How to spend top weekend in Florence - ideas on extraordinary attractions and sites

It’s more exciting to make a stay in Florence more diversified by visiting unusual places and landmarks. Do not limit yourself to a standard excursion program. When mentioning the most unusual places of interest in Florence, Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novel should be mentioned first. The pharmacy is attended not only to buy medicines as a visit to it can turn to an unforgettable excursion. Santa Maria Novel pharmacy is located close to the same named church. This is the oldest pharmacy in the city, which sells not only medications but also exclusive perfumes. The opening of the pharmacy took place yet in 1221 when it was founded by local monks. Since ancient times they have been making rose water and soap with a stunning aroma, and yet in the 16th century the perfumes produced by the pharmacy were famous beyond the borders of Florence.

To continue shopping and souvenir related theme, it’s worth mentioning Replay Store located on Via Por Santa Maria. This is the only shop in the city and one of the few ecological shops in the world. The unique design is the main peculiarity of the shop that looks nothing special at a glance. Walls of Replay Store are decorated with plants and tropic lianas. Racks with clothes are installed right in the middle of lush greenery, so travelers are recommended to visit this unusual shop even if they don’t plan to buy anything.

If sampling delicious Tuscan wine is one of the main reasons for your visit in Florence, then it’s recommended to devote one day to getting acquainted with national meat delicacies. Head to Greve in Chianti, a town close to Florence, and find Antica Macelleria Falorni. This ancient butcher shop was open in 1729. For more than 300 years this shop has been famous for its magnificent sausages and salami with fennel, which is considered the signature product of the shop. Antica Macelleria Falorni is run by the eighth generation of the Falorni family. Delicious goods from the shop are sent to best restaurants in Tuscany. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

If you cannot imagine a vacation without walking and wish to relax away from popular and noisy tourist regions, don’t forget to visit Piazzale Michelangelo . This square is located on top of a hill and is considered one of the most silent and secluded places in the city. Piazzale Michelangelo was founded in 1868, and in order to reach it one needs to walk on quite a complicated 6-kilometer long mountain road. If you feel strong and optimistic enough, you can try to reach the final destination of the route by feet. If the idea of walking 6 kilometers doesn’t sound appealing, it is possible to reach the square in several minutes by a local bus. Piazzale Michelangelo is amazingly beautiful and offers fantastic panoramic views of Florence, so such a unique observation deck never ceases to amaze photographers and artists.

If you want to diversify your stay in Florence with something absolutely unusual, head to the ancient monastery of Santa Croce . For many years the monastery has been the location of a famous leather tanning school. Here all visitors can watch masters work or learn how to make simple accessories from leather. Surrounding shops sell many high-quality items to fit any taste.

A dinner in one of the charming restaurants of Florence will be a great finish of a busy day. Locals recommend visiting Buca Lapi. This restaurant is open in the cellar of one of the historic buildings on Via del Trebbio. Buca Lapi offers the most popular dishes of Italian cuisine. Thanks to its secluded location, the restaurant is never crowded. This is a place where visitors will be able to try magnificent pizza and pasta, and chef’s lamb dishes.