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Italy : Florence - May 2010

Country Code: Dial for Italy

Florence is a living museum that’s compact enough to explore on foot and boasts unrivalled food and shopping. What’s more, a short walk behind the Oltrarno brings you to the Tuscan countryside, scattered with wild flowers. Kamin Mohammadi stretches her legs in the late spring sunshine

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

Away from the tourist hordes, the area south of the river is home to some of the hippest bars and prettiest gardens.

Sleep soundly – Set in a 15th-century palazzo, Hotel Silla (5 Via de Renai, , hotelsilla.it, rooms from €120) offers simple, quiet rooms around a lovely interior courtyard.

Culture vultures – The iris is Florence’s emblem and the Iris Competition (10-15 May) at the beautiful Giardino dell’Iris (Piazzale Michelangelo) is world class, featuring blooms belonging to the world of Alice in Wonderland. A ticket to the wonderful and formal Boboli Gardens (Pitti Palace) will also give you access to the adjoining Bardini Gardens, with wonderful views over the city.

Must eat – Outside the San Frediano gate is the city’s finest fish restaurant, Fuor d’Acqua (37r Via Pisana, tel. ). Florence is renowned for its stylish inhabitants and this is where you can dine with the most fashionable. Try the incredible raw fish menu. Or Enoteca Fuori Porta (10r Via del Monte alle Croci, ) serves excellent wine and crostini in a lovely spot outside the San Miniato gate.

Must drink – Small and friendly, the High Bar (27 Via dei Renai) is a gem with a garden, terrace and free Wi-Fi. There are lots of special party nights, including karaoke and guest DJs.

SANTA MARIA NOVELLA

This part of town, around the main train station, teems with young travellers who are keen to sample the culture.

Sleep soundly – The superbly located JK Place (7 Piazza Santa Maria Novella, , jkplace.com, rooms from €350) is a hip townhouse hotel with contemporary interiors and a discreetly luxurious atmosphere. Its lounge is the coolest place to drink in Florence.

Culture vultures – The basilica Santa Maria Novella (Piazza Santa Maria Novella) contains gothic and Renaissance masterpieces including a Giotto crucifix and Brunelleschi pulpit. The piazza in which the basilica is found is one of the biggest in Florence’s historic centre. Tourists and locals now mingle where once feasts, tournaments and carriage races took place.

Must eat – For fish, head to I Quattro Amici (29 Via degli Orti Oricellari, tel. ), where the catch is always fresh and tasty. Or cool down with homemade ice cream from Gelateria Ciolli di Piattoli (95/97 Via Ramazzini Bernardo) – the pistachio is just perfect.

Dance the night away – Perennially popular Meccanò (10 Viale degli Olmi) plays host to DJs from all over the country.

Shop til you drop – The historic Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella (16 Via della Scala) sells hand-crafted health products in an old frescoed building that’s also a museum.

SIGNORIA & DUOMO

The piazzas of the Signoria and the Duomo are hubs of the historic centre, with attractions such as the Cathedral, Palazzo Vecchio and Uffizi Gallery.

Sleep soundly – The Hotel Golden Tower (11 Piazza Strozzi, tel. , goldentowerhotel.it, rooms from €290) is an elegant hotel occupying a Renaissance tower in a top location.

Culture vultures – Climb up inside Brunelleschi’s Dome (Piazza del Duomo) for fantastic views over the city. The Dome is an architectural landmark as Brunelleschi rejected the Medieval Gothic style in favour of the new ideals of Renaissance architecture.

Must eat – With a terrace on the piazza, Gilli (36-39 Piazza della Repubblica, tel. ) is excellent for people watching and pastries. Cantinetta dei Verrazzano (18-20 Via dei Tavolini, tel. ) sells fine wine from the famous estate and tasty panini.

Must drink – Fashionable Oibò (53r Via dei Benci) is a Wi-Fi hot spot that serves some very fancy aperitivo. Between 7- 9pm pre-dinner snacks are served free with drinks and each bar has its own distinct style of aperitivo.

Shop til you drop – Head to the flower market (Piazza della Repubblica) on Thursday mornings for beautiful blooms. After a fragrant morning at the flower market visit Assunta Anichini (59/r Via del Parione) for exquisite, handmade children’s clothing which the shop has been selling since 1912.

Compiled by Kamin Mohammadi