Il the historic center of Florence has a fortune: it is not very big. Turn it to walking or cycling, therefore, it becomes a pleasure, even for the eyes, because each alley holds a surprise, an unexpected and suggestive glimpse, an architectural detail unique in the world. If you like walking, you will find no problems walking along the Arno to move from one district to another or going up from Porta San Niccolò to get to Piazzale Michelangelo to enjoy a beautiful view from above.
This last itinerary is a bit tiring for the climb, but it is certainly one of the most beautiful and if you want to make an intermediate stage, the Rose Garden with the statues of Folon hidden among colorful flowers it is an excellent pit stop. There are special guides that suggest walking or cycling routes of varying difficulty, describing the sites of interest and specifying the mileage: if you are interested, you can find various titles in the city bookshops, but also in the book department of the Coop supermarkets in the area.
However, if your hotel is located outside the center or for some reason you need to reach outlying points… what to do? First of all I do not recommend i taxi: the cost is high and they won't save you time. If your destination is the center, even the car is not a good solution: i parking lots have high rates and numerous places are reserved for residents; the limited traffic zone is extended and during the summer months it is extended even at night on weekends. On the contrary, if you want to go to visit peripheral points of interest, the car can be an acceptable means: at the Cascinefor example, parking is free. Keep in mind, however, that the avenues are often clogged during rush hour, beware of speed cameras and cameras at traffic lights, be prepared for wild parking ... so use the car only if you know you are able to stay calm behind the wheel.
The bus is the best choice, because the Ataf lines they cover a large part of the city and the costs are low. The € 1.20 ticket has a duration of 90 minutes, but there are discounts for families and for the daily and weekly rates. There are also booklets of tickets, the Agile Card, which allows you to buy 10, 20 or 30 tickets at the cost of 1 € each. There is also an integrated service with the railway lines, called Pegaso, which ensures a benefit for those who have to take the train and bus to move: Florence has several stations and an opportunity could also be to take the train to go to the center. to the South area, for example.
A flaw of the Ataf is that it does not ensure easy night traffic: only a few lines and the tramway ensure service until about half past midnight. It is precisely the tramway that has frequent passages and connects the station of Santa Maria Novella in Scandicci, crossing the Isolotto district and Ponte a Greve. All these areas, in addition to being well connected, are also well served by supermarkets, restaurants, cinemas and some pubs: they could be a cheaper compromise to stay in Florence, avoiding the super-expensive hotels in the center. The tramway also has a special stop, that of the Cascine: get off right inside the green lung of the city, where a large weekly market takes place on Tuesday mornings and where in summer the Florentines seek refreshment in the swimming pool of the Pavoniere. In the last few days the news of the new name of the stop has come: it will be called Carlo Monni, in honor of the great Tuscan actor who died a few months ago between the esteem and affection of his Florence, who will never forget him.
Don't forget that your compass for orienting yourself in Florence will always be the Arno: in addition to delimiting the so-called "Diladdarno“, Is also the reference for the distribution of house numbers, which starts on the side of the road closest to the river and is divided into reds, for commercial activities, and blue, for residential buildings.
