When you come to Florence for the first time, you constantly feel excited simply by realizing that you follow the trails of such Italian geniuses like Machiavelli and Michelangelo, and walk along the same gardens and streets where Dante and Leonardo da Vinci were looking for inspiration.
The feeling of sublimity will be with you throughout the whole time you are going to spend in the City of Flowers. However, don’t content yourself just with the standard visiting of the city’s main attractions. If speaking of the holidays in Florence, it’s certainly worth diversifying your stay there by exciting entertainments and visiting unusual places. And this article will help you to accomplish that.
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Visit the Pharmacy of Santa Maria Novella
This is one of the most original attractions of Florence. The pharmacy not only offers its visitors to purchase some medications, but also to participate in an unforgettable excursion. In addition, it specializes not only in drugs, but also in exclusive perfumes.
The opening of the pharmacy was held back in 1221, and its founders were local monks. For a long time they were making rose water and soap with wonderful flavors. And in 16th century the pharmacy’s perfumery became well known far beyond the city. You can find this unusual place next to the church of the same name.
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Get dressed up in the Replay Store
Continuing the theme of shopping, it’s worth mentioning the unique Replay Store located on Via Por Santa Maria Street. This is the only store in the town and one of the few stores in the world specializing in environment-friendly clothing. The main feature of this store with unremarkable front is a unique interior – its walls are decorated with live plants and tropical vines, while garment racks are surrounded by luxuriant greenery. Even if you aren’t going to buy some new wardrobe items, the store is still worth checking out.
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Enjoy some local delicacies
If one of the main objectives of your visit to Florence is to taste the variety of Tuscan wines, then, certainly, you need to dedicate one day to tasting some local meat delicacies.
For this purpose it’s recommended to rent a car and set off to the small provincial town of Greve in Chianti, which is around 30 km away from Florence. You will find there an old butcher shop named Antica Macelleria Falorni, which was open back in 1729.
For almost 300 years this shop has been specializing in making delicious sausages. The butcher’s specialty product is considered salami with fennel.
Currently the store is run by the eighth generation of the Falorni family, and its meat delicacies are delivered to the best restaurants in Tuscany.
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Admire Florence from the hilltop
If you can’t imagine your vacation without walking and want to relax away from the busy tourist areas, you should definitely visit Michelangelo Square. It is considered one of the quietest and most secluded spots in the city.
The square is located on a hilltop and connected with the city with quite a complicated 6 km long mountain road. If you have enough supply of energy and optimism, you can pass through the hard way on foot. If you feel too lazy for that, you can reach the square in a few minutes by bus. The square is incredibly beautiful and offers a panoramic view of Florence. This makes the unique viewing platform an attractive spot for artists and photographers.
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Chill out in a nightclub
Florence is the city with an active nightlife, so if you love dancing or just don’t know what to do in Florence in the evening, you can visit one of the local nightclubs.
‘Space’ is a nightclub in the center of Florence, located in an old two-storey building. The ground floor of the club features a bar, a pub and karaoke, and the second floor features a laser light dance floor. The nightclub offers a great set of music in hip-hop and techno style. Admission fee for men is 12 EUR, and for women – 10 EUR.
‘Andromeda’ is the oldest nightclub of Florence functioning since 1962. Recently the nightclub has been renovated, and currently it welcomes the lovers of night life. Very often it’s necessary to reserve a table in Andromeda in advance, both for a company and for one person. The cost of a table for 10 people is 150 EUR, for one person – 15 EUR.
‘Meccano Disco’ is very famous both in Florence and in the entire country. Italy’s best DJs are playing there the music of different styles, ranging from commercial or hip-hop music to the music of the 80s and 90s.
If you are looking for the place to relax with a big company of friends, then opt for ‘Twice Cocktail Bar’, which also welcomes visitors until the late evening. The bar is perfect both for dance lovers and for those who want to taste the best Italian wines.
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Take a leather crafting class
As you know, Tuscany is famous for its traditional leather goods, and if you want to diversify your leisure in Florence with something quite unusual, then visit the ancient monastery of Santa Croce, which for many years has been the location of the famous leather school. Anyone can watch there the work of the craftsmen and learn how to make simple accessories of leather. Also, the school features a store, where you can buy high-quality leather goods. By the way, each customer can buy a bag with personal initials on the inner side.
To sum it up, Florence is a must-visit destination for every traveler in Italy. This city has everything to capture you with – both spectacular sights and enchanting entertainments. For sure, its beauty will make you want to stay there for much longer time than you planned.
Lily Berns is a travel writer. She uses every chance she gets to travel around the world with her family and friends. Experiencing new places and cultures, meeting new people and learning something new every day – are her life aims.
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