The pretty Italian city with 728-year-old attraction, free drinks and TUI packages
FOLLOW in the footsteps of telly’s Rob Rinder and Rylan Clark in fabulous Florence.
The city, known for its picturesque piazzas and perfect pizzas, featured this week in the duo’s Grand Tour show on BBC Two.
The capital of Tuscany, it is a two-hour flight from the UK — and Tui has city break packages for all budgets.
WHY SHOULD I GO?
YOU’LL get to see one of the most beautiful cities in the world and, just like Rob and Rylan, take in Michelangelo’s famous sculpture, David.
Shop for leather goods, drink Italian wine and eat the best pasta and pizza.
It’s an ideal short-break destination, although the sights are so wonderful I could have stayed a week.
A tram outside Florence’s airport takes you into the city for around £1.50.
STREETS MADE FOR WALKING?
DEFINITELY — and take your time to marvel at the stunning architecture.
During the Renaissance, architects and artists were paid big money to come to Florence and bring it back to life after the Black Death of the 1340s.
So there are beautiful statues, fountains and frescoes everywhere.
Construction on the Duomo (cathedral), which dominates its own piazza, started in the 13th century but took 150 years to build.
It is spectacular, with a pink, white and green marble facade.
The city’s Uffizi and Accademia galleries have the world’s greatest collection of Renaissance Italian art.
The Accademia houses Michelangelo’s 17ft-tall David, carved from one piece of marble.
It has the wow factor, so much so that I had to see it twice.
The first time was on a guided Best of Florence tour, booked through City Experiences (a great way of avoiding queues).
You can shop till you drop in budget and high-end boutiques, explore markets for silk scarves, olive oil and souvenirs and find leather bags to die for.
ANYTHING FOR THE BUCKET LIST?
IT has to be a big bucket!
A VIP tour of the Duomo — including climbing to the top of the dome and private access to terraces — is pricey at around £130, but worth it.
Our guide took us in Rob and Rylan’s footsteps as we tackled 463 stone steps, thankfully stopping for the odd breather and a few history facts.
After descending, we stayed once everyone else had left, watched the lights being switched off and exited with the key master, who locked up for the night.
Walk across Ponte Vecchio, the medieval arch bridge over the river Arno — home to over 50 jewellers — to get to the enormous Pitti Palace and grand Boboli gardens.
If you have time, catch an hour-long train to Pisa to see its famous, leaning tower.
Time for another climb — 300 steps to the top.
Bucket list ticked.
I FANCY A DRINK
WHATEVER your poison, it’s all here, from a pint of beer and glass of wine for less than £5 to cocktails from £7.
Try the Italians’ favourite liqueur, limoncello, often free at the end of a meal.
Gaze at the Duomo from a table outside L’Antica Cantina del Chianti or sip a Negroni in Caffe Gilli, the oldest bar in Florence established in Piazza della Repubblica in 1733.
WHERE SHOULD I EAT?
I WAS pleasantly surprised by the reasonable prices, with yummy pastries and cakes from £1 and coffee from £2.50 at Caffe Scudieri near the Duomo.
Cafes galore sell sandwiches from £6 and there’s every pasta and pizza on the planet from £10.
As for gelato, how big do you want that ice cream?
T-bone steaks and Ribollita, a Tuscan white bean soup, are favourite dishes.
For dinner, I’d go back to Trattoria Ponte Vecchio, near the bridge, and Il Paiolo on Via del Corso.
WHERE SHOULD I STAY?
TRY the Executive Hotel, once a nobleman’s residence, near the river.
Or, for a bit more luxury, the Grand Hotel Minerva, which has a rooftop bar and pool.
GO: Florence
THREE nights’ B&B at the 4T Executive Hotel from £475pp, including flights from Gatwick on September 1.
See tui.co.uk.
One night’s B&B at the Hilton London Gatwick from £106, with eight days’ parking.
See holidayextras.com.
Best Of Florence walking tour is from €77.
See cityexperiences.com.