I am looking at Glance Hotel on Via Nazionale, right behind Mercato Centrale. I wasn't finding much for the dates I needed. Is it in a safe area? I was in Florence 10 years ago and we walked all over late at night and felt safe, but I am unsure of this neighborhood if we were walking back from dinner out, etc. Anyone with knowledge of this hotel and surrounding area?
Posted by
Citizen of the World
3499 posts
Considering that it’s one-third of a mile from Firenze Santa Maria Novella station in the center of Florence and has multiple online reviews saying it’s “in a fantastic location close to all the sights” ——it sounds like a winner to me.
Posted by
Firenze, Italy
1957 posts
Well, it is not a very beautiful zone. Via Chiara and via Panicale, just round the corner, are home to ethnic shops, it is on the chaotic side and you will wonder if you really are in Florence. Via Nazionale is very trafficked. The place is of course very central (the S. Lorenzo market occupies all the lenght of via dell'Ariento and a section of via Panicale) and I could not tell it is dangerous. But nice it isn't.
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
8448 posts
What are your dates?
Where have you searched?
Have you tried looking on booking.com?
Posted by
Boston
1876 posts
Use Google Street View on Google Maps to look around the actual location before you book anywhere.
I was ready to book a hotel last year that had excellent reviews, but no reviewer had thought to mention the place was across the street from the mainline RR tracks between Milan and Venice.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
16889 posts
I think it’s safe. I wouldn’t worry about safety at all, especially since you are from Vegas, which is a war zone compared to Florence. Via Panicale, especially at the corner with via Guelfa has ethnic shops and restaurants, mostly Asian (Indian, Turkish, Chinese) and it’s kind of gritty with lots of graffiti, but if that bothers you, you don’t need to walk on those streets at night. Stick to via Nazionale and via dell’Ariento, which are more trafficked with lots of foot traffic. The hotel is nice, but the only concern for me would be the noise from car and bus traffic. Via Nazionale is one of the few corridors in the city center that are open to all (not ZTL, and one of the only two streets where one can drive to the station) and a major bus thoroughfare. I’m not saying it is anything like the Strip in Vegas, but if your bedroom faces the street, there might be traffic noise, not so much at night but in the early morning when buses start running. When you check in ask if you can be placed in a room not facing via Nazionale, and you will be fine. The hotel is new and gorgeous.