For one thing, Florence is a great place to find marbled paper and stationary. There's a chain store called Il Papiro which is okay, but across the Arno River from Centro there are a few shops where they make the paper, and you can dig through piles of the stuff. I bought a beautiful handbound leather book in a bookstore near the street Purgatorio, but that was 10 years ago, and I can't remember the name, sorry!

Make sure you always go around the back sides of all the famous churches--they're just as lovely as the fronts and less touristy! And if you have time, take the bus to Fiesole, where you can see Villa de Medici, the Medici summer home and gardens. They are amazing!

there is also a lovely antiques district in Florence, any guide book can tell you where it is located. i found it inspirational to just roam the back streets of the city and the smaller markets.

if you can do it, stop in Siena. the main square where they hold the Palio is inspirational as is the Catherdral.

Don't know where you're staying, but check out the Loggiato dei Serviti, a small hotel in a former monastery located in the Piazza della Santissima Annunziata. You'll feel like you've died and gone to heaven!

Its not design, but...please, please stop in at Borgo http://www.borgovino.com/, just around the corner from for the San Lorenzo market. I got the most amazing fresh pressed olive oil, local wine and unreal balsalmic vinegar.

My sister and I shared one of the best meals of our lives in Florence when we celebrated Thanksgiving by going to Il Latini. They sent us out the door stuffed but happy, with money left in our pockets, and with a bottle of the house red as a souvenir. Highly recommended!

We also enjoyed the Medici Chapel- there is a strange underground space where you can see pencil sketches by Michelangelo on the walls.

Cool! We were just there!

The best thing we did in Florence was have a Bistecco Fiorentina -- it is a small out-of-the-way little family-run restaurant (mom and pop cook, sons wait and bus tables). The only tourists in there were those brought by their in-town tour guides (overheard at lunch "Everyone claims to make Bistecco Fiorentino, but at the other places, you barely recognize it. This is the only authentic place in town.") As my husband said "GOD this puts Alberta beef to shame!!!". Best steak of our lives, bar none.

I'll dig up the name and address for you. (If you go, could you please take pictures of the art on the walls? I meant to, but somehow didn't. They are very cool decoupages.)

Another great thing we did was go every morning to a neighbourhood coffee joint for our cappucino and pastries. It put Starbucks to shame! The coffee is awesome (so are the pastries), and it is wonderful to watch the locals -- how they great each other at the bar, eat, drink and run, how they order prosecco at 9 am...

There was one exhibit I particularly wanted to see -- maybe you can catch it:

Palazzo Medici: 29 outfits from Court of Lorenzo il Magnifico recreated in paper from contemporary paintings by Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave; until June 14

There's a town just after Strada-in-Chianti famous for it's tiles. It has a wonderful piazza and you won't regret going even for a second. Just head toward Greve-in-chianti. You'll see it on the right.

"You can tell I'm excited by all my typos!!" she types ruefully...

One of the best meals I've ever had was a La Gironda in Florence. It gets a 27 from Zagat, so it's not what you'd call undiscovered, but it is intimate, and the food is remarkable.

Florence is extremely touristy, but within the city center the least touristy areas are going to be on the south side of the Arno River (the Oltrarno). It is more residential but is still in the historical area of the city. The Boboli Gardens and Palazzo Pitti are a big attraction but worth it, as is Pizzale Michelangelo (a great view of the city especially at sunset). A great walking trip is to take Via di San Leonardo from Forte Belvedere (the backside of the Boboli Gardens) to the main road encircling the city (Viale Michelangelo) and then head toward Piazzale Michelangelo stopping at the Basilica di San Miniato al Monte (beautiful Romanesque church, my favorite church in Florence) the monks do Gregorian chanting around 4 (you might want to double check the time), and then head to Piazzale Michelangelo for sunset. The best, most "local" restaurants are on the south side of the river as well. Borgo Antico is a nice little place off the Piazze di Santo Spirito.

On the main side of the river I recommend: Mercato Centrale, Palazzo Strozzi, Palazzo Medici Riccardi, L'Ospedale d'innoccenti, and Palazzo Davanzati. And for coffee hit up the Roberto Cavalli Giacosa Bar, right next to the Roberto Cavalli store, they have amazing macchiato and pastries and it is a great place to people watch/fashion watch. Gilli is also good, but more touristy, their "chocolato caldo" (hot chocolate) is to die for. And of course, get gelato everyday and try as many different kinds as possible.

Siena is a must -- the main piazza is one of the most beautiful anywhere. And be sure to go to nearby Monteriggioni -- a tiny little walled village -- a little storybook town come to life (and it's one little restaurant is magnificent -- best homemade ravioli EVER!)

Hmm -- poked around and it seems that Monteriggioni has become a bit more "developed" since I was there -- but the restaurant I recall is Il Pozzo.

A couple must stops outside of Florence:

Villa Bordoni in Chianti - a beautiful old home now a B&B run by the nicest folks ever. Really lovely property and they make you feel like you are the only guests around. We stopped for lunch and it was fantastic.

Panzanello Winery in Chianti - the folks from Villa Bordoni sent us here for a tasting. The winery is small but they make very nice wines and the most delicious olive oil I have ever tasted. I think about going back to Italy just to get more of it.

San Gimignano - an old Tuscan town surrounded by stone walls and forts. Go late in the afternoon and wander around until twilight. It's romantic and fascinating!

In Florence: I would skip Boboli Gardens. We were there last year and it wasn't very well kept, and not much of interest to see. But down the street from there is a little museum: Museum of Zoology and Natural History "La Specola". mainly for kids, but really fun, and a nice break from all the architecture and religious art you'll spend most of your time seeing.

I wasn't in Florence, but I did just get back from a week in Italy. I went to Lucca, the Cinque Terre, and Lake Como, and highly recommend all three. The town of Lucca is lovely, with the intact medieval wall surrounding the old city. Corniglia was my favorite of the Cinque Terre towns, and Varenna was my favorite on Lake Como.

No specific recommendations, but one of the things that struck me most was how much gardening went on in the tiniest of spaces--everything from windowsills and front stoops, to balconies and rooftop terraces, to tiny slices of backyard next to the train tracks. It was wonderful and inspirational!

As for the food--I never ate anything that wasn't delicious! And the gelato....mmmmmmm!

For THE best Gelati visit a gelateria on the corner of Lungamo Delle Grazie & the Ponte Alle Grazie (bridge adjacent to the Ponte Vecchio). They have 1e gelati and it is OH SO GOOD!

We did a bike ride from the city up the Viale Michelangiolo which took us past some beautiful houses. You reach the lookout over Florence where there are stunning views!

We were just there for two weeks so I know you'll have a wonderful time!

The Abbey of San Antimo is a beautiful and beautifully-situated romanesque church 9 km from Montalcino. The monks also conduct a daily Gregorian chant that is not to be missed.

If you are interested in doing a wine tour, we had a wonderful tour from a local woman who is very knowledgeable and accomodating. At her suggestion, we bipassed Chianti in favor of Montalcino and enjoyed one of the most memorable days of our trip. http://www.greve-in-chianti.com/angela.htm

*The* best place for bistecca Fiorentina is:

Ristorante del Fagioli
Corso Tintori, 47/r (closed Sundays and holidays)

And don't miss Grom, which is just near the Campanile!

(btw: we loved our brief visit to Modena, which is very untouristy in comparison, but with GREAT food!)

p.s. we stayed in a villa on Viale Michelangelo, so the coffee place was at the bottom, near the bridge.

Sorry, I meant La Giostra, not La Gironda.

I lived in Florence for four months last year and discovered that even though many sites are touristy, I stumbled upon a number of intimate and beautiful places.

Casa del Vino, on Via del'Ariento, sells the cheapest and most wonderful sandwiches and wine. I spent many lunches there chatting and getting to know one of the owners, Nicoletta. It is very local, and is behind all of the street carts at the San Lorenzo market. It is the one place I recommend to anyone traveling to Florence.

Gelateria dei Neri has the most divine Fig and Ricotta gelato.

I agree with anatomically, San Miniato al Monte has, in my opinion, some of the best views of Florence.

Museo Marino Marini has phenomenal modern and contemporary art, as does the Pecci Museum of Contemporary Art in Prato, about 20 minutes outside of Florence.

Pitti Vintage is a nice store across the Arno on Sdrucciolo dei Pitti.

Popcafe in Piazza Santo Spirito has a great, and mostly vegetarian, aperitivo in the evenings.

Mario's, behind the central market, is a popular local lunch spot during the week and has communal seating, so you never know who you'll end up next to. A friend of mine and I ended up having Carnivale dinner with a famous maskmaker named Agostino Dessi because of Mario's. His store is on Via Faenza. It's fascinating.

La Specola, the natural history museum of Florence, is a nice walk over the Arno, and was practically empty when I went there with one of my professors. It's easy to miss, so just make sure you look up for the banner. If you walk a little further, there are beautiful homes and gardens all over the place.

The Bargello and Orsanmichele are also exquisite museums to visit.

A little odd, but if you take Bus 25 the the second to last stop, you'll be in a little town called Trespiano, which has an amazing, sprawling cemetery, as well as many flower shops.

I truly miss Florence. What an amazing city.

Hi I'm Francesco and I live in chianti shire.

Dont' forget Greve, Panzano, Castellina, Radda you can go there in one day by car.

www.comune.greve-in-chianti.fi.it
www.panzano.com
www.castellinainchianti.com
www.raddainchiantilife.com

Ciao

Francesco

If there was ever a place that I could pick up and move to, Firenze would be it.

When we went we stayed at Le Seggiole - a nice B&B near everything you want to do just about. It's a good central location, within walking distance from the train station. Breakfast was decent - toast & jam, cereal, juice. Something to get you going.

Trattoria Mario is awesome! When we went we sat with a local Florentine and a guy from Texas - whose wife lets him take 2 week vacations on his own! The menu changes daily - if you get there just before lunch starts you can watch them prep/cook. Keep your eyes peeled though, it's pretty easy to walk right by it.

Another place we went to a couple times was Pennello's it's not far from the B&B and had really good food. You will see tourists here, but it's worth it. We had some of our best meals there.

Festival del Gelato can't be beat for a cool treat. Though you may want to check out Vivoli too - they're world famous (but we weren't impressed, matter of taste I guess)

Firenze ukulele festival! June 26-27th! Uke-players from all over the world! It's not just Hawaiian anymore!

I highly recommend the town of Lucca for a day trip. It's a walled-in medieval city.

Also in Florence, between the Medici chapel and Mercato Centrale, there is an excellent street fair every day.

I second fgabbrielli's raves about Greve and Radda.

When you walk past Santa Croce, look for signs or ask a local for the dates of the annual Calico Tournament. It's played by locals in 15th century garb and is a pretty impressive soccer/rugby-ish game ! It's usually done in June- so hopefully you can get to it!

Make sure to check out the Boboli Gardens behind the Piti Palace. Also make sure to stop by Trattoria Za-Za, it is in the small piazza north of the central market, here is the website: http://www.trattoriazaza.it/index.html?Pagina=/news/primapagina.asp?idLingua=1&PrimaPagina=X&idSito=1
Great food and vino.
If you have time go up to Fiesole it is up in the mountains north of Firenze (Florence) and obviously check out the central market, but beware, if anyone is a vegetarian it might be too much, great for meat lovers though. produce is on second floor.
Take care! Enjoy! Its Wonderful!

I was there a few years ago and between Florence and Siena near Greve we found the house that was used in the movie "Much Ado About Nothing". It was fabulous, and had a little store to buy their vinegars and wines.

eat a gelato a day! so yummy :)

Maxwell and Sara Kate--and Ursula!
What a marvelous time to be in Italy--although it must be difficult to leave that spectacular garden, if only momentarily.
Cutting to the Firenze chase: You MUST contact Faith Willinger, the absolute guide to all things Italian, and most specifically food. Married to an Italian and a resident of Florence for 30 (?) years now, she is an author (google), teacher, guide, and larger than life personna who has introduced more journalists, adventurers and serious eaters to Italy than anyone else on the planet. Faith is a larger than life treasure as well as a dear friend. Just email her at:fwillinger@dinonet.it. Please tell her that I insisted you do this. You were meant to meet.
Buon, buon viaggio!

Suzanne Hamlin

I used to live near Florence! The Boboli Gardens are my favorite spot there and not to be missed. Truly. :)

Visit Asissi, if you can - it is such a beautiful little hill town and it gets you away from the crowds of tourists in Firenze. The best place for a quick lunch in Florence is I Fratellini - its near il centro and any local should be able to point you in the right direction. Another ancient hill town near Sienna is San Gimigniano - an excellent place to get wine as well. The central market in Florence is great but even better is Sant'Abrogio - a smaller market with fewer tourists.
If you have a day to be adventurous, rent bikes from Florence By Bike - an excellent way to see the countryside.
Have a fabulous trip - Italia is wonderful!

In the back of Santa Croce, you will find what was once probably a rectory, but is now a leather school. There are beautiful leather wallets, gloves, bags and beautiful center pieces for tables. If you just ask one of the artisans, they will engrave your initials on any piece you please in gold leaf.

Another beautiful thing to bring home from Italy is blown glass from Venice; however, it sounds like you're going to be spending most of your time in Tuscany. However, there is a beautiful glass shop near 48 Via de' Benci right off of the plaza at Santa Croce that has the most beautiful blown glass for your home. They do a great job at packing it up, and mine made it all the way to California in one piece.

Buon viaggio!

BUY BUGSPRAY IMMEDIATELY. There are these mosquito/fly- type bugs, 'midges', and they bite. No one seems to have screens in their windows in Firenze, and trust me, you will need it at night...there is also a plug in device which you can get at a local pharmacy in which you put a teeny pill that has a citronella-type effect for your room. There are many natural, eco-friendly bug repellant wipes you can get so that your not putting anything harmful on your skin.

Last one- I promise. Muskrats live along the Arno. Think ROUS from the Princess Bride. It's pretty amazing to see them along the banks! And you may smell a bit of a 'waft' throughout central Florence. It's not you and it's not your apartment, it's the city. Have a great time!!

I second the Boboli Gardens suggestion!

Chianti is quite overrated, I'd suggest a trip to Lucca and its surroundings (the Garfagnana area) instead -- especially Borgo a Mozzano and Barga.

I'm so jealous. I miss Firenze!

I also suggest San Miniato, there is a shop adjacent to the church where you can buy honey from the bees the monks keep. You have to taste it to believe how good it is. If you are lucky there will be monks singing Gregorian chants in the sunken marble chapel below the main floor.

San Lorenzo church has a beautiful walled garden that offers a bit of calm and shade in the midst of visiting the Mercato San Lorenzo. Nearby pizzaria Nuti has good pizza.

Cheap delicious eats on the go from the bakeries, fornaio in Italian, are easy to find. Pane di oliva, a small oval of bread with a green olive in the middle is my favorite.

Don't forget to hang around the palazzo in the evening eating gelato and people watching with everyone else!

One of my favorite, favorite artworks in Florence is not mentioned very often in guidebooks. It's a tiny little chapel within the Palazzo Medici-Riccardi (right in central Florence). The four walls are covered with frescos by Benozzo Gozzoli depicting the Procession of the Magi. It is a spellbinding space. Maybe 10 ft. by 10 ft. square (?), with these gorgeous paintings surrounding you.

I also second the suggestion for Sant' Antimo, outside Montalcino. A beautiful, evocative space even without music, and if you can hear some chant there, it is magical.

Go see some nice places in the countryside if you can!
25-30 km from Florence: Reggello - a pretty village (a very good friend of mine lives there ;)), Vallombrosa, with its renowned abbey and its "via crucis", a religious walk in the shade of the forest. Lovely and... cool (vall-ombrosa means shady valley). At the end of the walk there's a restaurant where I had a killer bistecca alla fiorentina.
A little further: Passo della Consuma, with its spectacular view. Go to the local shop and ask for focaccia and finocchiona.
In any case, you have to taste finocchiona somewhere if you haven't - it's a kind of soppressata con fernel seeds. Delicious.

Buon divertimento.

thanks everyone for such great suggestions! We can't do everything, but it's clear that we've a. got to get out of center of Florence to the surroundings b. got to eat a lot. :-)

I'm going to post our progress each day with pics, so you can keep up with us if you're curious.

Best, M

Oops, I meant "soppressata WITH fernel seeds" ;-)

And feNNel seeds... "Fernel" must be a crossbred fern-fennel ;-)

i studied abroad in florence last summer. i LOVE that city so much. id definitely suggest going to the medici chapel, as someone already said. its really beautiful and often over looked. dont bother going in the duomo, its pretty boring, if you are gonna go into the churches you should go to santa croce or santa maria novella. also, this is probably pretty common knowledge but the david that is outside isnt the real david. the real one is in the accademia. go explore all the little streets of oltrarno, the other side of the arno river. its where all the artisans of the city are. in school we were lucky enough to visit the artisans and watch them work and there are some amazing silver and goldsmiths, printers and paper makers, and just great little shops. just wander around and you will find something amazing. the best gelato in the whole city is right at the end of the ponte santa trinita. thats the bridge next to the ponte vecchio. trust me, my friends and i tried almost every gelateria in florence and even tho they say vivoli is the best its not. its good, but that little one across the bridge was the one we ALWAYS walked a mile each way for. im sorry i dont remember the name. if you have the time, ride a city (or tourist) bus up to fiesole. its a short drive and there are some great roman ruins up there and the views of the city are absolutely incredible.

three restaurants i have to reccomend. they are all cheap (student budgets haha) and the proprietors are so nice and the food is fabulous. the first is Antico Noe, a little sandwhich shop go to the door in the alley, dont go in to sit down. Lucca the owner is a super hottie that all the girls have a crush on hahaha and he makes the most amazing sandwhiches. get a number 4. OMG. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4866893/21/Over_The_Top

Trattoria Anita was our favorite sit down restaurant. simple and delicious tuscan food. the wait staff are so sweet and the price is just right. lunch there is awesome because you get like 3 courses for 8 bucks.
http://www.travelmuse.com/pois/IT/16/dining/trattoria-anita

Del Gatto e la Volpe (the cat and fox) is the third. another sit down restaurant with really good pizza and the most amazing vinegar i have ever had in my life. they make the vinegar themselves and you can buy a big gallon jug for 15 euros i think. my biggest regret leaving florence is not buying that vinegar. Nico, the head waiter is a complete flirt with everyone, its hilarious.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/florence/restaurants/388411

Oh Firenze! One of my favorites! I have two suggestions!

First, make time to go to the Giardino Dell'Orticoltura. You can google search "Giardina Dell'Orticoltura Firenze" and find pictures of its amazing, antique green house. And if you cross over to the other half of the garden, there is a very unique, mosaic dragon fountain that is quite the sight to be seen. Here is a link to a picture of the fountain (http://mammaamericana.typepad.com/.a/6a00e553449f47883401156f5f1814970c-800wi). This garden is an extremely relaxing place, off the beaten path (yet not too far out of the way) to spend the afternoon reading a book and laying in the grass.

Next, there is a restaurant in the La Piazza San Croce that is absolutely amazing inside! It is a mediterranean restaurant and if you are standing and looking at the Basilica, the restaurant is on your left hand side, close to the basilica, on a corner. Okay, so I can't remember the name of the restaurant (but I know it has some form of the word mediterranean in the name) but the inside of this place has to be one of the coolest places I have ever eaten. Most Americans are sat on the outdoor patio but make your way inside and its a labyrinth of rooms, each more amazing than the next. I promise you, this will not be a place you regret exploring! And the food is great too!

Lastly, I just have to say I am so jealous that you are in Florence. I have spent quite a bit of time there and have definitely left a piece of my heart in that city. You've got a lot of readers leaving their comments but whatever you do, just enjoy yourself. And if you have time during your travels, I recommend more than anything that you visit Cinque Terre on the coast. It is the most beautiful place I have ever been in my entire life.

So, umm, what happened on your first full day in Florence yesterday? We're waiting for updates... (and they second day has already begun).

- remember to photograph the collages in the Ristoranti del Fagioli !!

Italy is fab, Florence is fab...hope you get out of that American chain hotel (Marriott!!!) and see the real Italy!

In addition to what others have said Florence has fabulous fabric shops, years ago I bought gorgeous pillow covers that I still love (easy to pack!)

For a truly local and casual lunch experience try this:
Fiaschetteria/Vini Le Coste - Rufina. It’s between the Duomo and Via Tornabuoni, the street is small and runs parallel to Via Tornabuoni, off Piazza Dell’Olio. Name is on an awning. Looks like a narrow bar or deli -- no visible tables -- seating at plank wood tables is in the cellar. Meats, cheeses, crostini and soups -- very traditionally Tuscan.