Cheap Hotels Florence Tourist Attractions Tuscany and Villas for Rent<<>> Cheap hotels Florence are easier said than found although if you look in the hotel search page it is amazing what you can find. Tuscany villas for rent are another option but that is more suitable if you are doing a wider tour. My Brother in law and his family did this a few years ago. They thoroughly enjoyed it as they toured around the Italian countryside. If you were asked to name three or four destinations for a break packed with art and culture I’m sure that this Tuscan city would be on that list. I have only visited Firenza once and it is on my ‘re-visit’ list, in my case that is not a long list because I have still so many places to visit for the first time let alone a second.
We stayed in a small (it would now be a boutique) hotel in a central position. The city is only small so most of the Florence tourist attractions such as the Duomo [Florence Cathedral] are walkable. However we were there at the height of summer and we had to spend a couple of hours each afternoon in our hotel room. This was partly due to the heat and partly because everything closed down anyway. Next time I go I will try to arrange my visit in either Spring or Autumn. I’m sure everything will still close in the afternoon but at least it will be cool enough to stroll around or sip a drink and people watch. It is amazing to wander around streets and squares and see sculptures by the great MichelAngelo. We went to the Uffizi to see the most famous of the Davids and it takes your breath away. The Pitti Palace is another of my recommendations for a visit. As with any art and sculpture gallery it is impossible to see everything. It is always a good idea to try and devise a plan of the things you want to see, your priorities. We didn’t do this and although we enjoyed our visit to the Pitti Palace I don’t think we got the best out of it. We are much more organised now and always do research and planning wherever we go. I suppose you need to have at least a passing interest in art and history to enjoy your visit to Florence. The museums, palaces and churches house some of the greatest artistic treasures in the world. I won’t list all the museums and galleries because it is very easy to identify them. Florence is not a big city and is best explored on foot. All the main churches and museums are well within walking distance from one another. I do know people, however, who visited Florence and just enjoyed sitting in the street cafes watching the world go by and of course the shopping! It is lovely to wander the old city streets and imagine what the town would have been like when Michel Angelo was there and the Medici family was in charge. You will eventually come to the Ponte Vecchio, the famous 14th century bridge over the river Arno that now houses little shops. Who could resist buying just a little something? Also Florence is famous for the leather market where there are usually some good bargains to be had.
There is no shortage of places to eat. Some are very expensive but there are more reasonably priced Trattorias. I remember having a superb meal in a family owned Trattoria, it was very simple but delicious. I don’t like to be negative but, unless there have been changes, the city seemed to have more than its fair share of drug addicts. We passed groups few times but they never bothered us, it’s just not what I expected to see in such an open way. Also prostitution seemed to be thriving but things may have changed now, it never hurts to be prepared for what you might encounter. I certainly hope to re-visit this wonderful city of Florence. I may even stay in one of the countryside villas.
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