If you arrive at Pisa and are travelling to Florence there are trains direct from the Airport which run approximately hourly. If travelling with Ryanair then there is a coach run by Terravision. Tickets can be bought on board the plane to save time and the bus leaves from outside the terminal and goes to outside the main station in Florence.
If travelling from Pisa then the airport is five minutes from the centre Local Orange Bus No.1 goes every ten minutes from the Airport to the Station then onto the Duomo/Tower and back the same way tickets can be bought in Tabacs.
Florence
All street have two sets of numbers red are businesses, black/blue private houses - very confusing so hence all the numbers below say “r”
Most places can be walked to but to cross the river and get the views from Piazza Michaelangelo then bus 12/13 from outside the station a 4 journey ticket bought from news stalls or Tabac
Hotel Globus www.hotelglobus.com Via S.Antonino 24 very smart small boutique hotel five minutes from the station and on the edge of San Lorenzo Market very helpful staff excellent breakfast, free internet access, free coffee and tea can be a bargain off-season €€
There are many hotels but prices can be high except in the limited off-season apartments are also an option although again they tend to be more expensive than say Rome one good site is www.ownersdirect.co.uk
Another site to check out is www.friendlyrentals.com which has some lovely apartments and comes recommended by friends who have used the company in other cities.
Vinattiere Dell Zanobini Via S.Antonino (Station/S/Lorenzo) great wine shop with a bar and a very reasonable selection of wines by the glass (also has beer) no food but very friendly only open till 8pm
Casa del Vino Via dell Ariento 16r (by Central Market) wine shop that sells wine by the glass and does very good snacks and panini only open till 7pm
Bar B.Gallo Piazza San Giovanni 1r just by Duomo a very smart modern place but if you stand at the bar it is reasonably priced
Bar Gilli Piazza Republica splendid old fashioned Florence café stays open late and stand at the bar for a coffee or drink and it is very reasonable
Bar Gala Via Faenza 37r (Station/S/Lorenzo) Normal type bar that unusually stays open late
Mayday Bar Via Dante Alighieri in the centre quirky late bar not cheap but does nightly specials good music
There are lots of trendy bars that do “Buffets” from 7 to 9 approximately where drinks may be expensive and where they often specialise in cocktails but you can eat as much as you want for nothing. Slowly (Via Porta Rossa 63r) nr the Dumo is one where one night the buffet has a curry theme, there are quite a few that have special themes
The other side of the river Via de Renai has a number of smart bars some that do buffets including Negroni at number 17r
Trattoria I Frattelini Salumeria, Vina & Trattoria , Via Ghibellina 27r (San Croce) is a grocers shop that does lunch. You order at the counter for starter, go back (with your bill) for a main, then if you can for a dessert and you order your wine ! Excellent value €
Trattoria Baldovino ,Via San Guiseppe 22r just by San Croce church excellent modern restaurant full starters/mains but also pizzas and cheese/meat platter . Booking recommended they also have an Enoteca with less formal eating across the street. €€
Trattoria Mario,Via Rosina 2r near the central market and S.Lorenzo great local place with daily specials menu is available inside with English translations you will have to share a table but the food is worth it, only open at lunchtime €
Il Latini, Via Dei Palchetti 6e near the river at the Ponte alla Carraia a Florence institution there are no bookings at night and you will probably have to share your table. The staff do try and push antipasta, pasta and then main but there is an Italian Menu the house red is on the table and is reasonably priced you may get a free sweet wine and biscuits or even a better wine at the end more of an experience than for the food €€
Canova Di Gustavino Via della Condotta 29r central area a wine bar with platters and other dishes and a smart restaurant next door €€
Across the river around Via S. Nicolo there are a number of good places :-
Osteria Antica Mescita Via S.Nicolo 60r great small old fashioned place, with menu but also buffet of three courses with wine and water €
Il Rifrullo Via S Nicolo 55r Very smart modern bar restaurant with good wines and free nibbles at lunchtime food looks very good € to €€
Bevo Vino V.San Nicolo 59r very nice wine bar & restaurant well priced wines food looked good free nibbles at lunch time € to €€
Also across river but the other side of the Ponte Vecchio:-
Santo Bevitore Via di Santo Spirito 64/66r a great place with fabulous food from starters/mains to platters and a huge wine. We received a complimentary plate of cheese & meat as we sat at the bar after dinner €€
Near by in Piazza Santo Spirito are a number of lively bars including Café Cabiria
There is so much that you really need a good guide book it is a city that grows on you and many of the amazing sites are inside buildings so keep looking.
Culture can also be shopping and a reasonably priced Shoe Shop is PELUSO Via del Corso 1-11r
Siena
Easily reached by bus SITA from bus station left of the front of the train station fast bus via the motorway takes an hour and a quarter and stops very near the old centre
L’Osteria Via del Rossi 79/81 good local restaurant two courses and house wine at lunch time 30 Euros for two
Pisa
Hotels
Hotel Royal Victoria, book an original room and if possible with a view of the river - the hotel is wonderfully old fashioned the public areas are like a museum - the staff are very helpful and teh bus from teh airport and station stops outside.
Hotel Villa Kinzica Piazza Arcivescovado 2 can be booked via various web sites old fashioned but front rooms have view of the tower reasonably priced
Hotel Francesco looks very nice and is in a good setting www.hotelfrancesco.com
Restaurants
TAntica Trattoria Il Campano, Via Cavalca 19, fabulous pasta dishes lovely place for lunch outside on the terrace some very unusual twists in the cooking €€
Ristorante La Mescita Via Cavalca 2 Nr the Vettovaglie Market just off the main street excellent cooking, short menu but all choices wonderful, wine list good - booking recommended €€-€€€
Lo Sfizio Borgo Stretto old fashioned café buffet in the evening and reasonably priced drinks as has the nearby Café Salza on the same side
At the end of the Borgo Stretto is the Botega del Gelateria great ice cream shop
Bazeel -Piazza Garibaldi very modern lively bar but with very reasonable priced excellent wines open late - excellent for a pre dinner drink outside gets a bit noisy later on but good service - free buffet at apperitivi time.
Bar Centro Piazza Garibaldi - very reasonable place to sit outside
The Wall Via C Maffi not far from the Tower modern sports bar reasonable beers and drinks
