Where to find Great Food, Florence

Favorite thing: Italians are famous for their ice cream, and Florence has so great icecream shops, some offering over 40 flavours. Forget about the calories, and ENJOY

Fondest memory: My daughter going into every icecream shop she could find, counting the number of flavours they had on offer!

We had to try several of course!

Favorite thing: Pitti Place will provide a historical tour of the Medici and life in Florence. The magnificent art collections and the Boboli gardens provide days of enjoyment.

Fondest memory: A restaurant recommendation from the hotel Belvedere manager - Vecchia Bettola. A small local place were everyone sat together family style. We were accepted as just another "lost cousin" dropping in for a bite to eat.

Favorite thing: I'm sure there are a million pages on this site, not to mention thousands of guidebooks, that will tell you about the main sights. So I'll probably stick to restaurants and unusual things to do on this page. If you have the faintest idea what you're doing, it's really hard not to eat extremely well here.

Fondest memory: My favorite Italian food is the Tuscan crostini--basically a chicken liver paste spread on bread. As you probably can tell from reading previous pages, I'm really into those 'variety meats,' as they so delicately call them. I've made it myself at home; it's pretty easy as long as you have a blender or food processor.

Favorite thing: A nice cafe, the Cafe Ricci, is across the river from the Uffizi. Passing all the shops that line the Ponte Vecchio and peering into the windows to see trinkets like these without buying was no easy task. Florence is known for its gold and leather goods.

Favorite thing: You have to eat in one of the little cafes. Most of them are standing room only but well worth it even if you are tired from walking all day. I noticed that there seemed to be less tourists in these places. You can get sandwiches and pastries and wine. Things like that. My favorite was the foccia bread with sliced tomato, real mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil. Plus with a glass of wine. Yummy! I still crave those sandwiches and my only chance to come close here is my friend's Italian Grandma!

Favorite thing: I think my favourite think to do in Florence is to buy an ice cream and walk along the Ponte Vecchio. It is nice to look in the windows of the jewellers and see all the sparkly trinkets and watch the other tourists walking along. In fact, I think people watching is my favourite pasttime in Florence.

Fondest memory: Eating dinner in a restaurant then going out for a walk across Ponte Vecchio with an ice cream. The Italians really know how to make ice cream!