Luckily for you, Florence does have plenty open in August. The main tourist attractions and centrally located restaurants and shops generally remain open to meet the demands of summer visitors. In fact, you’ll find there are many advantages to visiting this picture-perfect city during this hot month.

Here are a few of my favorite reasons to head here and stick around (if you can stand the heat, that is…).

Less crowds and commotion

While the amount of tourists visiting the city remains more or less the same, almost all Italians are on vacation in the mountains or on the beach. While you may miss out on some interaction with the locals, you will benefit from the ease of an empty city, very quiet weekends and less hustle and bustle. Even in the main tourist areas you’ll notice the slower pace of the summer.

Summer nights and concerts

When the warmth arrives in Florence, the city’s nightlife welcomes it with open arms. Open-air concerts and parties are scheduled for every night during the summer. Granted, things do tend to slow down a bit in August, but there are still plenty of events—free and paying—to choose from.

For example, the summer concert series Live On, at the large fortress near the train station, La Fortezza da Basso, offers a wide range of concerts, the majority of which are free, as well as a place to dance and drink in the open air.

If you’re looking for something more low-key, the former prison-turned-cultural space Le Murate, right near Piazza Beccaria, offers aperitivos every Monday night. During the month of August, the post-aperitivo entertainment includes presentations of short films and documentaries from all over the world.

Gelato

Ok, I know you can get gelato all year round and in all parts of Italy, but come on, what is better on a scorching hot day in the Tuscan capital (and disputed home of the luscious snack) than three solid meals of icy creamy gelato? You could start with a breakfast of fruity sorbetto topped with whipped cream, linger over a hearty lunch of nocciola (hazelnut) and pistacchio and finish off your night with some rich cioccolato fondente (dark chocolate) and crema (cream).

After all that, you may even need a gelato al caffe’ (coffee ice cream) to help digest. I’ll be writing about my Florence’s best gelato places soon, but in the meantime go to my favorite, Perche’ No (literally named Why Not?) in Via dei Tavolini, right off the main shopping street of Via Calzaiuoli. In addition to the central location, it boasts gelato made on the premises from all natural ingredients. The shop even has vegan ice cream!

Extended hours at the Palazzo Vecchio

The Palazzo Vecchio will remain open every night, except Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to midnight. These late-night openings allow the public an even more special look at one of the most important buildings of past and present Florence.

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For all other readers, here are a few activities in Florence that will keep you on the cooler side of the sun without spending a ton.

Swimming in Florence

The biggest and most frequented pool complex in town is la Piscina Comunale Costoli near the Campo di Marte Stadium. The complex contains three pools and during the summer  is open to the public for €6.50. There is also a baby pool and water slides. To get there, take ATAF buses 10, 17 or 20 or walk five minutes north of the Campo di Marte Train Station.

Another option is the Parco Piscina Le Pavoniere, an outdoor pool set in a green space along the Arno River. Entry costs €7 on weekdays and €8 on the weekends. The pool is within walking distance from the center. It can also be accessed by ATAF bus 17C.

Beaches near Florence

Public beaches are quite scarce in Italy, so a trip to the sea could mean dishing out some cash for a spot in the sand. Typical expenses on these private beaches include fees for chairs, parasols or an entrance fee to the beach.

The closest option from Florence is Viareggio, which can be accessed by train in an hour and a half.  (It makes a good day trip.) A round-trip ticket costs around €12, but the rest of your excursion could run a bit higher depending on which part of the beach you settle on. Being the closest beach to Florence, Viareggio can also get quite packed, and the prices in the city tend to be on the spicy side.

If you have access to a car, why not take a little adventure up the coast? Everyone raves about Cinque Terre, but Tuscany’s Riviera Apuana is much less crowded and closer to Florence. Plus,  it has its own share of Mediterranean charisma.

Parks in Florence

While in Florence, shade is your friend. And trees give lots of shade so you will definitely want to be friends with them. The problem is that there is not much green in downtown Florence—unless you visit the little parks peppered between the streets.

A perfect example is the small yet beautiful Giardino del Palazzo Vivarelli Colonna near the Santa Croce Basilica.  It’s open Tuesday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It offers lots of trees and lots of shade, and it’s entirely free.

A second option is Le Cascine, the largest public park in Florence. Situated along the Arno River, it’s a great place to picnic, read and relax. On Tuesdays, it turns into a huge market from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. However, like all big city public parks, it’s best to avoid it once the sun sets.

And as a last option to beat the heat: There is, of course, air-conditioning.

The post Florence Pools, Parks, and Beaches: Cheap ways to keep cool under the Tuscan sun appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Luckily, the Giardino dell’Orticultura (Horiculture Gaden) offers some much-needed greenery not far from the city center. So let me share one of my favorite spots, where you not only get some open space, but you also get a great view of the city you left behind. As an added bonus, all this beauty is available for free!

The 19th-century greenhouse

Florence underwent a huge transformation in the late 19th century. The city was modernized with grand boulevards, large open piazzas and equestrian statues. During the same period, this park was created to reserve a space for expositions of exotic plant life.

Nowadays the plants aren’t so exotic, but there are still fields of daisies sprinkled in the green grass. The area is divided into two sections by the unfortunate placement of the railroad. The lower section includes large fountains, small fields, benches, a small playground and a 19th-century replica of a traditional Italian “loggia” (a covered open-air pavilion with decorated arches).

The dragon fountain

The most impressive feature of this garden is the greenhouse, made entirely of glass and shining metal. It is currently (as of April 2010) being restored to its former glory, though it is still visible. It’s an especially lovely sight when the sun is shining.

The upper section of the garden is accessible by a bridge running over the train tracks. (You can also access it from farther up the hill on Via Trieste.) This section is situated on an incline, and the height offers great views of the city.

As you climb the stairs, take a good look at the dragon fountain made of pieces of glass, stone and bottles. (It brings to mind a similar fountain by Gaudì at the Parc Guëll in Barcelona.) Once you reach the top, you’ll find benches where you can relax and really enjoy the view and the fresh air. This is one of my favorite spots in Florence, so it’s worth the trip to check it out!

The view from the top

Giardino dell’Orticultura (Horticulture Garden)
Address: Via Bolognese near Ponte Rosso
Transportation: #25 bus (from Piazza San Marco to Pratolino) or on foot from Piazza della Libertà

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In this walking tour, you start and end at two key sights in Florence (the Palazzo Vecchio and the Piazza Santa Croce), stopping along the way to look at the walls. Why the walls? Because if someone took the effort to write something on a wall (especially in the Middle Ages or Renaissance), it means that it’s definitely worth remembering.

Michelangelo’s mini-portrait

Start: Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza Signoria

After admiring Botticelli’s masterpieces at the Uffizi Gallery or learning about the bold Florentine Republic at the town hall (Palazzo Vecchio), go ahead and start this interesting stroll that will bring you to another site surely on your list, Santa Croce.

1. Michelangelo’s mark on the Palazzo Vecchio

If you’re facing the Palazzo Vecchio, go up to the right corner of the building, towards Via della Ninna and the Uffizi. You’ll notice that there’s a profile etched into one of the massive blocks of the Palazzo (the second in from the corner, about 12 feet up).

There is more than one version of the story, but in any case, the man bold enough to carve into Palazzo Vecchio was Michelangelo. One version states that he etched his profile into the stone with his back turned on a dare. Another variation has it that he carved the mug of a particularly hated acquaintance so that Florentines would never forget the man’s face. (Choose to believe whichever version you prefer.)

2. Flood marks at the Via dei Neri

Continue down Via della Ninna into Piazza del Grano (the exit for the Uffizi), cross the street, and start walking up Via dei Neri. When you come upon the first street on the left, Via di San Remigio, take a look at the left wall at the corner of Via dei Neri.

The ancient flood markers

You’ll see two plaques high up on the wall, one from modern times and one that looks much older. They will be hard to read, but take a good look: They mark the water levels of two separate floods of the Arno River.

One marks a flood on November 4th, 1333, and the second marks the famous flood of November 4th, 1966. (Coincidentally, both floods happened on November 4th and reached a similarly destructive height.) If you come across a friendly Florentine over the age of 60, go ahead and ask about the flood of ’66. You will hear some amazing—and frightening—stories.

The Gelateria dei Neri

3. Snack break at the Gelateria dei Neri

Slightly farther ahead on the left, stop for a refreshing gelato at one of the best gelateria’s in Florence, Gelateria dei Neri. The gelato is made on the premises and there’s a wide range of flavors that changes depending on the season. In the winter, the creamy Crema di Giotto or the spicy Mexican chocolate with peppers is delicious, while summertime calls for something more fruity, like passion fruit or green apple.

4. A Christian declaration near the Piazza Santa Croce

Take a left onto Via de’ Benci (and possibly stop for an aperitivo at Moyo if you’re passing at the right hour) and head towards Piazza Santa Croce. When you’ve arrived at the edge of the piazza, facing the church, head to the first street on the left, Via Verrazzano.

A “Signori Otto” plaque

A few paces in from the piazza, you’ll see a very old-looking stone covered in writing in the middle of a yellow wall. For all you Latin nerds, go ahead and try to read the old calligraphy. For all the rest of you, the stone tells you that in the year 1300, God graced all Christians by giving them back control of the Holy Land that had been in the hands of the Arabs, and to commemorate this grace, Pope Boniface decided to absolve all the sins of any Christian who made a pilgrimage to Rome. The last line (in Italian), states, “And Ugolino went with his wife.”

5. Renaissance-era warning signs

Final Stop: The Piazza Santa Croce

You’ll find the last stop on the corner of Via Verrazzano and the next street up, Via del Fico. On the corner of Via del Fico, above all of the modern-day graffiti, you’ll find a plaque similar to many others you’ll find in Florence signed by the “Signori Otto,” or the “Eight Men.”

These “Eight Men” kept order on the streets of Florence in the Renaissance era, and you’ll find their plaques all over the city, banning various inappropriate activities such as playing with balls in the street. In this particular case, the Eight Men are banning the “meretrici” (prostitutes) from living on this street.

End: Piazza Santa Croce

Now that you’ve examined many of Florence’s lesser-known attractions, you can go back to your regularly scheduled tours of museums and churches. Just don’t forget to look at the walls surrounding you!

The post Florence: A (free) medieval graffiti walking tour appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

While these churches are the most well-known in Florence, they are certainly not the only ones—and in my opinion, not the most interesting ones. While the Duomo has free entrance, the inside is relatively sparse. Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce are definitely worth a visit, but both require paid entry.

So, try to take a step away from the guidebook and visit these three interesting and peculiar (and admission-free) churches that you’ll find tucked away where you’d least expect them.

The Chiesa dei Santi Michele e Gaetano.

Chiesa dei Santi Michele e Gaetano
Piazza Antinori, Via Tornabuoni

While gazing longingly into the windows of the Hermès store, you might not notice this behemoth looming behind you. The Chiesa dei Santi Michele e Gaetano, also known as San Michele degli Antinori, is a large, dark church of the Baroque style—one of the few Baroque churches in Florence.

Aside from its size and serious exterior, what I find particularly fascinating about this church is its opening hours. You will often find it open late in the evening, around 8 or 9 PM. Feel free to wander in and gaze at the interesting examples of 17th-century artwork so often ignored in the city.

Santa Margherita dei Cerchi
Via Santa Margherita, off of Via del Corso

From the winding, bustling Via del Corso, take a right onto a side street and you’ll find yourself in front of a small brick building that, aside from the signs, would not be easily identified as a church.

This miniscule church (pictured at top), while lacking in decoration, is rich with history. For anyone that’s heard of Dante’s famous love for Beatrice, this is reportedly the small church in which they met. As the story goes, Dante fell madly in love with the beautiful, nine-year-old Beatrice upon seeing her at mass one morning.

Inside the church, you will find a tomb supposedly belonging to Beatrice. Take a look at the basket placed nearby, as it’s filled with letters and notes addressed to Beatrice by visitors and students from around the world in appreciation of the work her beauty inspired.

Inside the Chiesa di Santi Apostoli.

Chiesa di Santi Apostoli
Piazza del Limbo

On the picturesque Piazza del Limbo, you’ll find one of Florence’s old bath houses, a fancy oil shop, a luxurious hotel, and also this small, well-maintained medieval church.

If you have one euro, use it to turn on the lights to see better. You will find a small, simple layout with exquisite carved and painted wooden beams, paintings from various time periods, and—my personal favorite—a brightly colored ceramic piece made by the Della Robbia family.

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The piazza was constructed in the 1890s, beautifully landscaped and lined with copies of Michelangelo’s sculptures. Today, look past the street vendors and souvenir stands to the unbeatable view. Take in the rolling hills of Fiesole behind you, and the spectacular unobstructed Florentine cityscape below. At the square’s center is a bronze replica of Michelangelo’s David.

Take a few minutes to visit the church of San Salvatore al Monte, which still houses original Renaissance paintings and artwork. The church is free and open to the public, and remains the “kissing cousin” to the Church of San Miniato al Monte, which is a (very worthwhile) 10-15 minute walk further uphill.

Getting to Piazza Michelangelo

The walk up to Piazza Michelangelo can take awhile, depending on where you’re starting from in Florence. If you’re climbing the Viale Michelangelo, allow at least an hour, but don’t be afraid to linger longer. The trek, along a picturesque and cobbled lane, is well worth it. Once you reach the piazza, you’ll be glad you hiked it.

For help in planning your walk, we recommend the walk outlined in DK Eyewitness Travel Guide’s “Florence & Tuscany”. Their walk takes two hours and brings you to Piazzale Michelangelo, before continuing on to San Miniato al Monte.

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