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a night, while a double ranges from
130, depending on season. The only
downside here, I think, are the small bathrooms, but those can't be helped: The
hotel, like many others in this city, is set in a 15th-century palazzo with real char-
acter and thick walls.
85 to
€€€€
For that once-in-a-lifetime vacation--say, a 50th anniversary--the place
to pick is the Palazzo Magnani Feroni
(Borgo San Frediano, 5; % 055-
2608908; www.florencepalace.com). An actual palace, owned by one family for
the past 250 years, its suites are all super lavish, with the same antiques the fam-
ily installed in the 19th century. They'll have shirt-makers, hairdressers, and local
restaurateurs visit your suite for in-room service. You'll be paying top dollar for
every benefit (
555
320 for the very cheapest suites), but go crazy—this is as
nice as it gets in Florence. There's a rooftop bar, a billiards room, 9m (30-ft.) bed-
room ceilings in the rooms, and everything you could want to play Italian noble
for a day or two.
HOTELS NORTH OF CENTRAL FLORENCE
210-
One of the cleanest, most efficient hostels I've ever seen is the Ostello Gallo
D'Oro
5 9
(Via Covour, 104; % 055-5522984; www.ostellogallodoro.com). It's
a 15-minute walk north of the historical center, but the walk is worth it because
you'll enjoy crisp, shiny rooms, a friendly staff, and a brand-new interior at budget
prices. The lobby has two free Internet terminals, the kitchen is free for use by all,
and the friendly manager may very well offer to cook something up for you (it's
been known to happen). There are also nice private rooms--with TV, phone, and
private bathroom--available at reasonable rates.
As you can tell from the name, Hotel Panorama (Via Cavour, 60; % 055-
2382043; www.hotelpanorama.fi.it) has an excellent view of the city from its
third-floor breakfast room and the bulk of its guest rooms. They do get some large
groups staying here, so reserve ahead to snare one of the 32 rooms. Rooms and
facilities aren't anything special, but they're serviceable and definitely affordable—
70 to 94 per double. And anyway, you're here for the scenery, right?
DINING FOR ALL TASTES
In general, cucina rustica (rustic cuisine) is what you'll find in Florence's restau-
rants. This is food that's meant to stick to the ribs and leave you sated, so it's no
accident that the great specialty of the city is a huge slab of steak dripping with
juices (bistecca alla fiorentina). But this is not peasant fare by any means; there's a
balance to these bold flavors that makes eating out in Florence a special occasion,
even when you're just catching a quick lunch.
And if you need to catch a quick lunch, it's always best to arrive at a ristorante
or trattoria at the beginning of the lunch hour, which is from noon to 2:30pm
and is the biggest meal of the day. Otherwise, you may have to wait for a table.
Italians tend to eat dinner between 7 and 9:30pm--you can assume that those
are the hours of operation for the following eateries (with the exception of the
gelaterie ) unless it's indicated otherwise. For a map of Florence's restaurants, see
p. 94.
€€
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