What is the best area of Florence in which to stay?
This is a matter of personal opinion. It also depends how long you’re staying. For shorter periods, try to remain central so you can visit a ton of sites, but stop back at the hotel to rest your feet. Downtown Florence is small so any area is OK, though Santo Spirito is a bit further from the major sites. For longer stays, consider the peripheries to the north and south of the city, outside the ring roads, where you will experience Florence more as the Florentines do. These residential areas offer local markets, supermarkets for food, and bus service to the center.
