Shopping
If you're traveling on a budget,
Florence may not be your best place
to get cheap souvenirs, and
haggling has long been dismissed
from business dealings here. For
stylish and boutigue-shopping, the
famous areas are Ponte Vecchio and
Via dei Tornabuoni. Via
Maggio is a traditional hunting
ground for wonderful (and costly)
antiques. However, there are still
pretty good deals available at the
open-air and street markets which
Florence has in
abundance.
Dining
As a traditional merchant town,
Florence has a lot of good eateries
with diversified cuisines to cater
to its locals and visitors. However,
if you long to taste the genuine
Tuscany cuisine it's best to wheel
away from the tourist center and
seek out small family-owned
restaurants. One thing to be aware
of is that many restaurants in
Florence will only serve full meals
- check the menu outside if you're
thinking of just popping in for a
quick lunchtime plate of pasta. Some
of the establishments to look out
for are Acquacotta, Al
Lume di Candela, Alle Murate,
Cammillo, Ciao Bella,
and Trattoria dei Quattro Leoni.
Nightlife
Florence's lively student body means
a healthy nightlife, and you
certainly can't go wrong by hanging
around the San Marco or Santo
Spirito quarters as news of any
upcoming or impromptu events are
sure to be passed around. The city
has a fair spread of bars and pubs
to fuel an evening's entertainment,
and classier, specialist wine-bars
are coming back into fashion after a
hiatus. It's best to dress nice
especially if you're planning to go
the upmarket establishment as many
of the establishments in Florence
are prone to give priority to the
affluent and
well-dressed.
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