The city of Florence is a cultural, artistic and architectural gem. It is the capital of Tuscany and the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. Florence has many amazing museums, a short walk away from each other, with world class artistic treasures, and most of the other major tourist sights in Florence are also within easy walking distance. It is possible to walk from one end of the historic center of Florence to the other in a half hour. Great places to walk include along the Arno and through narrow, medieval back streets in the Santa Croce area and in the Oltr'Arno, as well as across any of its bridges. As everywhere else, the price of hotels in Florence has been climbing quickly in the past couple of years. The golden rule here is, of course, the closer you are to the historic old town, the higher the price. So if you want something cheap you should plan to stay outside of the historic center. If you decide to drive to Florence, be warned that the city police will not allow you to enter the streets of the city unless you have a hotel booking. If you really must use a car, know that you want to stay at a hotel that has parking.

Walking is not only an easy way to get around, it also gives you a chance to take in much more of the city life. There are also superb shopping streets in Florence, like the Via Tornabuoni, the Via del Parione and the Via Maggio. Climb the winding staircases inside the duomo or the nearby bell tower, and see some of the best views of Florence. You can see the Tuscan countryside in the distance from there, as well as the impressive palaces and churches of Florence right in front of you. This is how you can best appreciate just how large the duomo is. But beware of Stendhal syndrome, described as dizziness caused by being overwhelmed by Florence's fantastic art. It is in fact a real syndrome, named after 19th-century French author Stendhal. He suffered from it during his stay in Florence. If you get overwhelmed, relax and get some food, you can save the rest of Florence for the next day.

If you arrive in Florence by train, many two or three star hotels are to be found also around the Stazione Santa Maria Novella. Many of the city's hotels are located here. Santa Maria Novella is centrally-located district, and also close to the train station and all the tourist attractions. If you want to stay near the splendor of the Santa Maria Novella, then try Hotel Aprile. Via Panzani, leading to Piazza del Duomo, and Via Nazionale, offer a wide choice of reasonably priced hotels, many of which are family run and are housed in historic palazzi. There is a profusion of one or two-star alberghi within a short distance of the station. The area around the train station is cheaper, but not always very safe at night. Young women travellers can find accommodation with certain convents at very low prices, and usually in historic locations. Yet, then, you might have to forget about any late-night Tuscan craziness.

If you are coming to Florence for business rather than pleasure, you may find it easier to stay near to the airport or the main motorways. In the north of the city, you'll find the Hotel Alexander and the Hotel Fleming. If you want to lose yourself in the midst of the city and be absorbed in the green of Viale dei Colli, then the Grand Hotel Villa Cora is ideal, or you can try the four star hotel, Relais Certosa in Certosa del Galluzzo. On the outskirts of the south the Holiday Inn Garden Court and the Sheraton beckon. If looking for a view of the Arno, then the Park Palace is for you.

It is also important to give due warning, that it can be a problem to find a room in Florence, especially if you decide to visit on the spur of the moment. To save yourself a disappointment, it is always best to book in advance. Florence is very popular with tourists and often the more cost-effective hotels are full in November. You will also find that hotel prices are high even during low season. If you are looking at big chain hotels you should be aware that they are usually quite a ways out indeed, the Novotel for instance is almost at the airport. Certain hotels, oriented toward business travelers offer special reduced rates during the weekend, for example Starhotel Michelangelo, or during slow weeks like Baglioni. You can also get a substantial discount by reserving online.

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