Cute park for bringing your kids to run around in and play. Lots of space, nice selection of…read moreequipment for kids to play on ... swings, slide etc. The park is open also to animals on and sometimes off a leash. During the summer there is a little chiosk bar with tables and chairs. Only downside of the park that I can think of is that sometimes the teens/preteens come to smoke up in the play equipment leaving their trash around ;-/ which is lame.

Beautiful and peaceful garden near piazza della Liberta. it is very nice to just sit there or walk…read moreamong the little hills of the garden. You should climb until the top of the garden where you will have an amazing view on the city. There is also a very nice coffee place that I have not tried yet - but whose location is great. I will come back to hang there for sure!

If you're spending any real time in Florence, you're pretty likely to cross the Ponte Vecchio,…read morewhich spans the Arno and more or less connects Palazzo Pitti to the Duomo. You'd walk it even if it were just any old bridge, but it is in fact The Old Bridge: a medieval stone arch bridge, and the only bridge in Florence to survive World War II. We never made a point of visiting Ponte Vecchio, but we walked across it several times during our two days in town. It's a lovely bridge, with shops built onto both sides--I guess this was a common thing in medieval times. The shops give the bridge an interesting building block look from the outside, and form a vibrant commercial corridor within. No car traffic, but plenty of pedestrians at all times. Most of the shops on Ponte Vecchio seem to sell gold jewelry. I recognized a few chain jewelers, but I think those were in the minority. I doubt Ponte Vecchio is the place to get a good deal on gold jewelry, but if you want a gold souvenir from Florence, it's probably worth a browse. We didn't shop on Ponte Vecchio, but we enjoyed the bridge as a bridge, a practical monument full of beauty and history. It offers prime views of the city and is, of course, a marvel in itself. We enjoyed seeing the shops open, but the bridge was even prettier at night, when they were closed. The storefronts all had these wood shutters that made them look like treasure chests. So charming. We were in Florence in mid-November and saw the Christmas lights go up over Ponte Vecchio but didn't stay long enough to see them turn on. I'll bet this bridge is magical during Christmas, but it's not like it isn't special all year round. It's one of the places that makes Florence Florence.

Along the Arno River, the Ponte Vecchio is one of the city's most noteworthy landmarks, lined with…read moreshops and rich in history. The Ponte Vecchio ("old bridge" in Italian) is a working part of Florence's daily activities. Crossing the bridge for the first time, what stands out immediately is how unusual it is. It feels like a narrow street or marketplace suspended above the water, sprinkled with small shops. This distinctive layout with shops built directly onto the structure has existed for centuries and gives the Ponte Vecchio a special character unlike any other bridge in Europe. The current bridge dates to the mid-14th century, rebuilt in 1345 after earlier versions were destroyed by floods. Over time, it has evolved from a practical commercial crossing into a symbol of Florence's artistic and cultural identity. Originally filled with butchers and traders, it was transformed during the Renaissance when the Medici decreed that only goldsmiths and jewelers could operate here. Today, virtually every retail type is featured.

The Piazza San Marco in Florence is a fairly unimpressive square which is located in the Northern…read morezone of the historic center of the city. However, it was the primary drop off point for the bus line which we arrived at when coming into the city center on a daily basis via public transportation during our week-long visit to Florence in March 2012. The Piazza San Marco has become somewhat of a transit center for several bus lines, and also a place to pick up a taxi when the bus times are inconvenient. Taxis will not stop for you in Florence if you try to hail one in typical American fashion. Rather, Taxis can only be picked up either by phone call (which can be a problem if your US cell phone won't work in Italy, or only where you can pick up wireless service), . . . or alternatively if you know where a Taxi Stand or other regular pickup point like the Piazza San Marco is located. The Piazza San Marco is located near the Piazza della Santissima Annunziata, and its attractions include the Basilica of San Marco, the main offices of the University of Florence and the renowned Academy of Fine Arts of Florence.

Piazza San Marco is a very busy place as it is surrounded by roads and you see many cars and buses…read moregoing by. The Piazza San Marco is located near the Piazza della Santissima Annunziata (a quiet little Piazza). There are some beautiful building surrounding it such as Galleria Dell'Accademia, Basilica Della SS. Anuziata, Museo Archeologico Nazionale and Spedale Degli Innocenti. Not much to see but there are few cafes nearby and if you are in the area it's a good place to rest and grab a bite.

I lived a couple of streets away from the Giardino Stibbert, and in the summers I would jog in the…read moregarden in the early morning. It is attached to the Stibbert Museum, but has a separate entrance. It's a wonderful place to take a contemplative stroll, or to jog, or to stretch out on the grass. There are also a number of benches and set-in tables, which makes it an ideal place to study or to get some peace and quiet.