ITALIA.ITALIA.

LETS TALK FLORENCE.. FIRENZE

Four Seasons Florence

 This is the Presidential Suite

This hotel is a must see.  The restaurant is wonderful and the Spa is to die for.

I read that the Four Season’s Florence was one of the Medici’s Mistresses homes. Ohhh to be a Mistress way back when you received a new corset every day along with a Palace.  Now all you get is a horrible reputation and an apartment in a hidden town.

                                        Santa Maria Novella Hotel

One of my favorites!!!.. I stayed here my wedding night. I loved it so much, so romantic and in a great location. Costs much much less than the Four Seasons, so you can spend the difference on boots at the leather market

Here are some adorable hotels. See the link below

http://www.whythebesthotels.com This Florence Chain of Hotels are absolutely the best!! You must stay in one of them

Must See Tips

The David – Just see it, or people will ask forever why you didn’t, his hands are very big.. and thats about it

Pitti Palace – beautiful gardens for a lunch or to roam around and pretend you live in the 14 th century

Ponte Vechio – breathtaking and fun drop a few hundred euros on some gold jewelry

Santa Croce Church – beautiful and Michaelangelo is burried there.  Duomo = disappointing on the inside

San lorenzo market – leather and scarves a shoppers paradise

The Uffizi – really, hmmm not worth the long wait

Fiesole – Adorable town on the hillside of Florence. You can see old Roman ruins there. I got married at a beautiful Castle on the hillside.

Florence Restaurants

Typical tuscan 
- TRATTORIA DA MARIO Via Rosina, 2/R, near Piazza Mercato Centrale +39 (055) 218550 (very very busy, very tradional, very cheap) only for lunch, closed on sunday along the Arno
- DA SERGIO piazza san lorenzo (very busy, very tradional, very cheap) only for lunch, closed on sunday

– MAMMAGINA borgo san jacopo – closed on sunday you can taste one of the best florentine steak in the city center http://www.mammagina.it/UK/index_uk.htm 
- CIBREINO (via de macci – sant’ambrogio, very close to the food market) is the place where you can try the high level quality of Fabio Picchi, owner of the well known Cibreo: cheaper that the famous one, same level food quality – closed on Sunday and Monday WWW.CIBREO.COM

– TEATRO DEL SALE (via de macci – sant’ambrogio, very close to the food market) it is a reastaurant and a private club where you can try the high level quality of Fabio Picchi cuisine, owner of the well known Cibreo: plus you’ll get a theatrical show at night; closed on Sunday and Monday http://www.teatrodelsale.com/start_e.html 
- FAGIOLI via delle conce (close to santa croce): cheap, very typical 
- OSTERIA BOCCANEGRA via ghibellina (close to santa croce): elegant, intimate, typical (closed at lunchtime) http://www.boccanegra.com/web/index.php?lang=eng

COOL RESTAURANTS

– NOVE Lungarno Guicciardini, 10 (open air terrace, the river Arno at a glance)

– CAVALLI CLUB piazza del carmine, close to the Curch

– BSJ borgo san jacopo very elegant, good food level, a couple of tables in the terrace over the river arno (closed at lunchtime) http://www.lungarnohotels.com/

– ALLE MURATE a restaurant in a real museum: expensive but it is worth it (closed at lunchtime) http://www.allemurate.it/home.html

– BOCCANEGRA an elegant restaurant close to santa croce (closed at lunchtime) http://www.boccanegra.com/web/index.php?lang=eng 
- ENOTECA PINCHIORRI (simply the best