We loved Florence. It is rich in history, art, and good cuisine. We stayed at the Westin Excelsior. It was located in an easily walkable area of the city, and was just beautiful in every way. The concierge was extra attentive. The staff was over-accommodating. The breakfast was great. We had dinner upstairs on the Terrace/rooftop of the hotel which had an incredible view, and it was so good. I ordered some sort of fish, and it was outstanding. We did skip the line tickets to the Statue of David & the Duomo. We wish we had bought them for the baptismal area outside the Duomo as well as the crypt inside. We toured the Pharmcia from around the 12th or 13th centuries and really enjoyed that tour. I highly recommend a personal local guide. We used one for a day of Florence tour which included the two skip-the-line tickets. It was worth every penny. She knew shortcuts to get us from place to place and explained all we were seeing at various exhibits. She also took us to a very good Gelato place, Vivoli, and it was amazing. Our favorite pasta we found at Trattoria 4 Leoni. It was the pear and cheese pasta and was heavenly. If you are buying leather, buy it closer to the Duomo where the monks make it. The quality is high and the prices are cheaper. There are local wineries just 45 minutes out of the city that offer tours and cooking classes. They are very fun. We went to Casa Emma. Florence was beautiful. We really loved it. I would go back if given the opportunity.

First important tip: Book your timed ticket in advance. Then upon arrival you need to go to the pick up window (#51 Via Ricasoli) right across from the entrance. Unlike the Uffizi there is no reference to do so on the email confirmation. Really! Fortunately, we figured it out and enjoyed the awe inspiring David.

Get tickets in advance and a local tour guide if you want to really want amazing historical insight. It is definitely worth the price for art and supporting local tourism. The David is a 17ft Renaissance masterpiece sculpted in marble by Michaelangelo. It that should definitely be checked off the list if you are visiting Florence.

The main attraction, obviously, is Michelangelo's David and you simply must not miss it if you go to Florence. Reservations are time-specific. If you just show up without a reservation, you are not likely to get in. MANY tour groups take up a lot of the reservations. We went at 8:00 pm (20.00 hr) and found it not overly crowded. You can spend as much time as you like, but I recommend 1-2 hours.

Well there are essentially two main reasons to visit. First is the statue of David by Michelangelo. It is in a large hall and is just immense. The sheer size and complexity of the carving takes your breath away. So muich better in reality than in pictures as you can see every vein and sinew in the carving. Just amazing and a wonder of the art world. The rest of the museum is full of artwork, mostly religious from the past 800 years that is definitely worth spending some time to view.

Everyone comes so be prepared. Book early. Entry is well organised. Sharpen your elbows to get a good view. Actually a lot of people do not bother to view anything else so the crowd is thinner for the other exhibits.

Florence was extremely crowded the day we went. Fortunately we had purchased timed tickets in advance. The line waiting to purchase tickets was so long that most of those on line probably never got in. We purchased tickets through Viatour and were pleased.

The museum was of a nice size for both casual visitors and art snobs, expect to spend 1-3 hours there depending on your interest in reading and enjoying the artworks. David however, I would 100% recommend going for. No pictures in the world can do the sculpture, and the viewing experience with the way the light falls on it justice. Queued for about 20-30 minutes although you can expect longer queues during peak seasons.

We had 4pm tickets to visit the Accademia. The weather was inclement. The lines were long. However, they allowed us to enter at 3:30 to get out of the rain. I was overwhelmed when I saw the statue David by Michaelangelo. Hard to express my emotions. A definite must see when visiting Florence

We were on a cruise and took a guided tour that included an expert for this gallery. Seeing David and having our guide explain everything was one of the highlights of our cruise! The statue of David is so much more impressive in real life. My wife and I were both in awe admiring this masterpiece.