Dos and don’ts in Florence

There is little specific advice to give about Florence. The people from Tuscany are often the kindest of Italy, always ready to give advice, if they understand your language or you speak even the most basic Italian. Some, especially in the countryside and in smaller cities, might not like you too much if you’re a foreign tourist since there’s an epidemic of foreigners buying mansions in the country for incredible sums, but if you don’t inquire about real estate prices you should get along fine everywhere.

One thing must be known, though: it is very common for people in a city in Tuscany to hate the guts of all of the people from one or more selected cities from the same region. Often these rivalries have lasted for centuries, since the wars between cities at the time of Dante Alighieri. Apparently, people from Florence don’t like people from Siena and vice-versa, people from Pisa hate the guts of the people from Florence, and generally no one seems to like people from Pisa. Even though it seems plain silly in modern times, these rivalries, half-jokingly or seriously, still exist, and it is better not to say how much better you liked the previous city you visited than the one you’re in.