FLORENCE, your must see/do.

[DelGirl]

DD 7 and I are going to Florence. About time as we only live 2.5 hours away but have never been, though driven past a few times.

I am being lazy and could ask locals but wanted mn opinion on the must see and do and interests for a 7 year old who has seen Rome a few times.

We shall be staying locally for 3 nights but only visiting for the day unless I am desperate to see and do something that we didn't get time for on the day. I also plan to take my mum there the month after so it will be good to have a look see before then.

Any tips much appreciated.

oh and if you could choose, would you visit Sienna, Arezzo or Cortona as a stop off.

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DH and I just had a lovely time walking about in Florence. The Piazza Signoria has loads of statues and the replica of David to see, The Duomo is stunning, and free to go inside, and the Ponte Vecchio is worth walking over just to ogle the overpriced jewellery. We went to the Uffizi gallery which I really enjoyed, but I think a 7 year old might find it a bit dull, lots of religious art.

thanks for the suggestions dumbelina

The Uffizi is one of the most wonderful galleries in the world, but yes, your 7yo will possibly find it dull as ditchwater. There might be a fun kids' guide to it now - they often liven up the visit for children. If you do go to the Uffizi, it makes sense to reserve your ticket online beforehand in order to avoid the horrible queues.

To be honest, I'm struggling to think of ANYTHING in Florence that a child would really enjoy, apart from the ice-cream. Unless she happens to be into Renaissance culture.

This site mentions a carrousel on Piazza Repubblica.

I would choose Sienna as a stop-off - lovely little city.

Thanks for the link, very helpful. I can see it will be the duomo of course, statue of David, Ponte vecchio, gelato and café, people watching and strolling in the piazza/s

child would probably like buying marbled stationery from one of the specialist shops by the ponte vecchio, also a kalaidescope from there too. The market at S.Croce is fun. Buy a picnic from the food market near S M Novella and take it to the Bobboli gardens - look at the sculptures there. Walk from Piazza della Signoria (the replica David is there) down the pedestrian road that goes to the Duomo & Baptistry, looking at the sculptures at Orsanmichele on the way. Climb up to the dome of the cathedral for the view - otherwise go up to S Miniato al Monte for the view over the city.
My favourite thing to look at are the paintings in SS Annunziata - the square in front is lovely (Brunelleschi's ospedale degli innocenti with the della Robbia roundels / equestrian statue of Lorenzo (?) de Medici looking up to his lover in the window of the nunnery / great baroque fountain)
Maybe you could get her into it with some Medici / Savonarola stories in advance?