A hassle, but worth it
By A Yahoo! Contributor, 6/12/07
I really enjoyed staying there and will return. Other guests are more gregarious than most of Europe. You need to slow down and have endless patience with staff, but they always come through EVENTUALLY (not right away!). Food disappointing and overpriced. Lacks emergency camping supplies, like plastic sheets (groundcover) to put under tent, and nor many basic expected camping supplies--they tell you to go into town and search for a hardware store or something. The ground turns into slushy digusting mud when it rains. Ugghh! A good scenic hike down the hill into town, excellent for physical fitness training! No going back to camp for lunch only. You get up that hill, that's it for the night for most people, though some younger teens zip down the hill for late night drinking and concerts. Hiking to town is faster than the bus that winds around through traffic forever. One of the prettiest campgrounds in the world. Hassles: staff will force you to pitch your tent in the worst little grubby corners of dirt, like stuffed in bushes or jammed between other tents like you're more worthless than a hobo, instead of letting you have a beautiful space overlooking the town. This is urban camping, not aesthetic. They save the best spaces for RVs and big groups. Showers are okay, if you can get it--way too many campers for showers. Huge crowd trying to get showers. Community bathrooms are crowded and annoying. Like slumming. But you'll meet some interesting tent neighbors, and you'll appreciate your home more. Bring earplugs--loud music from outdoor bar lasts late into night. My guess is they make more money from selling booze than from renting patches of dirt. Don't expect an American style campsite. But in exchange, they do have flush toilets and hot showers. An endless hassle, but more fun than staying in a hotel. I've stayed there a few times and met some amazing people. Example: Bertolt Brecht's niece (or grand-niece?) befriended me--she was my next-door tent neighbor. Obviously most people camping in Florence are going to be more artsy and intellectual than your average person...