Firenze

Anyone who has ever visited Florence will no doubt be aware of the sheer density of culture, magnificence, history, buildings, sculptures, beauty........and tourists, which has long defined this Italian city. This visitor, aware of just how much work a tourist has taken on by coming to this city, will no doubt laugh at the idea of taking it all in over the course of a day. They are, of course, justified in this, as we discovered in the second stage of our Italian rail trip. 



It's 8.02, according to my watch. The train from Milano Porta Garibaldi (not the largest of Milan's stations, as certainly not the most attractive) departs at 8.19 (or was it 8.20?). Both of our watches read different times, by a good ten minutes. The moment of panic is brief with the realisation that the watch reading the earlier time was adjusted using an alarm clock deliberately running fast, for the owner's weekday morning benefit. So, our first tip for travelling by train in a foreign country is to check the reliability of your source of local time. The coffee bar of Milano Porta Garibaldi, by the way, has no apparent clock displayed. 

I am reliably informed that Italian local trains are somewhat of a nightmare. The fast intercity Frecciarossa trains, however, could teach British trains a thing or two in terms of easy and efficient ticketing and comfortable carriages (less in terms of punctuality, but that's the Italian way I am told). 

We arrived in Florence just after 10am at Santa Maria Novella station. From here, you are right in the city centre. Exiting the station you are met with typical Florentine architecture (look past the fact that the station is definitely not), and the way to the centre is difficult to miss - a continuous flow of tourists following a path lined with kiosks and handbag sellers. Head first of all to the Piazza di Santa Maria Novella, which is one of the more quieter squares but a good introduction to the city (this format of Piazza with significant church/building, fountain and historical context is one which will become familiar)

From here you can walk a few blocks to the Piazza del Duomo. This is the spectacular Duomo which is one of the most recognisable sights in Florence. On such a tight schedule, we didn't go in, but rather headed south to the Piazza della Signoria, in which you can spend a good which looking at all the sculptures and statues  each with an interesting story. After heading over the Ponte Vecchio to get a view of the city with the Tuscan hills in the background, head towards the market area, with a large food market surrounded by other stalls selling clothes, hats, bags and souvenirs. 

Taking time to walk through the pretty streets, read about the rich history, and of course sample the local cuisine, we found that Florence can be done in a day. It's tiring, but the best of the sites are seen and experienced just by walking around this unique city. Our train departed at 7.20pm, heading for Rome. You will be pleased to know several days were lined up in the capital.