What's so great about Florence?

[spunkarella]

I am planning a trip to Italy (first trip to Europe) for next year. I see Florence recommended constantly in sample itineraries, and I have seen several people on here say that they love Florence.

I am totally open to the idea that I may love it once I am actually there, but I just don't see the big appeal from descriptions I have seen so far. At the moment, I am strongly considering skipping it.

It seems like a ton of museums in a small city, and a good hub for seeing several smaller towns in Italy. Flammable maybe, but H and I get bored easily in museums. I am sure we will spend some time looking at art, but it won't be the focus of our trip. Also, we likely won't have enough vacation time to take advantage of Florence's central location. We like food, people watching, just hanging out, architecture, and ruins.

What am I missing? Is it somewhere I just have to go to appreciate, or am I right to skip it?

[Deleted]

My H and I loved Florence because it is just not as touristy as Rome or Venice so you get more of an authentic feel. The accomodations and food are less expensive and nicer. I like that Florence is not that large and easy to navigate on foot so you can walk around easily without public transportation. I feel the same way about Lyon vs. Paris or Chicago vs. NYC, for example. We are not big museum fans either.

Also, you can visit vineyards and olive groves from Florence. We took this bike tour through the Tuscan countryside and visited a vineyard and it was AMAZING..one of the best experiences in my life.

[dawnyp]

The architecture in Florence is amazing - churches & cobblestone streets. Climb the bell tower and you get a view of the entire city. I didn't do the museums when I was there I just walked around the city stopped at cafes, drank wine and people watched.

I did a day tour biking in Tuscany. It was about 15 miles round trip and we stopped at a little vineyard for lunch and wine.

[basilosaurus]

It's so much more than the museums. It's just beautiful (architecture, churches, etc), and the food is amazing. It's a great place to just experience the feel of an Italian town rather than bustling from sight to sight. You can sit and have wine and people watch and then have a truffle sandwich (omg, they're amazing), then have a fabulous dinner, with more wine of course.

And, yes, it's a good hub for exploring other towns, like Sienna and San Gimignano (or however it's spelled).

I totally respect that museums aren't for everyone, and I'd definitely not recommend the Uffizi to someone like you (I love museums, and even I got bored after awhile there), but the Academy, where the David is, is a small museum and worth going through, even if you're really just going to see the one statue. I just saw it for a 2nd time a few months ago, H's first, and it was still awe inspiring.

[yourmom]

In addition to what other posters have said (which I agree with), the energy/vibe of the city is just great.

[sunshinedaydreams]

We are in the huge minority, but H and I didn't really like Florence. We also get bored in museums and aren't into art at all. I would have much preferred to skip Florence and go straight to the vineyards in Tuscany. In fact, we did the highlights (The David and Piazzale Michelangelo) in one day and then day trips out of the city for the next three. To each their own, but I wasn't impressed.

[ILikeSloths]

I adore Florence. It's one of my favorite cities. I agree with what PPs have said about the great food, architecture, churches, overall vibe, museums, and art. It's beautiful, romantic, and easily walkable. My fondest memories are from just wandering through the cobblestone side streets and exploring with my H. We stayed there 3 nights/ 2 full days and easily could've stayed longer. I'd love to go back someday and I rarely say that about many cities because there are so many other new places I'd like to visit and have limited vacation time and funds. It may not be for everyone, but I think Florence is wonderful.

ETA: I also agree that it's in a great central location and convenient for day trips. There are some lovely nearby towns. Assisi doesn't get mentioned often, but it's beautiful and another one of my favorites.

[travelingturtle]

I wasn't a huge fan of Florence. I felt suffocated. But, I'd go there again.

[pittpurple]

I'm going to Florence for the second time next week. The first time, I was there for a weekend and probably spent an hour in a museum (to see the David, totally worth it IMO). It's just a lovely city to walk around and I felt really comfortable there. But in all honesty, I've loved every part of Italy I've been to so I don't think any choice you make is going to be 'wrong'. If you prefer more time in the countryside, that will be gorgeous too!

The leather market and food market in Florence is amazing, I got my favourite bag there :-)

[GilliC]

I like it that it doesn't feel as much like a big city. I'm getting tired of cities, and I enjoy historic pedestrianized areas where you can just walk around, admire the buildings, and feel a bit like you've stepped back a few years rather than dodging cars and traffic noise and modernity.

If I wasn't into museums and Renaissance history, I would probably prefer someplace like Brugge or Tallinn over Florence, but I think I would still enjoy the atmosphere more than Rome, and definitely more than Milan, which I find tiresome for being the complete opposite. FWIW, I haven't been to Venice and thus have no comment there, but I did like Florence more than Siena because Siena was just a bit too small and too over-saturated with tourism. Still cute though.

[katieh]

My opinion of Florence was pretty "meh." I didn't dislike it, but I didn't love it. I'm not a big art person - actually I didn't go to a single museum in Italy on that trip. Instead we stayed outside of Florence in Tuscany and did cooking classes, wine tastings, etc and just spent one day in the city.

I'd go browse a guidebook and see if anything there is to do in the city appeals to you. If it doesn't, skip it. I skipped Rome and have no regrets. I know I'll get there eventually.

[spunkarella]

Thanks for all the responses! I'm still torn but this gives me some good information to think about.

[daringmiss]

Caveat: I was an Art History Major in college and I specialized in the Early Italian Renaissance. I love Florence for the obvious reasons.

But I really liked the magical feeling in Florence. There was something interesting around every corner. It felt like a real city rather than a disney world type city like Venice. It was a beautiful and graceful city rather than a grittier place like Bologna (which I also liked for different reasons).

It is also the location of one of my favorite "perfect moments" (Thank you Spaulding Gray RIP). After a long day of wandering, my best friend and I had stopped in the Piazza della Signoria to rest and write in our journals. After a bit, just around 6pm, two young women arrived and started to sing opera. They were obviously from the local opera school, and they were amazing. Their voices carried so exquisitely through the air and just filled the moment. They were buskers and doing this to put themselves through school and I gladly handed over my precious $10 for that experience.

[cricketwife]

I honestly cant imagine anyone not loving Florence but just from the responses here there are some. But I don't think it deserves to be skipped I think it's better to go and see what everybody s talking about and if you don't like it too, well at least you know for yourself. I think that's actually really valuable. My mom dreamy much of her life of going to the Galapagos and finally went for her 60th bday. She really really didn't like it but is really glad she went b/c she was able to form her own opinion. When I was in college all my friends went on about how awesome Prague was. I went and hated it - as in didnt care to ever go back but im glad. I went and had my own experience. I hope that you go to Florence and LOVE it like I do but it's just not a city that should be skipped., even if you end up not liking it.

[GilliC]

Aug 25, 2012 20:18:32 GMT -5 cricketwife said:

I honestly cant imagine anyone not loving Florence but just from the responses here there are some. But I don't think it deserves to be skipped I think it's better to go and see what everybody s talking about and if you don't like it too, well at least you know for yourself. I think that's actually really valuable. My mom dreamy much of her life of going to the Galapagos and finally went for her 60th bday. She really really didn't like it but is really glad she went b/c she was able to form her own opinion. When I was in college all my friends went on about how awesome Prague was. I went and hated it - as in didnt care to ever go back but im glad. I went and had my own experience. I hope that you go to Florence and LOVE it like I do but it's just not a city that should be skipped., even if you end up not liking it.

:Y: I kind of feel like this about every place. (Unfortunately it makes my travel list really long!)

[Deleted]

If you aren't super into museums I still think it would be worthwhile. We stayed at Riva Lofts, a quiet boutique hotel south of the river. It's less touristy on that side, where more locals hang, and perfect to just sit on some sunny steps eating a good sandwich watching the world go by. I also loved Boboli Gardens. Bring a blanket and find a spot to read or nap after you've walked around. And the palace--love! And we did hop on a bus tour of Tuscany from there that was a highlight of the trip. Stops at an old castle, winery, sleepy little hillside town.

Ahh, now I wish I was there.

But you must also promise to include Cinque Terre in your Italy itinerary. My favorite part of the trip. But Florence was a close second.