A new section, for quick access to my reviews of museums, churches, monuments, restauraunts, shops and gelato places, in Italy and in my other travels. The reviews will come gradually, starting with brief overviews of Florence, then branching out in depth and geography.
Wherever in the world you’re bound, be sure to check my international Gelato Atlas, to see if there is good gelato available near you. Meanwhile, here are a few of my posts about Florence and other Italian cities.
- Pluto Ahoy! Also, New Music Kickstarter & Photos of Greenland.
- Stage Blood and Jetlag, or an Ex Urbe Visit to London
- A Sunny Day in Oxford
- The Scariest Library
- Modern Pentathlon: Quick plug for an obscure but awesome sport.
- When in London, do as the Greeks do.
- A Food Map of Florence
- Florence: Overview of Churches and Monuments
- Florence: Overview of Major Museums
- Photo Album Created
- Bathroom Suspense
- Site Migration Complete
- Salve!
And here are links to many of my recommended restaurants and hotels, as well as a few fun sites.
Florence Links
- (Florence) farm fresh Tuscan food restaurant near the center: Il Che C'E' C'E'
- (Florence) Gusta Osteria, Gustapanino & Gusta Pizza - 3 separate places for panini, pizza & sit-down, all excellent. Cheap to mid-price)
- (Florence) Le Campane - East by San Ambrogio, cheap with pizza & pasta, big portions, rare combo
- (Florence) Perche No!... - best gelateria in central Florence. Opposite orcanmichele. In summer get "granita di cocomero" (watermelon)
- (Florence) Pizzeria 'O Vesuvio - cheap genuinely good Neapolitan pizza right in the centro between Palazzo Vecchio & Orsanmichele
- (Florence) Rivareno Gelato (exceptional, all-natural gelato, east of the city center, Via del Corso)
- (Florence) Theatro del Sale dining club. MOST AMAZING FOOD I'VE EVER FOUND. 7 euro membership, then meals are buffet. Lunches 20 euro, dinner & a show 30/35, each is 12 to 15 courses + wine, water, coffee & desert. 7 euro stunning breakfst.
- (Florence) Trattoria Bordino - Fabulous and shockingly affordable lunch. Dinner is more expensive but has amazing truffle pasta, really great price for bistecca Fiorentina, stunning deserts.
- Florence Gelato Festival, May 23-27
- Florence: Friends of the Uffizi (60 euro membership gets you into civic museums free for 1 year, skip lines)
- Florence: Hotel Alessandra. Affordable, right by Ponte Vecchio. You have to haul your stuff up one flight of stairs, but then there is an elevator. Free functional wifi.
Rome Links
- "Fake" Centurions arrested outside Colosseum
- (Rome) Cul de Sac - just south of Piazza Navona, incredible selection of wine, cheese, salumi. Order burrata.
- (Rome) Giolitti - gelateria. Order medium cone and ask for "panna dentro" i.e. they stuff the cone with whipped cream
- (Rome) Osteria da Fortunata, perfect Roman fresh pasta, by Campo dei Fiori
- New confirmation that Caesar was indeed killed by the Largo Argentina tram stop, where the Roman National Cat Sanctuary now is.
- Part of Nero's Domus Aurea ceiling collapses in Rome
- Rome: Galleria Borghese reservations: don't forget you need to reserve a few days to a week in advance to see Rome's stunning Borghese collection. They only let you in for 2 hours at a time.
- Rome: Hotel Primavera. A competitor for my favorite Roman hotel. Directly south of Piazza Navona, location can't be beat, easy to find, reasonably comfortable. Internet free but spotty.
- Rome: Hotel Smeraldo, a competitor for my favorite Roman hotel, pretty affordable, central, between Largo Argentina & Campo dei Fiori
- Rome: Hotel Touring - very cheap, reasonable hotel extremely close to Termini station
- Rome: Hotel Washington - a block and a half closer to Termini than Touring, slightly less comfortable, good AC, extremely cheap
- Rome: National Pasta Museum (my favorite tourist trap)
- Rome: Scavi Tour. Visit the amazing excavated Roman Necropolis and St. Peter's tomb under the basilica. Popular and limited so you may need to reserve as much as SIX MONTHS in advance.
Other Travel Links
- (Venice) Birraria la Corte - great pizza and other things, in Campo San Polo.
- Cheap mass produced but cool-looking Venetian masks
- London: St. Pancras Youth Hostel, Euston Rd. (across from British Library, short walk to theater district & British Museum)
- Paris: Carte Louvre Jeune (if you're under 26 unlimited 1 year Louvre visits for less than the price of going twice)
- Paris: Hotel Flor Rivoli. My new-found Paris working hotel. Short stroll from the Louvre and the Ile de la Cite, right by the central Chatelet metro stop, very easy to reach from the train station, free internet, affordable.
- Venice: Hotel Antigo Trovatore (Good, affordable hotel right behind San Marco)
