Florence Tourist Traps

When choosing a tourist menu at a restaurant, check if the price shown on the menu really includes everything (service, covert, taxes, etc.).

Unique Suggestions: If you really want to order the fixed tourist menu, be advised that when you seat at the table the waiter will bring you a menu that does not have that option.
You should ask for the fixed price menu, and he will bring you a different menu, so you can choose the available options.

Fun Alternatives: Most of the times it’s better to choose an option from the menu and a glass of wine. You have a lot more choice, and the final price is about the same.

There is a lot of 'cheap' leather in Florence. Most of the shops have demonstrations of adding gold edging etc etc but please be aware of the leather that you are buying. Some of the cheap stuff is actually hide pulped and pressed into leather sheets - these sheets are used to make coats, bags & other items. The sheets can rip easily, unlike real leather, though this is not so easy to do when looking at something you like.

My advice is to shop around and avoid the 'leather factory' places. If the price is too good to be true then it probably is - try to buy from reputable shops even if it is a bit more expensive! Having said this, Mum purchased a cheap and chearful leather wallet for Dad in 2003 from a stall and it's still in one piece!

Beware when you sit down at an outside table at a bar for a nice beer or glass of wine. The prices are different if you sit inside (less expensive) or outside where you can see and be seen. My husband and I actually paid 6 euros apiece for a beer because we chose to sit at an outside table.

Unique Suggestions: Look for the prezzo lista. It is supposed to be prominently displayed but sometimes it's inside and you're outside or ask if there is a difference in price to drink inside or outside. I bet there is!

This huge street market surrounds Il Centro Mercato and the prices for some of the items are outrageous. Shoes for 150 euro and what not, especially the leather goods.

Unique Suggestions: There will be more than one vendor selling the same thing. If you have time play them against one another. I bargained my cape down from 60 euros to 35 and then when I opened my purse I explained that I had only 30 euros and as it was the end of the day I would not be back tomorrow. As expected I got a cape for 30 euros.

As you wander around Florence you will find street vendors selling many different items that make great souvenirs, however, you'll also find some shady characters. We all know how much the designer goods cost, so that sensational bargain price you find on the street corner from someone who wraps the merchandise in a sheet and leaves when the police come along, should make you think.

And remember, you can be fined for purchasing fake goods and they can be confiscated when you return home and go through customs. Do everyone a favor, ignore these con artists. If they have no customers, they will go away or maybe get real jobs.)

dont ever eat near the expensive shopping areas (via roma & tourbini) or near the main tourist attractions (uffizi & Academia) four lmeals, snacks and gelatto always walk a bit down side streets away from the commotion to find things considerably cheaper!

I will walk 5 miles before getting into a cab because of the universal trademark of scamming. HAD to take a cab in Florence. Got a driver whom we told we were under the gun to make our train connection to Rome-We'd been waiting at the wrong train station. I know he drove us around town until it was just short of train's departure-Partner had bought non-refundable tickets in advance from a travel agent-We arrived 5 minutes before departure and cabbie flipped the meter from 9.45 euros to 25.45 euros! Not even time for an argument at that point. Stewed about that for a few minutes and then had to let it go.

Unique Suggestions: DO NOT TAKE A CAB UNLESS there is not other way. Allow plenty of time for the trip. Negotiate the fare in Advance!! We couldn't do any of this. It was grab a cab and go! Unfortunately got another cab driver cheat.

Fun Alternatives: If time isn't important, the buses are great. See different parts of the city, people watch.

Located at Ponte Vecchio are many expensive jewelry shops, try to reframe from buying any jewelry here as it is quite expensive comparatively speaking. You can probably find better deals around Via Roma (famous shopping strip with many stores).