Florence Tourist Traps

Although I've been to Florence a few times it even happened to me two years ago. Crossing the beautiful Piazza Signoria in Florence me and a friend felt like having an icecream. We walked into the icecream parlor at the piazza and ordered two flavours each.....they wanted us to pay the incredible price of 15euro for it!!!!

Fun Alternatives: Just walk trough the arch connecting Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi you'll come to a small pedestrian street called Via Neri with lots of nice shops and the Gelateria Neri it's almost at the end on the left side. Great gelato and reasonable prices.

Be aware that some of the up class looking Coffee shops are often very expensive and sometimes have very rude staff.
It's often better to find a smaller cafe and stand at the bar for the cheapest and often better tasting expresso!
Be warey of main street cafes advertising no seating charge or cover charge - they are either more expensive generally, poor quality or both!

Unique Suggestions: Pay for your drink at the cash desk and then stand at the bar.
Pay extra and sit down if you really want to take in the culture in one of the main squares.

Fun Alternatives: Side street cafe! There's lots about.

So, this is the true story: I wanted a map of Florence and this place is a Tourist Information Point. I asked for a map and the guy gave me a tiny map with all the monuments... But I wanted a bigger map I had just seen on his table... Asked for it and all I got was this answer: "I'm sorry, but we have a few of those maps. I can't give you one". I was very disappointed and promised to add this fact to my Tourist Trap section!!! :P

Unique Suggestions: That guy was very kind and helpful, so I think you could ask anything about Florence. Just don't ask for the best map they have!!!

Fun Alternatives: Buy a big map before leaving for Florence or just ask the reception of your Hotel or Bed&Breakfast. They usually have lots of helpful stuff.

Don't be fooled by the statue of David in Piazza Signoria. This is only a copy of Michealangelo's famous sculpture. There is also a bronze replica in Piazza Michaelangelo. The only REAL David is in the Academia museum, and you must fight lines and a lack of student discounts to see him.

Don't waste your time standing in long queues at the Museums. You will be wasting valuable time and energy that would be better spent actually looking at some art!

Unique Suggestions: Many museums accept reservations by phone. You can reserve a time slot from months ahead to sometimes the same day.

Fun Alternatives: Call ahead!

The two must see museums are as follows:

Uffizi Gallery 055-294-883

The Academia (Michelangelo's David) 055-238-8609

Ponte Vecchio is the famous bridge that crosses the Arno River. On the bridge are very expensive jewelry shops. Also on the bridge are very inexpensive street vendors. The bridge is very crowded with tourists, streets vendors and shops. The street vendors tend to overwhelm you and the experience is not very pleasant. However from a distance the bridge makes a wonderful photo opportunity as proven here by those two guys in hats!

I know of several people including myself who have bought gelato in Florence, for near the price of a dinner, no joke. Many of the places in touristy areas, and even some that are several blocks away will not display their prices up front. You only find out how much your scoops of frozen greatness will coast you when it comes time to pay. And the worst part is many of the places serve only mediocre gelato. If you are going to get charged 6-10 dollars for two scoops of gelato the very least they could do is make it good. So always ask about prices if they are not clearly posted.

Be careful with two people on a golf car, drive around the train station looking for backpackers who look lost or desperate for hotels. They would stop over to say hi to you (looking very friendly) and ask if you need a place to stay. If you tell them you've just got a place to stay, and they'd tell you they know that hotel owner, and they just talked to him or her on the phone and it's been fully booked, and they'd be happy to give you a ride to somewhere else. I turned them down right away (even though it was so hot that day and I was tired), and later I found out that my hotel owner didn't know those two people at all. I'm glad I made the right choice. Who knows where they'd take you. Be careful!

Unique Suggestions: Try to find the tourist information center and book a hotel from there. It's safer.