Florence in November

I Loved Florence. 2 1/2 days will be busy.IMHO the most under stated and hidden is the Medici Chapel. (http://www.museumsinflorence.com/musei/Medici_chapels.html) 2nd is David. The original. Not the copy. The main reason to go to the Accademia. 3rd the doors of paradise. http://www.thehistoryblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/adameve.jpg And 4th just wandering around. We were in Florence in mid november. (During the week.) We had heard the stories about the lines. But they were minimal. We had reservations. It didn't take long to figure out to ask is we could get in earlier than the reservation. Which we usually did. To eat??? Nothing stands out. We had good food. But other than the cheese, balsamic, and chianti. Nothing stands out. (bland bread) We tend to graze. Have fun. Florence is a lovely place.

"(bland bread)" !!! Pane Toscano has no salt, because at one point the salt tax was so ridiculous people stopped baking with it. That is why there are so many interesting things to put on top of it, or eat with it, etc. Tuscan and Florentine cuisine is based on poverty - but if you didn't eat anything memorable here, you weren't trying! I would be aware that by the end of Nov. it can be raining - a lot. Be prepared. For an interesting if not economical snack try a truffle finger sandwich at Procacci http://www.antinori.it/eng/attorno_al_vino/procacci.htm For the most memorable lunch, go to Teatro del Sale - you will have to buy a 5 euro membership card (maybe a little more now) and then you get (you have to pay around 20 euro or less) the most unbelievable buffet ever - anywhere. http://www.edizioniteatrodelsalecibreofirenze.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=27

Don't miss the Laurentian Library (designed by Michelangelo) in San Lorenzo; the San Marco Monastery with gorgeous frescoes by Fra Angelico; Dante's house (from the 13th century! It's still there!); Santa Croce with frescoes by Giotto and graves dating from the Middle Ages; the Uffizi and Pitti Palace...sorry, getting carried away!

Let's see I mention that the food in Florence was good. But other than the cheese, balsamic and chianti, all which I loved; nothing stood out. Probably just didn't pick the right resturants or dishes. I would add I don't recall a bad meal there. I had a few bad meals in Rome and Venice. I was looking for truffels, didn't find them. Shipped home balsamic. Yep, I wasn't I trying.

Grom gelato!! not too far from the Duomo...I sat on some steps next to 2 20something yr old women who both exclaimed that was the best thing the had ever eaten! (it was definitely the best gelato I had in Italy) the Accademia doesn't take long to tour, you could do that in an hour. So you could do the Uffizi in the morning and the Accademia in the afternoon or vice versa. There is a sign near the entrance to the Accademia that tells you can go to the nearby Museum of San Marco and buy timed ticket to get in. I went the last Saturday (9/18) at 10:15AM I could have bought a timed ticket for 10:45AM. Meanwhile there was a pretty long line of people waiting to get in. I got a ticket for 1pm and went to the Bargello Museum and Science Museum (they both closed at 1pm on Saturday). I would recommend both, there are some nice sculptures in the Bargello and some interesting things in the Science Museum if any of your group is interested in that type of stuff. La Trattoria dei Quattro Leoni is a good place to eat. I got the bistecca alla fiorentina there and it was delicious! 1 kg of meat! It's across the Arno River and not too far from Ponte Vecchio.

Randy, You mention the Museum of Science. I assume that is the newly-renamed Museo Galileo? Their website says they close at 5:30 on Saturdays. But when you were there recently they closed at 1pm? I ask because that is a must see for my scientist husband and I had scheduled it for a Sat. afternoon in November.

yes, the same museum... I checked out a Rick Steves Florence & Tuscany 2005! book from my local public library and in there it had the closing hours on Tuesday and Saturday as 13:00. I took a look on the website and it just lists Tuesday now. The other days 9:30 to 18:00. info@museogalileo.it I would send them an email to verify for the day you want to visit in case they have any changes in store. have fun on your trip! if it's not too cold I would recommend finding the Grom gelato near the Duomo- mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, the best. There's also a candy shop across the alley/road from Grom that has all sorts of chocolates including Amedei which is from the Tuscany area. It is amazing.