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Italy : Florence - July 2009

Country Code: Dial for Italy

July in Florence can be hot and sticky, but the Renaissance city has many alfresco venues on offer, from bars and restaurants with large terraces to the openair Opera Festival at Giardino di Boboli and even a beach by the Arno. Kamin Mohammadi soaks up the sun

Getting around

Florence Peretola

Bus: Vola In Bus departs from outside the airport to Stazione Santa Maria Novella every 30 minutes. Tickets cost €4,50.
Taxi: A taxi from the airport into the city centre takes 20 minutes and costs about €16.
Tourist information: The main tourist information point is at 29r Borgo Santa Croce. There is also one in the piazza outside Santa Maria Novella Stazione and at 1r Via Cavour (www.firenzeturismo.it).

OLTRARNO

From the tourist havens of Palazzo Pitti to the mellow neighbourhood around Santo Spirito and villagey San Niccolo, the area south of the river is Florence at its authentic best.

Sleep soundly – Set in a 15th-century palazzo, the atmospheric Pensione Sorelle Bandini (9 Piazza Santo Spirito, tel. , rooms from €135) was used in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1999 film, Tea with Mussolini.

Culture vultures – The annual outdoor Opera Festival (festivalopera.it) at Giardino di Boboli, in the grounds of Palazzo Pitti, runs throughout July with performances of Aida and Carmina Burana. If the heat gets too much, head to Arno beach, with its riverside breezes, free deckchairs, beach volleyball and showers to cool off.

Must eat – It’s impossible to negotiate the heat without a great ice cream, so head to Gelateria Santa Trinita (on the Oltrarno side of Ponte Santa Trinita), where the gelato is made on the premises. The pistachio flavour is the best in town.

Must drink – Long one of Florence’s most fashionable bars, La Dolce Vita (6 Piazza del Carmine) is now under new management and promises to be trendier than ever – and packed with even more beautiful people.

Dance the night away – Baroque club Montecarla (2 Via dei Bardi) has recently reopened. Expect plenty of verve and leopard skin.

PIAZZA DEL DUOMO

The famous cathedral square and surrounding area contain some of Florence’s best-known monuments.

Sleep soundly – Just 11 individual rooms are on offer at Hotel delle Arti (38 Via dei Servi, , hoteldellearti.it, rooms from €120). The best are the three corner suites.

Culture vultures – Giotto’s splendid Campanile, the tower of the Duomo, is dwarfed by the huge dome of the cathedral, but climbing the 400 steps to the top to see the view is worth every puffing step.

Must eat – At Il Palagio (99 Borgo Pinti, ), the Four Seasons Hotel’s excellent restaurant, choose a table on the terrace to enjoy the tranquillity of the hotel’s beautiful park in the middle of the city.

Must drink – The large terrace of Colle Bereto (4-6 Piazza Strozzi) overlooks one of the nicest little squares in town, opposite the Palazzo Strozzi museum entrance. It’s the ideal spot for chic people-watching.

Shop til you drop – For end-of-line, divine fashion labels at discount prices, head to Gerard (24-26 Via Lambertesca). Ask for Manuela to see about further discounts.

PIAZZA DELLA SIGNORIA TO THE RIVER

At the heart of Florence, Signoria’s sweeping, wide-open spaces are set with wonderful statues. They lead through to the galleries of the Uffizi, down to the river and the famous Ponte Vecchio.

Culture vultures – The Creativity in Colour exhibition, on until April 2010 at Museo Salvatore Ferragamo (5 Piazza Santa Trinita), pays homage to the genius of the shoemaker.

Must eat – Excellent seasonal Tuscan cuisine, made from the freshest ingredients, and panoramic views over Florence give the Uffizi’s terrace restaurant (Piazzale degli Uffizi, ) an edge over most other museum eateries. For a quick bite or culinary goodies to take home, drop into ’ino (3-7 Via dei Georgofili, tel. ), a wonderful deli with a contemporary interior tucked into a tiny alley between Piazza della Signoria and the river.

Must drink – Fusion Bar (3 Vicolo dell’Oro) at the Gallery Art Hotel has become a chic and glamorous meeting place for drinks and aperitivo, with its menu of fusion nibbles and delicious cocktails. There is a terrace for the sweltering months.

Shop til you drop – Pick up vintage fashion at Boutique Nadine (22 Lungarno Acciaiuoli), as well as retro accessories – such as handbags, sunglasses and even toys and bicycles – all in good condition.

Compiled by Kamin Mohammadi