I took note of all th places, restaurants and sweets I loved while I was abroad. Here is a list I compiled including suggestions other people sent me. My best Advice if and when you go to Italy is to Get Lost! This is the only way you will learn your way around. Also once you start to wander you end up finding the best food, the best sites. Something I learned best in all of my traveling is to always look up, follow the signs and the streets, they will led you the right way.
Here goes...
Tips for Florence:
Places
-The Duomo- I would recommend going early in the morning and climbing to the top (this entrance is left of the main entrance on the side). Best view of the whole city
- the markets- great for leather, ceramics, hats, and gifts...easy to bargain, esp. When you buy several things
NorthWest of the Duomo...go up Borgo S. Lorenzo and it will be on your left for blocks and blocks
Be sure to hold tight onto your wallet or purse here. Lots of pickpockets
--Galleria dell' Accademia- must see the David. Plan for long lines if you do not have a pass.
-Piazza Della Repubblica is great to chill in on a hot day if you want to people watch and it's close to the shopping stores i.e. H&M and all the fashion.
-Piazza della Signoria/Palazza Vecchio is a nice place to chill and listen to music
-Galleria degli Uffizi- full of art from all time periods. Very long lines and could spenda whole day here, but well worth the art it you have the time.
-Ponte Vecchio- a well know street/bridge for its gold and Jewelry...it is a fun place to hang out at night and listen to music
-Palazzo Pitti ( Pitty Palace) a gorgeous palace. My favorite is the gardens behind the palace: Giardino di Boboli. This is a great place to spend the afternoon!
-check out Piazza Michelangelo, great view.
-Chiesa di San Miniato al Monte--- the monks make amazing honey that they sell in the gift shop. Listening to the choir sign is cool too, around 5pm
Food
-best known for this thick bread soup...it's a Tuscan soup
-Hit the Diner if you are craving an American breakfast/burgers/shakes.
-The Oil Shoppe has great sandwiches, get the meatball.
22r S.Egidio Firenze (Italy)
-If u want a Kebab, Mesopotmia (sp?) Kebab ( Via Dell'Oriuolo) is the best, gotta get the 5€ one with cheese
-I due fratellini ---great, cheap sandwiches
http://www.iduefratellini.com/
Via dei Cimatori, 38-red
50122 Florence Tuscany, Italy
(around the corner from Palazzo Vecchio
-Ristorante Pizzeria il Teatro- Via Ghibellina,128r. 50122 Firenze
Best gnocchi!
-Cebero Trattoria (sp)..... Nicer restaurant, but best food I have ever had!
-Ostaria dei Pentopoveri Via Palazzuolo, 31/r
www.centopoveri.it tel. 055.21.88.46
-Gusta Pizza - best pizza ever!
Via Maggio 46r-Firenze Tel. 055285068
-Ristorante del Fagioli - Corso Tintori, 47r- 50122 Firenze. Tel. 055 244285
Gelato
-Gelateria La Carraia - my favorite gelato place, get the biscotti
Piazza N. Sauro, 25r- 50123 Firenze
www.lacarraiagroup.eu
-Antica Gelateria Florentina - by the train station
Via Faenza 2a-50122, Firenze
The best here is the chocolate peanut butter
-Vivoli is said to have the beat gelato in Florence
Via Isola delle Stinche, 7
50122 Florence, Italy
- Grom
South side of duomo
The secret bakery! A block south (away from the river) from Santa Croce
Might be off Borgo Allegri
Opens at like 1 or 2am, when the bakers are making the pastries for the next day.
Drinks/bars
- known for Spritz
-Eby's Bar Via dell' Oriuolo 5R, Arco di San Pierino, 50122 Firenze
Straight from the Duomo, around the corner from The Lions Fountain
Must get Eby's drink
" Manja , Vai, Vai Vai, and a BANANA"
-The Lions Fountain
- Bar Near Duomo
Drinks and appetizers
Might be off Via Tosinghi
-Strip by santa Croce is full of fun bars
Moyo is a good one
- discoteca's are full of creepy men and pure grinding if you are into that kind of stuff
Side trips
-Take the train to La Spezia for the day, then get a Cinque Terre day pass and hit the 5 different towns "cinque Terre= five lands".
-Siena - small town, u gotta pay for the museums/ to climb the bell tower church place.
Best Gelato in the center of town: Gelateria il Gelato
Piazza del Campo, 41
Fun to see the rival areas, otherwise not much to do, except during the horse races
Food- known for pucci (sp?) an thick spaghetti like pasta
-Pisa-- this is also a small town, not much to do beyond seeing the main highlights. In the middle of June there is a cool candle lighting ceremony
Must see--- the Campo dei Miracoli including the Baptistery, the Cathedral, the grave yard and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It was cool to see some very famous artists work here, like the work of Cimbue, Giovanni, and the architects of each building.
-I never went to Assisi but I heard it's really beautiful.
- The amalfi coast is a must. We went to Maiori and stayed, pricey but worth it. -Blue grotto is a tourist trap, you'll Pay like 15€ for a 5min boat ride through it, kinda weak.
-If ur with a large group take a boat ride around Capri during the day (lasts like 4hrs or something), take a lot of beers with u :).
-Milan is too metropolitan.
-If ur looking to party hard one weekend with nothing but foreigners go to Rimini or Riccione. 2 party cities on the east coast, one of my favorite places during my trip.
Venice
A beautiful city surrounded by water
The Jewish Cemetery is cool
Must go to the surrounding islands Murano and Burano. they are known for their laces and glass blowing.
A gondola ride is fun, but very expensive
Rome-
Hotel: Best Western Hotel Globus. Viale Ippocrate 119, 00161 Roma
Very nice, good location by university, expensive approx €163 a night
Gelato: Gelateria Artigianale. Via del Governo Vecchio, 112, 00186 Roma
www.frigidarium-gelateris.com
Best gelato! Get white chocolate nutella gelato, dipped in chocolate
Restaurants: Braci e Abbracci- Ristorante Pizzeria
Viale delle Provincie, 136, Roma
Sites:
-Spanish steps
-Trevi Fountain--- night is best
-Vatican City--- must see Michelangelo's Last Judgement in the Sistine Chaple...it takes a long time to get to because the make you walk through everything else first, but it is well worth the site.
---St. Peter's Basilica
-The Forum and The Coliseum--- very Hot in summer
-Piaza Navona
-The Pantheon
- the Castle and the Bridge of Angles
