Accommodations

We rented an apartment on Airbnb in the centre of Florence and it was perfect! It was a close walk to almost everything that we wanted to see and just far enough outside of the main tourist areas to feel like we were living like locals. We paid approximately 100 euros per night ($150 CDN) which is decent for central Florence compared to hotels. We love renting apartments so we can make many of our meals (saving $) and of course, getting the extra bedroom for the kids.

Things to do with Kids

The Duomo

This is a must see for everyone! Located in the center of Florence, the Duomo is the 4^th largest Cathedral in the world. It actually took two centuries to complete which is amazing! Don’t be scared off by the long line ups to get in as the line moves quickly. Also, there is a dress code to go inside which is basically no bare shoulders and hemlines need to be at knee level. I brought a scarf with me. If you forget a scarf, there are people selling them on the street but best to bring your own. You will be awestruck by the size and beauty of this landmark. The outside is covered in a mix of green, pink and white marble and is made up of such intricate details. I loved seeing it at night and you get great instagram pics.

Gelato Yes Please!

Everyone talks about the Gelato being the best in the world in Italy and this is entirely true. Shops line the streets so you can get it anywhere. We preferred to go out of the tourist areas as the lineups were shorter and the prices lower. My favourite was Pistaccio and Dark Chocolate. You can usually pick 2-3 flavours. With a little bit of research and recommendation by a local, we are told the best Gelato is kept in canisters (lids on top of the Gelato so it is not visible) not piled into open containers to lure in tourists. The canisters keep the Gelato at a constant temperature where the other versions are pumped full of air….apparently the canister version is also of higher quality ingredients.

See our video on our 9 Italy Surprises which gives you some useful information to help you plan your trip. Link here.

Cafe lattes and treats

If you watch our videos you know that Marco and I love our lattes. We were so excited to try them in Italy and it did not disappoint. We are extremely fussy about our coffee and have a select few places we go to in our own city but in Italy we found the coffee to be good no matter where we went. We are also prefer soy milk to cows milk in our latte and most places had soy milk. We found the coffee to be so good it was almost indescribable….smooth, with no bitter aftertaste….molto bene! The coffee (aka latte) was also cheaper than the prices we typically pay in North American ranging from 1.30-1.70 Euros depending on where you go. For the kids, the treats are sure to please…different kinds of cookies and pastries always delighted their taste buds.

Food Glorious Food!

Another well known fact about Italy is their food and we fell in love with Italy’s food. Just like Gelato places and Coffee shops, the streets are lined with Bistros/Cafes that serve delicious sandwiches, pastas and different kinds of salads and pastries. Again, we found the best and least expensive places to be outside the main tourist areas. The food was definitely better as well. If the menus are in Italian and everyone is speaking Italian you’re gold. We made the mistake of going to one restaurant that had English on the menu and the prices were outrageous. We were even charged at the end for water and $11 euros “service charge”….a BS charge in our opinion. This doesn’t happen in the restaurants where locals eat we were told by Marco’s family who live in Florence. Lesson learned.

We were close to a Mercato where we bought groceries each day like fresh fruit, fresh veggies, pasta, bread and salad mix and snacks for the kids. The prices were very reasonable and our dollar seemed to stretch far. The produce is amazing here and tastes like it was just picked from the garden. I don’t know why, but everything seems to taste better in Italy….is it the air here? Who knows?

The Best View in Florence – Piazzale Michelangelo

Do not leave Florence without seeing the view of the entire city located in Piazzale Michelangelo. It was just a short 2km from our apartment so quite easy to get to on foot (although mostly uphill in hot temperatures). Just above the Plaza is a church called Santa Maria Novella Church that you can duck into which is a nice break from the hot sun. From here you can see a breathtaking view of the city of Florence with the Duomo in the centre and the mountains on the right.

The Beautiful Bobili Gardens (Giardino di boboli)

The Bobili Gardens is a historical park and is considered a museum as it houses many old sculptures, the Pitti Palace and other old fountains and buildings. It is one of Italy’s most famous gardens and is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. It was within walking distance from our place so we took the kids for an afternoon. It has beautiful flowers and lots of shade so we could take a break from the hot sun. There are cool paths between tall perfectly manicured trees almost like you are in a maze which was fun for the kids to run through. We packed a picnic lunch and enjoyed sitting and taking in the scenery. It cost us about 7 euros each and less for the kids.

Find a Swimming Pool

There is only so many monuments kids can see so we found it important to find something strictly for them. The Hidron is a recreation facility on the outskirts of Florence that has a beautiful outdoor water park and indoor pool with two water slides as well as a hot tub. It is quite busy but not too bad considering how busy Europe is. The cost was 36 euros for a family pass for a few hours. It also has a cafe that has surprisingly good food and also good coffee for a reasonable price.

There is also Costoli Pool in central Florence which is also supposed to be very good but we didn’t get a chance to visit this pool.

See our Video on Italy to get a good sense of Florence!