Try visiting the Slow Travel Wesbsite,

http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/,

and using their message board,

http://slowtalk.com/groupee/forums to search for answers to your questions.

Otherwise, I have a list of my favorite places to eat and some notes about things to see and do. I can email it you if you like…

Experience Florence with all your senses sight, smell, touch, hear, and most importantly, taste. Grab a gelato and stroll the Piazza Signoria and Piazza Repubblica in the evenings listening to the street musicians. Stand on the banks of the Arno, staring at the Ponte Vecchio and watch the world go by. Hike up the to the Piazza Michaelangelo at sunset and see the same colors that the Renissance painters saw decades ago.

Tratoria Zaza for really good food that’s not too expensive. Be sure to explore the Mercato Centrale di San Lorenzo by Lorenzo Giotti in the same piazza (big green roof).

Piazzale Michelangelo for a great free view.

Climbing up the Duomo is totally freaking awesome, and worth every euro (you climb in between the double shelled structure!!) The building will blow your mind, and the view ain’t too bad either.

Stroll across Ponte Vecchio.

Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella- extremely expensive but free smells.

http://www.smnovella.it/smn.htm

Eat as much gelato as possible, but stay away from the gelaterias with neon coloring.

Get lost frequently.