I recommend seeing: the duomo, the boboli gardens. Avoid….um, i can’t think of anything unpleasant, its a very nice city. Its quite inspirational. A good restaurant i’ve been to is: Gusto Leo, 8/10 Via del Proconsolo, which is open from 8am-1 at night. Its near the central train station. I’d recommend chilling near the river, or also in boboli gardens. Enjoy your trip:-D

ooooh….I LOVED Florence…I actually wished that my friends and I had stayed there more than in Rome or Venice. At any rate, for breakfast, I’d recommend going to the Mercato Centrale…there’s stalls in there with fresh fruit and the such, and there’s a cafe upstairs where you can get a good espresso shot for just 70 cents euro. :) Then you can wander around the San Lorenzo flea market just outside of the place. :)
http://www.aboutflorence.com/typical-markets-in-Florence.html

Aside from all the major tourist spots like the duomo, the piazza della signoria, and the Uffizi, be sure to watch at least one Tuscan sunset from any of the bridges – Ponte Vecchio, Ponte Trinita, Ponte alla Carraia, etc. Also, to chill with some good music on a summer evening, I recommend hanging out in the square at Santo Spirito.

Although the city is highly impressive, my wife and I found the narrow streets and high buildings rather claustrophobic and I strongly advise getting up to the da Vinci square for a bit of cool [both senses!]

The best place to sit and watch the world go by is on the banks of the Arno near the Ponte Vecchio. The best place to get away from the world and look down Florence is to hike up to the Piazza Michaelangelo. The view is incredible, especially at sunset. Don’t miss it. My favourite restaurant is The Golden View, off the Ponte Vecchio. It also has a nice bar. The best bar for fun drinks is The Art Bar. One of the best places to just relax and have a beer, if you’re in the younger scene, is The Red Garter. We enjoyed sitting in the Piazza Republica or the Piazza Signoria in the evenings. There are musicians, gelato, and lots of people to watch… very relaxing. Have a wonderful trip!

You don’t have to wait to get into the Uffizi if you plan ahead and make reservations. There is a long line at the entrance. By making reservations you will go straight to the front of the line.

http://www.weekendafirenze.com/bigphp/mus.php?skin=fi&mus=uffizi

For great views, climb the Duomo and the belltower.

I would definitely check out the Duomo (pronounced Dome-O) and hang out on the lawn for some fun people watching.
There are lots of great trattoria, but keep in mind that many close for “siesta” for a few hours a day (between luinch and dinner). So find out the hours and plan accordingly.
Floremce is also a quick (and Scenic) train ride from Pisa so why not check out the Leaning Tower (“before it falls,” everyone says!).

Keep in mind that Italian men can be aggressive and “unescorted” women are fair game for verbal harassment. Similarly, loud laughing/carousing after a few glasses of wine will also get you dirty looks as such public intoxication displays are viewed as “American” and thus unseemly!!! Getting followed down the street because you made eye contact with a male is not unheard of . . . I personally have experienced all of these.

There are some great street markets in Florence so ask a hotel clerk or other English-speaking person where they can be found.

Summer in Europe can be crowded and hot so consider a Camelbak that you can fill with water for a long day out walking. (You can buy them at most sports stores.)

Enjoy!!

Kara