Florence- Best Food Recommendations

Near Santa Maria novella station... My favorite!!!

Il Portale
Via Luigi Alamanni, 29 50100 Florence, Italy
+39 055 212992

Florence- Shopping in Italy

Outlet Shopping at THE MALL
Check out the website- pls check the operating and shuttle bus timing beforehand!!!

SITA bus stop is near Club hotel, just 3mins away from the Santa Maria novella train station. The journey to the mall by shuttle will take around 50mins.

Must go- Prada!!! Take a number slip and give it to the salesperson whenever you wish to purchase something. As for the toilet within the Prada outlet, please go to the 2nd floor, it is hidden behind the mirror.

After Prada, my next fav is bottega. Great pricing in Italy! Can't beat the pricing.

Other brands at The Mall: bottega venetta, ferragamo, Gucci, Burberry, tod's and Dior...

I have always disliked ostentatious brands like Gucci. So I shall not make any snide remarks.

Chanel is also a must buy in Italy! Though sorry, there's no outlet for it. But the pricing in the boutique is already well worth it. Only comment- don't expect fantastic customer service. The default is rude... So well, I usually just get my stuffs and my orange juice and move on.

Florence- Boboli Garden

A fantastic garden to visit (cross the Ponte vecchio bridge)

URL: http://www.uffizi.firenze.it/musei/?m=boboli

Florence - Sightseeing : A walking tour in florence

Florence city centre is small and easily covered on foot..

Key attractions:

1. Basilica di Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross)

It is the burial place of some of the most illustrious Italians, such as Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, Foscolo, Gentile and Rossini, thus it is known also as the Temple of the Italian Glories (Tempio dell'Itale Glorie). You will see the tombstone with what they are famous for...

You will see Galileo and his telescope...

2. Duomo

Must eat enough and feel fit to climb the very very steep stairs! but since we've conquered sagrada familia, this is easy peasy!

3. Uffizi Gallery

While i know it's so highly raved, but maybe I'm just not cultured enough to appreciate all the art pieces. Knowing Bottticelli's Venus is sufficient for me! Even after purchasing the tickets beforehand, we had to queue... queue... queue. We spent more time queing then actually visiting the place as I was starving and sped through the whole gallery.

** Oops... Do buy your tickets online first!

http://www.uffizi.org/?gclid=CIiV1O2U_7YCFYx66wod0goA_Q

P.S>> No wonder i had to buy a calendar to remember all the art pieces and the places!

4. Academia gallery

"Hello David, are you there???"

The Accademia houses Michelangelo's David, easily the most famous sculpture in the world.

5. Ponte Vecchio florence italy bridge

Do cross the other side for boboli gardens...  it deserves a separate post for that. Check out the boboli gardens post.. as its name suggest, well, it's a huge garden. (approx time spent -  3hours)


*Once-off exhibition: April 2013.. was lucky enough to catch Dali's exhibition. Reminded me of the times where Sg had those exhibitions and mum brought me around to see the pictures. Always remember the melting clock.

Love Dali!!!

Florence - Basic Facts & Recommended hotel

Florence's airport

Distance: 5 kilometers fr city center

Preferred mode of transport: The center can be reached in about 15 minutes by taxi, and in about 20 minutes with the SITA/ATAF "Vola in Bus" bus shuttle operating between the airport and the central railway station of Santa Maria Novella.

Super cheap transport- around 5 euros 1 way/ pax

Taxi- fixed 20 euros (normal conditions)


Recommended hote: Hotel Ambasciatori (near santa maria novella SMN station- good as a base to travel elsewhere) But will take about 15mins by foot to the shopping belt