the inclined planes that Galileo used to show that heavier objects do NOT fall faster than lighter ones, thermometers, compasses, sextants -- the list is long! Half the fun is figuring out what the various instruments did and how they worked. The staff also demonstrates how some of the items work. One of the more interesting exhibits was a series of plastic models of a baby in the womb, illustrating the various ways it could come out incorrectly. Some of the models had a surgeon's hand, indicating the way to fix the problem. The museum is a walk through 400+ years of science, a refreshing change of pace from the art and sculpture of the nearby Uffizi, Pitti Palace, and Accademia. Even if you are not into science, just looking at the design of the tools is fascinating -- as my sister-in-law (an artist) often said while pointing to a tool, "It's so pretty!" Have fun at this place!
Donald Chinn <email>
Tacoma, WA USA 09/30/02

Hotel and Private Tuscan Tour
We had a difficult time getting into the hotels recommended by Rick so ended up with Mario's B&B (in Karen Brown's book). If you have a little extra $$ this hotel is worth the splurge (160 Euro per night). Located 2 blocks from train station. The best thing about this place was the private tour we schedule with Mario before arriving. We only had 6 days to see Florence and Cinque Terre and wanted to get a taste of Tuscany too. Mario took us on an all day PRIVATE (just the two of us) tour. We got to choose where we wanted to go and what we wanted to do. You also get the Italian perspective on everything from politics to putting parmesan on pasta! www.hotelmarios.com The tour cost 120.00 Euro per person, but is worth every penny. Also, we made reservations for the museums via www.weekendafirenze.com. This service allows you to prepay for your tickets AND you don't have to wait in the reservation line.
Ed and Chantal <email>
Pasadena, CA USA 09/29/02

Florence: Climb the Stairs to the Top of the Duomo
Rick's right, it's worth it! The 423 step route is long and tight. The walkway around the inside of the base of the dome is so tight one person can't pass another (unlike the similar walkway at the base of the dome of St. Peters at the Vatican -- a shorter [with elevator start] climb) but the view is tremendous and even the climb up is a group activity as people in a handful of different languages encourage each other: "How much farther?" "Surely we'll get there soon" "What did she say? I don't speak French?" "She said 357 steps so far. She's counting!"
Greg Cable <email>
Charlotte, NC USA 09/24/02

Ufizzi: Huge Crowds
The Ufizzi is certainly a must do in Florence for the art it contains. I was surprised at the immese crowds (weekday, mid-September). We reserved ahead (011 39 055-294-883) and after having our names checked at the front, we went right in. Meanwhile, huge tour groups were entering and crossing behind the entrance area.

Many tour groups were so large (50+) their leader carried a microphone and short-range transmitter and the group members wore headphones tuned in to their guides remarks. While the U-shaped hallway that connects all the rooms was not super crowded there were rope guided lines routing people through several of the popular rooms and lines waiting to file through.

Expect also to see all "headliners"and many other works behind thick and unfortunately reflective glass. None of this should be construed as "don't go," just expect the possibility of crowds and the certainty of glass.

Finally, the only Ufizzi toilets are at the end of the 'U' as is the cafe. If you want to start there no matter, you can follow the hall there then go back to the first room you want to visit. Book update: Cappucino Sep '02 was €4.50 The Academia did not seem as crowded.
Greg Cable <email>
Charlotte, NC USA 09/24/02

Florence
Thanks to those of you recommending the trattoria Baldovino, near St. Croce Church. It was my best meal in Europe -- carbonara, Florentine steak & panna cotto with berries. Stayed at Bellittini, which had great location and hospitality. And, including the breath-taking Duomo, makes me want to return to Florence next spring.
Carol
Hudson, IL USA 09/12/02

Hotel Bellentini
Had reservations at the Hotel Bellentini after reading recommendations from several books. It could not have been better. Very friendly and help people. Very reasonable. Great value.
Judy Byrne <email>
Mobile, AL USA 09/03/02

Hotel Globus - Florence
This past July we went to Florence, Italy for a conference, we stayed at Hotel Globus, very close to the train station. It used to be a 1 star hotel, now its a 3 star but it has nothing to envy those 4 and 5 star hotels. Staff was helpful and very nice, the hotel has just been renovated and the rooms are unbelievable. It is very close to the Duomo, which was convenient and a couple of blocks from the main train station. Hotel Globus is definitely the place to stay in Florence.
David <email>
Miami, FL USA 08/28/02

Accademia & Florence Hotel
I arrived at the Accademia 10 minutes before it opened and was the 2nd person in line. I was almost alone in the place for about 30 minutes. I stayed at Soggiorno Magliani which was great. I had actually stayed there 8 years ago and was surprised that it was still in the book. The place is spotless, the owners are very nice and it is inexpensive.
Jeff <email>
Miami Beach, FL USA 08/27/02

Museum Reservations
Making prior reservations for Florence's museums is not the ultimate time-saver you might expect. Reservations have become so popular that the line for people WITH reservations is VERY long. Here's another idea: Get up early and arrive at the Uffizi BEFORE it opens. That way you're one of the first in with a minimum of wait. As you're buying your ticket, ALSO purchase a ticket for three hours or so later at the Accademia (you pay an extra small fee for this, just as you would for having a reservation). When you arrive at the Accademia, you skip BOTH lines because you ALREADY HAVE A TICKET. Just walk in at your ticketed time with no wait.
Freckle Face
Portland, OR, USA 08/06/02

Florence not what we expected
We found Florence to be the dirtiest and most congested of the larger cities. (Even Rome and Milan were cleaner and friendlier) So, if you're not into art, I'd suggest skipping this city. We stayed at the Althea across the Arno River. It was clean, quiet. The rooms are very basic with mismatched furniture, private bath and TV. Luigi speaks no English, but just a little basic Italian goes along way. He is a very kind man. You can book rooms thru the Bretagna Hotel site for the Althea. A double room was 70 euro/night (no breakfast, cafes nearby, Luigi has a community refrigerator you can use)
Catherine <email>
St. Paul, MN USA 07/24/02

Tours Around Tuscany
I second Steve's comments about Gianni and his "Tours Around Tuscany". My daughter and I spent two wonderful days with him, spending time in many small villages that we would not have known existed otherwise...and great lunches in simple osteria with perhaps 5-6 tables and great simple menus, in towns with maybe 20 residents. He was very receptive to any requests we had to visit specific places that we knew about and was delighted that we showed him some new "back doors"....www.toursaroundtuscany.com.
Ken Rush <email>
Dallas, TX USA 07/23/02

Residenza Dei Pucci
We had 6 couples stay there for two nights. Good Points: excellent location, good price, clean rooms, renovated bathrooms. However note: Manager on premises only during the day, breakfast minimal, no elevator. Overall good experience and I would definitely recommend with the above caveats.
Roy <email>
St. Louis, MO USA 06/27/02

Train ticket reservation in Florence
In Florence, instead of doing your train ticket reservation at the American Express office, you might want to try to use the CIT office which is fairly close to the train station instead. We learned it the hard way after spending 40 mins or so waiting in line at the Amex office to reserve our seats, only to walk pass a nearly-empty CIT office on our way to the station.
Connie Chan <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA 06/08/02

Residenza Dei Pucci
Contrary to Todd's praise for Dei Pucci, we do not agree. If you arrive after their 'office-hours, 8pm', plan on sleeping on the steps of the Duomo. We witnessed a lovely family who arrived at 8:15pm (that's after phoning at 7:15pm and receiving a verbal confirmation) and they were simply out of luck. I've never heard of a hotel where the desk is open only 11 out of 24 hours (without even a phone contact after hours). This is the place to stay if you want instant coffee and shrink-wrapped crossants-yuck (this is available 24 hours a day!)
Mary Chou <email>
boston, ma USA 05/27/02

Hotel Bellettini, Florence
While in Florence we stayed at Hotel Bellettini, one of Rick's recommendations. As advised by Rick, we claimed our discount not only via email, but also upon check-in with Sabrina, who assured us that all was fine. An absolutely lovely hotel, very friendly & helpful staff all around...UNTIL! While checking out, we re-confirmed our discount and both Claude & (frisky?) Gina became quite irate that we had NOT mentioned our Rick Steves discount! (How many times did we need to say it?) This was a most unpleasant end to an otherwise rewarding stay. Hopefully, the hotel can find a way to organize the discount process in the future to avoid this problem. Both proprietors were a bit too quick to argue about this, and it was embarrassing, as others were waiting to check out as well. Sabrina made our reservations for the Uffizi and Accademia, along with helping with other matters; she's a treasure at Hotel Bellettini!
Carol Curry <email>
Lake Helen, FL USA 05/24/02

Residenza dei Pucci
In Florence, we stayed in Residenza dei Pucci (Via dei Pucci 9; 50122 Firenze; http://residenzapucci.interfree.it, Tel: 55-281886, Fax: 55-264314, residenzapucci@interfree.it). (It is recommended in Rick Steve’s book, and they give you a discount if you have Rick’s book.) It was wonderful! The room and the bathroom were rather large (by Italian standards), and they were decorated very tastefully and elegantly. I give this hotel my absolute highest recommendation. We could even see the top of the Duomo if we leaned out our window. However, if you want a queen-sized bed, you have to specifically request it. I requested “a double for me and my new wife – we will be on our honeymoon”, and they ended up giving us a room with two single beds. They said a double is 2 single beds and that I should have requested a room with a queen-sized bed! Strangely, I did not have this problem at any other hotel, even though I requested a double at every hotel.

As Rick says, definitely make reservations to go to the Uffizi and to the Galleria dell’ Accademia (to see Michelangleo’s statue of David). You can make reservations for both at: (Italy) 055-294883. You tell them the day and time you want to be there, and they put you on the list and give you a confirmation number. You show up, and your name is on the list.

The San Lorenzo Market just north of the Duomo (near the Residenza dei Pucci) has good deals on leather. We bought a woman’s leather jacket for 130 Euros. At some stalls you need to haggle, while other vendors just open with a pretty reasonable price. Definitely look around for a leather jacket, though. Price and quality do not necessarily correlate, and you can get a good feel for what prices really are by looking at quite a few places before you buy. One place quoted us over 300 Euros for basically the same jacket we bought for 130!
Todd Whitehurst <email>
Frazier Park, CA USA 05/22/02

Internet Cafe in Florence
Just wanted to reccomend a great restaurant that had great food and prices and was also an internet caffe. Caffe Internet Caruso at 14 Via Lambertesca. Just one block from Uffizi and one block from Ponte Vechio in Florence. Was in Florence for a month last summer and ate there and used internet daily. Naples style decor. English speaking owner is most hospitable.
Cecilia <email>
Chillicothe, Oh USA 05/22/02

Hotel Accademia
I enjoyed my stay at the Hotel Accademia in Florence. My room was very clean and quiet. I had to walk down the hall to use the bathroom. But I believe most other rooms have private baths so I have never seen anyone else use the bathroom down the hall. It is also very clean. Enrico, who is at the front desk in the afternoon, speaks good English and is just adorable. He was eager to help me with all sorts of tourist information, such as making reservations at museums and restaurants. Within two blocks of the hotel are a couple of internet cafes, a laundromat, a wine bar and a number of restaurants. I will definitely consider staying here again.
Amy <email>
Oakland, CA USA 05/05/02

Siena
Siena provides a nice break from the crowds in Florence that quickly exhausts you. The trick for me was to explore and get lost just like I did in Venice and let the signs bring me back to the main square when I am done exploring. I enjoyed finding various vista points to enjoy the beautiful Tuscan scenery from Siena. Therefore, I love your recommendation of the Cathedral Museum. I also hiked to Fortezza Medica, which was not mentioned in your guidebook. I enjoyed it very much since it also offers great views. Along the way to the fortress, I saw locals relaxing, couples strolling and young girls sunbathing in the park. It is not too far from the bus station and is worth the stroll if the weather is fine.
Amy <email>
Oakland, CA USA 05/05/02

Florence Museum Tours
I visited Florence two years ago and if you tell me there are more tourists there now I would have said that’s not possible. But it happened. If you visit the Giotto’s Tower or the Medici Chapels in the middle of the day these days, expect to stand in line for awhile. While you suggest making reservations for the Uffizi and maybe the Accademia, I would suggest making reservations for those museums that are on your “really want to see” list, especially if you plan to see it in the middle of the day. It is the same phone number and you can make all the reservations in one phone call. If there is no line when you show up, then pretend you did not make a reservation to avoid paying the reservation fee. But if there is a line, then you have the option of paying 1.55 euros to skip the line. As usual, I like your guided museum tours, especially the one for the Medici Chapels. I also enjoyed Museum of San Marco and the Duomo Museum very much. The Science Museum tour, on the other hand, was difficult for me to follow. The exhibits were not laid out in numerical order and it was difficult for me to find some of the exhibits mentioned in your tour. In the next edition, I would like to see a more extended Oltrarno Walk. This appears to be an area worth exploring beyond the main drag that you covered in your walking tour. I believe most of your fans will appreciate a guide to the less touristy part of Florence.
Amy <email>
Oakland, CA USA 05/05/02

Tuscany Tours
I forgot to mention in my prior e-mail the FANTASTIC tour of Southern Tuscany we had through Tours Around Tuscany (www.toursaroundtuscany.com). Our guide, Gianni, spoke superb English and, more importantly, was incredibly enthusiastic and passionate about the beautiful and (for the most part) off-the beaten path Tuscan hilltowns he showed to us. It was definitely the highlight of our time in Florence. Although it is not inexpensive (150 Euro per person), he picked us up outside Florence, drove us in his van all over southern Tuscany (the red itinerary) and paid for a scrumptious lunch for all of us. The tours our limited to 5-6 people, so you may him all to yourselves (as we did). Be sure to book well in advance b/c these tours are very popular. Our only regret is that we asked him to substitute San Gimignano for some of the other stops. Although San Gimignano is a magical place in the evening when the crowds are gone, it was very crowded in the morning and it killed a lot of time that would have been better spent in some less touristy places. Enjoy!
Steve Heinen <email>
Tulsa, OK USA 04/08/02

Pensione Abaco, etc.
Just got back. Stayed at Pensione Abaco, right near the Duomo. Great location, but cigarette smoke drove us crazy there. If smoke bothers you, don't stay there. If I go back, I'll try to stay a little further from the action--maybe in the Oltrarno area. Medici Chapel was a rip-off. Great little Ristorante/Pizzaria almost next door to Pensione Abaco called La Griglia. It was expensive to get in and everything was covered with scaffolding and many of the more famous sculptures had been removed for restoration. Skip climbing the dome and go up the Campanile (like Rick suggests) instead. MUCH less crowded (I was up and back down before my friends even got inside the Duomo) and you get a great view of the Duomo. Heart of Florence (and Rome) was so crowded (even in off-season) that I plan to spend my future trips to Italy in the smaller towns.
Steve Heinen <email>
Tulsa, OK USA 03/27/02

hotel in Florence
Hotel Torre Guelfa, is Florence, was a terrific find. 50 meters or so from the Ponte Vecchio, it is in the tallest private building in Florence, with an incredible view of the city from it tower balcony. Clean, with a helpful staff, it was heaven...
David Goodnick <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA 03/16/02

HIDDEN FLORENCE
Florence is the Most beautiful of the "major" Cities that I have been to in Italy(Rome, Venice, Florence not yet Naples).The problem is the Large Sea of American tourists that engulf you and always seem to be going the opposite direction as you. However I discovered something. All of the tourists are using the same map. Yeah, they didn't all get it from the same place but it covers the exact same area. What I mean is every tourist map covers one little grid area if Florence. Florence is huge but these cleverly designed, free maps keep all the tourists congregated in to one area. Do this - LEAVE THE DESIGNATED GRID - and there you will find the hidden Florence - the one that is inhabited by locals. And tourist will be far and few between.
Lloyd Hanebury <email>
Tulsa, OK USA 03/04/02