STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

www.eurotrip.com

Also, Lonely Planet Guide's are good for finding good hostels.  But the above website has reviews by "common" people .  I've tried out a couple of the hostels I've found on there and I've NEVER been disappointed.  I usually use the reviews as a jumping off point, then do my own research on the place, figuring out where exactly it's located, trying to find a website, seeing if it's in guidebooks, etc.  I do recommend making reservations WAAAAY ahead of time for your boyfriend if he's staying in a hostel, as they book up really fast in Florence.

One fun thing I did with my sister while we were Florence:  We spent an hour searching for the "World's Best Ice Cream" (according to the guidebook).  I can find the name and address for you if you want to look for it.

So jealous! I was in Florence a few years ago but I was only there for 3 days and I didn't eat out much because I was alone and running around like a lunatic but here are my suggestions. I did have a nice lunch at a place on one of the small squares but I can't remember which one. I kept a journal so maybe I wrote it down.

Since you are going to be a librarian you must go to the Laurentian Library, which was designed by Michelangelo. Most people just go to see the Medici Chapel and that is fabulous as well but I love the library. It's really just the vestibule and then the reading room and the vestibule is what people tend to focus on because it's really bizarre. Other than that, I did the usual things which are listed in any tour guide. For me the highlights were San Marco (monastery with frescoes by Fra Angelico), Ghiberti's bronze doors on the Battistero, the frescoes by Masaccio and Masolino in Santa Maria del Carmine, the Bargello (sculpture museum), Pitti Palace/Boboli Gardens, Santa Croce (Giotto frescoes, lots of other important art and tombs), Santa Maria Novella...ok you get the idea.

Because you'll be there for a long stretch of time you can avoid crowds at the museums by going later in the day. I went to the Uffizi two nights in a row about 1.5 hours before it closed and didn't have to reserve tickets and fight crowds to see the paintings.


As for where to stay, I stayed at the Fenice Palace which is right up the street from the Duomo but it looks like it's would be $120 a night in the summer with the current sucky exchange rate. But if your bf doesn't want to do hostels I highly recommend Venere.com for booking hotels. They have a ton of listings for Florence and there are a bunch for under $60 a night plus you can read patron reviews.


gingembre was the gelato place Perche No? I know that's the one place that most people recommend. The address is Via dei Tavolini 12 and I think it's right off the Piazza della Repubblica, somewhere behind the Palazzo Vecchio but I could be totally wrong.

I actually didn't do any shopping when I was there but it looks like detroit has that covered. You should try to look into doing some side trips. I went to Sienna to see the famous striped duomo and it is really pretty there but it was also insanely clogged with tourists.

HTH!

-- Edited by cc at 13:50, 2006-01-30

Il Latini - GO THERE!

Its the best meal in Florence and such a fun restaurant! I did a study abroad there in college and its my favorite. I've sent alot of people there who love it too. There are 2 seatings a night - you can't just show up so call in advance and get the times!