Ahhhh...Florence, Italy. I didn't like Florence the first time I went in July 2007. It was too hot, too crowded, and too touristy for my taste after spending time in a villa near Sienna. Yet I heard so many positive things about Florence, I had to give it another chance and am glad I did. What made the experience so different this time? I think it was actually having accommodations in a neighborhood in the city...staying put for two nights and getting lost in the Florentine charm in far cooler (spring) temperatures. And let us not forget, the gelato. 
The Ponte Vecchio Bridge was just a few blocks from the Santo Spirito neighborhood where our quaint hotel was located. We arrived in Florence to rain showers which muddied the Arno River during our visit. Yet, the grey skies did not keep us from exploring the city and making a mandatory visit to the Academia where we were awed by the beauty of the Statue of David.
Closer view of the Ponte Vecchio Bridge--shops are built right into and overhang the bridge--and there is barely room for vehicle traffic but plenty of room for pedestrians. This is a bustling shopping area with some expensive name-brand and high-end jewelry stores.
Hotel Palazzo Guadagni in Santo Spirito, http://www.palazzoguadagni.com/ bordered a lovely piazza with outdoor dining and a large fountain. We stayed on the 3rd floor. The rooms were spacious--the largest we experienced on our 17-day self-guided tour through Northern Italy and best of all, reasonably priced with breakfast included. We found the Hotel Palazzo Guadagni to be a great value even though the rooms were sparsely decorated and it was a bit of a walk to the touristy areas. (We preferred this location to others we considered.) The bathroom was over-sized, clean, and freshly-tiled. Each room had earplugs provided due to potential noise from the square below. I didn't need the earplugs for that reason though. Instead, I was glad to see the plugs due to my traveling companion's (dainty, princess-like) snoring. Not that I was going to mention that since this was her 50th birthday trip. ..but some reviews of this location in TripAdvisor.com do state that noise can be an issue at this property...and it can't be Sharon all the time! Please note: there is another "hotel within the hotel" called Residenza Santo Spirito. It is managed by the same people who manage Hotel Palazzo Guadagni. Friends who stayed at the Residenza Santo Spirtio said it was absolutely lovely with period decor.
The third floor had a great veranda (it was advertised as an veranda bar, but we did not see any drinks being served during our visit) that wrapped around two sides of the hotel and provided excellent views of the Santo Spirito square as well as Florence. The Duomo could be seen from the veranda as well as several other easily identifiable Florence architecture. Hotel Palazzo Guadgani provided an excellent breakfast with an unlimited supply of juices, fruits, cereals, and a wide variety of pastries. We were plenty full when we left each morning for our Florence adventures. It was close to the Pitti Palace and a delicious pastry shop where we indulged in something wonderful and chocolaty.
Look at the Parmesan cheese...cut to order...a beautiful Italian sight!
The piazza was filled with vendors selling a variety of wares including these fresh herbs. The only disappointment--this was our first day in Italy and we could not buy everything we wanted. If we did, we would have to carry "the goods" throughout our travels. So instead, we looked, smelled, and dreamed of a personal "valet."
A basket weaver in the market entertained us for some time. We felt extremely fortunate to wake to such an event on our first morning in Florence.
After the outdoor market, the sun came out and stayed out for much of the remainder of our time in Italy. We visited the famous squares in Florence and viewed statues and art throughout the city, and stopped for gelato whenever we were stuck by the urge...which was frequently.
We preferred to explore the side roads...escaping from the tourist jaunts--and found this adorable little Bruschette Shop on a back cobblestone street. As much as we wanted to be hungry, we just couldn't eat every time we saw a cute, appetizing shop. Too many places and too little time... Florence is filled with shopping, art, food, (even the gelato looks like works of art) and enough glorious architecture to overwhelm the senses, but we didn't miss a beat during our time in this busy city...and we enjoyed every minute.
During our stay in Florence, we splurged on a Chianti Wine Tour with Todd from Tuscan Trails. http://tuscantrails.com/ The all-day event was about $150 U.S. and a highlight of our trip to Florence. The tour included two stops at vineyards in the Chianti region with wine tasting at each winery. (One of the wineries above.) We even had the opportunity to taste locally grown and produced olive oil at one of the locations. Lots of history was presented by Todd and the small group of people fit comfortably in the air-conditioned van. Todd maneuvered his way through this region taking us to a well-hidden (we would have never found this on our own) family-owned restaurant, past a small waterfall and flower-filled meadow. The multi-course meal was excellent and had more food than could be consumed by our group. 
A great day, with awesome Tuscan countryside sights/views...and with a great educational tour guide.
Me, Todd (owner, Tuscan Trails) and Sharon (during her 50th birthday trip!)
The Ponte Vecchio Bridge was just a few blocks from the Santo Spirito neighborhood where our quaint hotel was located. We arrived in Florence to rain showers which muddied the Arno River during our visit. Yet, the grey skies did not keep us from exploring the city and making a mandatory visit to the Academia where we were awed by the beauty of the Statue of David.
Closer view of the Ponte Vecchio Bridge--shops are built right into and overhang the bridge--and there is barely room for vehicle traffic but plenty of room for pedestrians. This is a bustling shopping area with some expensive name-brand and high-end jewelry stores.Hotel Palazzo Guadagni in Santo Spirito, http://www.palazzoguadagni.com/ bordered a lovely piazza with outdoor dining and a large fountain. We stayed on the 3rd floor. The rooms were spacious--the largest we experienced on our 17-day self-guided tour through Northern Italy and best of all, reasonably priced with breakfast included. We found the Hotel Palazzo Guadagni to be a great value even though the rooms were sparsely decorated and it was a bit of a walk to the touristy areas. (We preferred this location to others we considered.) The bathroom was over-sized, clean, and freshly-tiled. Each room had earplugs provided due to potential noise from the square below. I didn't need the earplugs for that reason though. Instead, I was glad to see the plugs due to my traveling companion's (dainty, princess-like) snoring. Not that I was going to mention that since this was her 50th birthday trip. ..but some reviews of this location in TripAdvisor.com do state that noise can be an issue at this property...and it can't be Sharon all the time! Please note: there is another "hotel within the hotel" called Residenza Santo Spirito. It is managed by the same people who manage Hotel Palazzo Guadagni. Friends who stayed at the Residenza Santo Spirtio said it was absolutely lovely with period decor.
The third floor had a great veranda (it was advertised as an veranda bar, but we did not see any drinks being served during our visit) that wrapped around two sides of the hotel and provided excellent views of the Santo Spirito square as well as Florence. The Duomo could be seen from the veranda as well as several other easily identifiable Florence architecture. Hotel Palazzo Guadgani provided an excellent breakfast with an unlimited supply of juices, fruits, cereals, and a wide variety of pastries. We were plenty full when we left each morning for our Florence adventures. It was close to the Pitti Palace and a delicious pastry shop where we indulged in something wonderful and chocolaty.
Our recently refurbished hotel (previously a palace) had passageways, stairs, and even hallways that led us to an upper window with views of the well-loved tiled roofs. Couldn't resist this photo at the top of the tower. The hotel also had some great ceiling panels and sitting areas outside the rooms.
We awoke on Sunday to a lively market in the piazza below our hotel. Fresh cheeses, herbs, bakery items, dried spices, olive oil and much, much more filled local residents shopping baskets as they conversed with the vendors.
Look at the Parmesan cheese...cut to order...a beautiful Italian sight!
The piazza was filled with vendors selling a variety of wares including these fresh herbs. The only disappointment--this was our first day in Italy and we could not buy everything we wanted. If we did, we would have to carry "the goods" throughout our travels. So instead, we looked, smelled, and dreamed of a personal "valet."
After the outdoor market, the sun came out and stayed out for much of the remainder of our time in Italy. We visited the famous squares in Florence and viewed statues and art throughout the city, and stopped for gelato whenever we were stuck by the urge...which was frequently.
We preferred to explore the side roads...escaping from the tourist jaunts--and found this adorable little Bruschette Shop on a back cobblestone street. As much as we wanted to be hungry, we just couldn't eat every time we saw a cute, appetizing shop. Too many places and too little time... Florence is filled with shopping, art, food, (even the gelato looks like works of art) and enough glorious architecture to overwhelm the senses, but we didn't miss a beat during our time in this busy city...and we enjoyed every minute.
During our stay in Florence, we splurged on a Chianti Wine Tour with Todd from Tuscan Trails. http://tuscantrails.com/ The all-day event was about $150 U.S. and a highlight of our trip to Florence. The tour included two stops at vineyards in the Chianti region with wine tasting at each winery. (One of the wineries above.) We even had the opportunity to taste locally grown and produced olive oil at one of the locations. Lots of history was presented by Todd and the small group of people fit comfortably in the air-conditioned van. Todd maneuvered his way through this region taking us to a well-hidden (we would have never found this on our own) family-owned restaurant, past a small waterfall and flower-filled meadow. The multi-course meal was excellent and had more food than could be consumed by our group. 
A great day, with awesome Tuscan countryside sights/views...and with a great educational tour guide.
Me, Todd (owner, Tuscan Trails) and Sharon (during her 50th birthday trip!)
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