During our first few days in Florence, my husband kept talking about visiting the Piazzale…read moreMichelangelo. He wanted to see the gorgeous sunset above the Torre di San Niccolò, which I didn't believe until I saw it. It was quite a walk from our hotel, but I was convinced after our group bike tour around Florence. Our guide talked about the history of Torre di San Niccolò, and even though we didn't go up the actual tower, it was a cool spot to visit. I loved the waterfalls most of all, mentally capturing their beauty right before a grueling climb up the stairs to the Piazzale Michelangelo. The people who brought snacks and wine while waiting for sunset are geniuses. Next time. This wasn't one of my favorite experiences because I was so exhausted, but it lived up to my husband's expectations, and I'm happy if he's happy. I would do it again but come better prepared and earlier in the trip!

On the south side of the Arno (the river that runs through Florence) there are a couple of city…read moregates from the medieval period. This is one of them. I found it simply by sitting on one of the tour busses and they basically took us past it. Okay, it may not be that wonderful, but it is still cool seeing the old entrances and exits to the city, as well as the walls that surrounded the city. It sort of puts things into perspective as to what a city was like back during the renaissance.

Very creative presentation of the life and times and MANY works of Toulouse Lautrec…read more I whish it were a little longer, but I do appreciate the interactive sections and inclusion of his contemporaries.

Cannot recommend this amazing museum enough. It is one of the best museums in Florence. Amazing…read morestories are told here. You will learn about the children who came through the orphanage for 500 years, as well as the history of the orphanage. They've preserved the baby window and that in itself is fascinating. Also, you can see absolute masterpieces of art with no crowds. Botticelli? Yeah it's here. The staff here are incredibly friendly and kind. There's a great rooftop perfect for a drink or snack to top off your visit! Can't wait to come back here.

Out of all the Big 3 cities in Italy I collectively walked the most steps in Florence. Not only is…read morethe city pedestrian-friendly (small city plus a huge car-free zone around the Duomo), some of the best views are rewarded if you work hard for it. I was very fortunate to be able to do the main 3 climbs of the city: the cupola (dome) climb, Giotto's Campanile (bell tower) climb and the Arnolfo tower climb. Spread out over the course of the entire Florence leg of my trip this is how I justified eating whatever I wanted. The Arnolfo Tower is 95 meters high and is erected atop the Palazzo Vecchio. It is named after the architect of the palace, Arnolfo di Cambio. During construction he decided to incorporate an ancient tower formerly located at the site - hence why the tower itself is off-center. The purpose of the tower was for defense of the city. - The clock built into the tower serves as the city's first public clock. Only one hand tells the hour while increments in the hours themselves denote the minute by 15-minute increments. - There's a "alberghetto" inside the tower, which in reality is a small prison. Famous inhabitants included Cosimo the Elder (first member of the Medici family dynasty) and Savonarola (a devout Dominican monk) before their exile and executions, respectively. The tower can be accessed via its own separate admission fee (€10) or as part of a combo-ticket with the Palazzo Vecchio (€14) and the archaeological site (€18). It also keeps separate hours from Palazzo Vecchio itself; check the website for exact hours as they differ depending on the season. Remember that last entry is an hour to close. Difficulty: in the middle between the harder Cupola climb and the easier Campanile climb. While 418 is the official step count, the actual number of steps of the tower climb itself is a bit over 200. This is because you have to climb some steps in order to reach the starting point of the Palazzo Vecchio rooms open to the public, which is the same floor as the entrance to the tower. On busy days there is also a waiting period to climb the tower as only 20ish people can access the tower at any given period with a maximum time of 30 minutes per group. This provides ample opportunity to "rest" halfway, though on actual tower climb itself there are fewer opportunities to rest than the Campanile. The tower climb shows its reward when you reach the top. It is the single best view inside the city of the entire Duomo cathedral, including Giotto's Campanile. You can photograph the entire cathedral within one frame. The best view is specifically marked as such and highly encourages people to take the best view/selfie shots. I enjoyed this view as it did give me the best shot of the Duomo. I was not able to go to Piazzale Michelangelo for my chance to take a picture of "the best shot of Florence". PS: In retrospect I'm glad that I paid for the separate €10 admission. Had I done the combo-ticket on the same day I visited Palazzo Vecchio it would've been a challenge to tackle *both* the cupola and this climb several hours after.

Literally towering over Florence is the Tower of Palazzo Vecchio. It stands 311 feet tall and is…read morethe city's most recognizable symbol and focal point. The oldest parts of the building were built between 1299 and the early 14th century, possibly to a design by Arnolfo di Cambio, as the seat of the city's government. For a fee, (€ 6.50 for the tour or € 10 for the tour and museum), you can climb the tower. We are from Baltimore where we have The Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower, which was modeled after the Palazzo Vecchio. It has been a Baltimore landmark since its construction in 1911. So we have always felt a connection to this tower.

Located in the middle of the square, the Column of Justice is an ancient granite Roman column named…read moreafter the sculpture on its top. It actually came from the ancient Baths of Caracalla in Rome. The column itself was a gift from Pope Pius IV to Cosimo I, while the figure of Justice was added almost twenty years later - in 1581. Gaze at the monument for a few minutes; most people just walk by without noticing it.

A smaller museum in Florence, it is a fun, quick jaunt that you can get through pretty quickly…read more Access comes with your ticket to the Uffizi, so it's a worthwhile visit if your not muesum'd out (that's a real term I swear). The museum was founded by a family that went into archaeology and holds ton of Etruscan/early Italian pottery, relics and weaponry, and quite a number of statues and funerary objects (which are really cool - basically sarcophagus with 3-D story carvings). Their most impressive collection is their Egyptian room - which has numerous sarcophagus', a pyramid top, a few mummies, Book of the Dead scrolls written in heiratic (look it up!) writing, and even one ancient corpse. Some relics were acquired via purchase by the Medicis, and many hundreds of years later, through auction by the Egyptian government. There is no AC (although the upper levels are well ventilated) and a big chunk of the exhibits don't have English translation (and a lot of the info isn't all that helpful). But I was thrilled thrilled to see a chimera statue, actual golden laurel, and all the Egyptian goodies.

Nonna is worried; there is no public funding or this museum is not receiving it. Minor issues -no…read moreacces to the garden and no air conditioning~ does not matter if the exhibition is worth it. This time it was not. Same pots and pans, coins and dead people. I saw some school groups guided and if them guides work for this place they deserve a medal and money. They were inspiring, devoted and kids seemed to enjoy. I suggest this museum to get a voluntary solitary corps (evs) for a summer to translate introduction texts of the arts in english. At least.