Florence Local Customs

In Florence you can frequently see these kind of entertainers on the streets: They make themselves look like a statue or something, stand and not move a muscle. They really do a good job of this. Sometimes you have to look very hard to see it's a real person. It's a fun experience.

Locals do not generally tip.

In Florence, we have seen prices almost double in restaurants over the last five years.

If you feel service was good, go ahead and leave something, but NY tipping (20%) is abnormal here - while the server might be pleased, the locals are not.

Why don't people tip? No one ever explains this- the main reason is many places charge a cover or service charge 10-12% + the hated pane/coperto - bread and silverware charge, leftover from the 15th century. In addition, most waitstaff have proper labor contracts and get a nationally sanctioned salary - so they are not working for tips like in the US and increasingly inother countries. So that's why we don't tip - not just because we are cheap (in italian: tirato/a means to be cheap).

Don't tip the cab driver, our taxis are almost the same price as London - they will probably start charging a supplement for breathing!

During May to September, the Florentine countryside is alive with festivals and rustic consecrations in the villages which follow the agricultural cycles. One of the most outstanding is the exhibition market of Chianti Classico Gallo Nero wine which is held at Greve in Chianti during the first half of September. The festival of knives and blacksmiths is held at the end of August in Scarperia.

The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is held between April and June: It was inaugurated in 1933 and is the oldest Italian lyric-symphonic festival and one of the most prestigious.

I believe now it is possible to book online for major museums in Florence before you arrive which will eliminate waiting long queues when you get there. The charge is about 11,000 litre which is about US$5.00.

At the south side of the Mercado Nuovo is this Swine. I tis a 17th century copy of the original roman marble one, that can be seen in the Uffuzi. Hug it and you will be back in Florence, at least that is what they say.
Coins collect in the bassin under the swine are collected and spend on charity.

The people of Florence must love animals very much. While walking uphill to San Miniato al Monte, we stumbled upon this cat colony. The sign said it is feline colony 3.
We tried find something about it on the internet, but no luck sofar. If somebody knows more we are happy to hear it.

At some point, stop by a cafe and ask for "cantucci con vin santo." It's a traditional dessert or snack of biscuits (mine were similar to biscotti) served with a dessert wine called vin santo. It's delicious!!

In Florence there are numerous enoteca's wine bars where you can drink good wines and eat a small snack like crostini. Normally you can drink most of the wine's even the good ones by the glass. My favourite place is again in Via dei Neri. "All antico Vinaio" is very small so there is no room for tables and people often stand outdoors. Daniele the owner offers a great range of tuscan wines - Frescobaldi for instance- and some fantastic crostini or porchetta made in his wife's rosticerria Giulano Centro on the other side of the street.