Hello,
how many days will be good to stay in Florence, 3 or 4 nights, may 2016 3 adults.
To se Academia and all main sights do you recommend to book city tour, so we have a guide .
Hop on and hop off is a good idea? where I buy
also tour with a guide in the main sights do I need to buy in advance ( if yes where)
where do you recommend to stay Historic centre, is ok?
thanks
The number of nights you need is dependent upon what you want to see and do. Make a list of specific sites you wish to visit and we can suggest the number of days it will take to visit them.
HO/HO bus is not a good idea in Florence. It's a small city and very walkable.
You could hire a guide for the city or specific sites or you could visit on your own with a map and a guide book.
Donna
Florence center is tiny and HOHO buses don't go where you want to be anyway. I would spend not fewer than 5 nights. Florence is one of the most dense cities we have visited in terms of places to see. It has an incredibly rich artistic heritage. There are a dozen interesting churches but you will want to climb the Duomo, see Santa Croce and Santa Maria Novela and San Damiano at least. There is no need for a tour but book the Academia and Uffizi ahead as timed tickets save enormous time for those. Take the bus up to Piazzale Michelangelo for the iconic view of Florence (great holiday card shot with you in front of that view and there will be others doing the same thing who will be happy to take your picture and you can return the favor.) Hike up behind the Piazzale to San Damiano perhaps at vespers time.
If you find 4 full days too much, a day trip to Siena by bus is also wonderful. It is about an hour south of Florence by bus and the perfect day trip. https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/climbing-the-torre-mangia-at-67/
If you are not able to climb the Torre Mangia, there is an entrance to the top of an old unfinished Cathedral wall from the Museum which is easy to climb and also gives you a birds eye view of the town, although not quite as spectacular a one as the Torre Mangia. Be sure to take some real time for the a totally amazing Cathedral. We have been lucky enough to be there when the floor pictures are all uncovered, but even when that is not scheduled, they have several visible at any time. I had never seen anything like this Cathedral the first time I visited and it was jaw dropping. Still my favorite.
