What to see and do in Florence

Top Things to See and Do
A must see is the Piazza (Plaza) del Duomo where you will find the Florence Cathedral with the Cupola del Brunelleschi, the Giotto's Campanile, the Florence Baptistery, the Loggia del Bigallo, the Opera del Duomo Museum, and the Arcivescovile and Canonici's palace. The west zone of this square is called Piazza San Giovanni. The history dates back to the 13th century.

Another famous plaza of Florence is the Palazzo Vecchio, the gateway to the famous Uffizi Gallery.

Florence will not disappoint you. It's breathtaking and romantic and I have eaten some of the most delicious Italian food in this wonderful city than in any other in Italy.

Before you go
The Uffizi is closed on Mondays, so plan accordingly. Anytime you want to visit a museum in Europe, make sure you check their website for their closing days. Also, many museums have free days or a discount day. Send them an email if you are unsure.

Wi-fi, Internet and Cell Phones:
I never had a wi-fi or cell phone problem in Florence. Many hotels, cafes, eateries, bars, and museums have free wi-fi.

The "Firenze WiFi" service allows Florence citizens and tourists to free surf the net up to two hours a day in about 200 areas of the city. The wireless connection is provided by the municipality of Florence and you don’t even need to sign up for any website and the like.

The areas of the city where most people connect to the net are Piazza della Repubblica, Piazza Duomo, Piazza della Signoria, Piazza San Giovanni, Lungarno degli Archibusieri, Piazzale Uffizi, Orsanmichele, Piazza del Grano and Oblate, but the service is continuously expanding.

Money
The currency in Florence is the Euro.

Food and Water
Water is perfectly safe to drink from the tap in Florence. I highly recommend eating at Ristorante Buca Mario.

What to Purchase
I purchased a gorgeous pair of black leather boots. They are so soft and supple along with a matching purse. They were unique and you won't find any of leather goods made in Florence in other cities in Italy. Many leather makers do not sell their goods outside of Florence. My husband forgot to purchase a satchel and called the store when we got home in the US and asked if he could purchase on-line and they said no. Hmmm.