Florence Information - hotels, restaurants, golf, weather, maps & more

One of the most underrated and forgotten Italian cities, Florence is a wonderful place to spend a vacation, see some sights and enjoy some of the best food and hospitality anywhere in the world. For people who worry that there isn’t enough to see here to fill up two or three weeks, you should go consult your history books. Florence has been a world city for longer than anyone can remember, and it remains a vitally important part of the Italian economy and a wonderful place to hang your hat for a few weeks while you get to know the history, the people and the wonderful culture here.

To put it simply, the city of Florence single-handedly gave the world the Renaissance and continues to give the world much in the way of art, music and beauty. Many visitors are struck when they first set foot into the town proper at how grandiose and truly beautiful the city is; those who aren’t familiar with their history believe that architecture like this is only in Rome or Venice, but Florence was changing the world while the rest of Europe was still in the grasp of the Dark Ages.

That doesn’t mean that you have to be a historian to understand or appreciate what you see here in Florence; it’s quite the opposite, actually. The people here are the definition of wonderful, and they are extremely proud of their city and its cultural heritage. Not only will they take time to teach you everything you need to know to fully appreciate Florence, but they will go an extra mile and show you the best places to eat, the neighborhoods to avoid and just about everything else. The only important thing is that you come to this magnificent city ready to get your fill of incredible food, amazing culture and wonderful people; you can leave the rest up to the locals.

If you can plan your day appropriately, you will want to be downtown during sunrise and sunset. If you are like some, and the idea of being up at sunrise doesn’t sound very appealing, make an exception at least one day that you’re here. The way the ancient colors from the many classic buildings reflect in the low light is a sight that you must behold with your own eyes. It gives the city a truly timeless quality that you may not be able to capture with your digital camera, but you will never forget with your memory.

If history and architecture aren’t your things, Florence is still a city you must visit for the food alone. Just like bigger brother Rome, centuries of travelers have brought spices and recipes from all over the globe to Florence and today, there are more incredible restaurants than you can count. It is tough to have a bad meal here.

While Florence may not have the canals of Venice or the ruins of Rome, it is a vacation experience with excellence that will leave you breathless and counting the days until you can return.