Italy
Fabulous Florence

It’s the ultimate art town, filled with history’s biggest boldfaced names
-- Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, Ghiberti, Botticelli and Donatello among them.

By: Susan Shipman

The list is long and stunning, and for that reason, this must-see city draws hordes of visitors every year. Smart planning is therefore paramount. Arriving in early March, I avoided the worst crowds and stumbled onto some spectacular weather. So plan your trip for early spring or late fall. Some say that winter is your very best bet.

Out and About
The beauty of Florence is that it’s an intimate, walkable city that’s very much alive despite its preoccupation with the past. Innumerable museums and high-end shops are interspersed with trattorias and cafes The art A-list that you’ll want to see is no secret: the Duomo, the Uffizi Gallery (visit uffizi.firenze.it to book ahead), Michelangelo’s David (the replica in the Piazza della Signoria and the real thing in the Galleria dell’Accademia), the newly restored Baptistry Doors and the Ponte Vecchio. Any good guidebook will give you the lowdown.
And don’t miss the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella (Via della Scala), the historic monastery pharmacy whose herb gardens and distillery produced the medicines of the day beginning in 1542. Buy some soap or shampoo if only to see the Gothic salesroom, originally a chapel built in 1332.
Florentines are a well-dressed lot, and it’s easy to see why. Shopping is a treat. Sophisticated shoe stores, leather shops, high-end designers: They’re all there. Hit one of the open-air markets for fun. The touristy Mercato del Porcellino is chockablock with bags and scarves. The San Lorenzo food market is also worth a stop. It’s the biggest in town.

Where to Dine
For a quick lunch, head for Rosso Pomodoro just across from the San Lorenzo food market. According to one local, it serves the best pizza in Florence. Il Latini (illatini.com), a trattoria on the Via Palchetti, offers pastas and main courses to a mix of tourists and locals. It’s raucous fun, and the bread soup is terrific. At dinner, visit Il Santo Bevitore (ilsantobevitore.com) on the south side of the Arno. Its inventive menu and casual atmosphere attract a crowd of young Florentines. Try the pappardelle with wild boar or an asparagus risotto with scampi. For more-formal fine dining book a table at Ristorante InCanto in the Grand Hotel (starwood.com/grandflorence) -- the emphasis is on seafood such as the wild sea bass on pureed pumpkin. At the Westin Excelsior’s ORVM (westin.com/excelsiorflorence).

Where to Stay
Two luxury hotels --The Westin Excelsior Florence (800-937-8461; westin.com/excelsiorflorence; from $275) and the Grand Hotel (888-625-5144; starwood.com/grandflorence; rooms from $300) -- face each other across the Piazza Ognissanti, within walking distance of the city center. They’re right on the Arno, and with marble floors and columns, dark rich woods and frescoes, they resemble large old-world palazzos with service to match. But the city is full of places to stay at all price levels. Check out Venere.com or hotelinfirenze.com for reasonable two- and three-star hotels. Karenbrown.com is another source of lodging recommendations.