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16 Best Things to Do in Florence

By Erica Firpo

Florence has a mystical, transportive quality that can seemingly ship you to other eras altogether, be they the prehistoric days of the Etruscans, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, or (if you catch a modern art exhibit at Palazzo Strozzi) the near future. To pick your period, you just have to go to the right attractions. With its varied selection of museums , galleries, boutiques , and storied sites, everyone's favorite city has something for everyone, from contemporary art buffs and super foodies to sports fans and serious shoppers. To experience the city to its fullest, you only need to step out into the street. These are the very best things to do in Florence.

Read on for our complete Florence travel guide .

Explore Florence: The Oltrarno, History + Artisans Arrow

This ultra-professional walking tour kicks off in the historic Piazza Santo Spirito. It's best for those wanting to learn more about Florence's artisans—the craftsmanship and skill that's in danger of disappearing—rather than folks hoping to shop for international fashion brands. Groups are small, since it's a private tour, and you have to book yours in advance. 

Bargello Museum Arrow

Museo Nazionale del Bargello—which opened in 1865 by order of by royal decree, making it Italy’s first national museum—houses the city’s most important collection of Renaissance sculpture. A former barracks and prison, the building alone is impressive, never mind the masterpieces by Michelangelo and Donatello. The museum also houses bronzes, ceramics, waxes, enamels, medals, ivories, tapestries, seals, and textiles, some from the Medici collections and others from convents or private collectors. Don't miss David , by Donatello.

I Renaioli - Sunset Boat Ride Arrow

I Renaioli's sunset boat rides, available for couples or small groups, meet at Piazza Mentana. The team behind the trips loves these boats (they painstakingly restore them) and the river-transport history of Florence. This is best for anyone who wants a romantic, different view of Florence away from the crowds. 

Giardino Bardini Arrow

Grand in design, but intimate in scale, the Giardino Bardini has a pergola-covered stairwell leading up to the Belvedere panoramic terrace. The beautiful terraced garden with a spectacular view of the city . Know that ascending requires a slight effort—the stairs are shallow and long. It's the perfect pit-stop if you're sick of traipsing around museums , as the garden doesn't present anything all that urgent to do, other than the obvious: stop and smell the flowers.

Rachel Chang

Sophie Morgan

Lale Arikoglu

Palazzo Strozzi Arrow

One of Florence’s best kept secrets, Palazzo Strozzi is a beautiful, freestanding Renaissance palazzo with an ambitious contemporary art program. Whether its Carsten Holler’s latest experimental piece or an Marina Abramovic retrospective, Palazzo Strozzi constantly amazes through innovative, often interactive, exhibitions. Although the historic structure remains intact, the gallery space inside the museum is thoroughly modern and aptly renovated for art shows. Most exhibitions require advanced reservations, and the shop sells wonderful made-in-Florence gifts .

Mercato di Santo Spirito Arrow

One of the more beautiful and tranquil squares in Florence, Piazza Santo Spirito is an expansive square taking up the entire block. Its early Renaissance architecture may mean less flair than other buildings in the city, but its wow factor is unmistakable, thanks to a unique combination of fresh air, serenity, and neighborhood vibes. Let your eyes unfocus for a second, and you'll feel like you've jumped back into the years of the Medici rule. At the antique market you can browse for cheap, cheerful impulse trinket, or invest a few hours—and a few more euros—in something you really cherish. 

Uffizi Gallery Arrow

The Uffizi, an illustrious collection of who's who in priceless Renaissance art, is a Florence must-see. Plus, thanks to the progressive curatorial investment by director Eike Schmidt, the Uffizi is upgrading its experience with temporary exhibitions, a virtual gallery , fantastic instagram presence and a passepartour for access to all three museums Gli Uffizi, Palazzo Pitti , Giardino di Boboli in the group. Schmidt continues to open doors, filling up 14  rooms with 105 previously warehoused works from 16th and 17th century painters including Titian and Tintoretto. This continues the Uffizi’s trend of showing off the very best of the Renaissance, as it did with its Room 41, dubbed the Raphael and Michelangelo Room, which focuses on the artistic exchanges between the two masters. Also know, this is timed-entry reservation system.

Giotto's Bell Tower Arrow

The Bell Tower is emblematic of the city of Florence. Looming over the Duomo at nearly 280 feet, the free-standing tower is considered the most eloquent example of 14th-century Gothic architecture in the city, one that happens to be visible from every vantage point. The views from the top are truly breathtaking; after 414 steps, you will be sweating and breathing deeply, but you'll have deemed the journey worth it.

AquaFlor Firenze Arrow

Housed in a ravishing vaulted space—formerly the stables of a grand, Renaissance-era palazzo—this shop has a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it entrance. But once you're through the modest doorway, you'll find yourself immersed in the sensual fantasy world of the legendary perfumery. Master perfumer Nicola Bianchi founded his business in Lucca before moving to this space in Florence’s Santa Croce neighborhood, the only outlet for his collections, which are all beautifully displayed in mahogany-and-glass cabinets or laid out on antique tables. It's as much a feast for the eyes as it is for the olfactory nerve.

Gucci Garden Arrow

Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele is always pushing the limits, and this time he blurs the lines between monument and merchant at Gucci Garden, an interactive complex where fashion, food, history, and art commingle. Located in the 14th-century Palazzo della Mercanzia in Florence’s Piazza Signoria, Gucci Garden is Michele’s colorful journey through the Florentine fashion house’s past, present, and future. The multi-level boutique-slash-museum includes a store selling exclusive Gucci Garden designs, a gallery space with contemporary exhibitions, and a ground-floor restaurant by rockstar chef Massimo Bottura .

Museo dell'Opera del Duomo Arrow

Museo dell'Opera del Duomo is the gorgeous and extensive museum dedicated to the Dome and Basilica, as well as restoration projects. Home to the largest collection of sculptures from Medieval and Renaissance Florence in the world, this museum has an active restoration lab and school on site. Other highlights include Ghiberti's doors, Michelangelo's The Deposition, a model of the original, never-completed façade of Santa Maria del Fiore , and a room dedicated to Brunelleschi's architectural masterpiece: the Dome of Florence cathedral. Be sure to hit the gift shop on the way out; it sells great books.

Curious Appetite: Craft Cocktail and Aperitivo Tour Arrow

Craft Cocktail and Aperitivo Tour of Florence kicks off at a given meeting point in Piazza della Repubblica or via dei Tornabuoni. The custom tours are private or for small groups and are tailored to your preferences—say, a particular liquor or cocktail—and are led by a team of sommeliers, culinary professionals and food historians. You'll visit multiple cafés and bars on foot . Though reservations are required,  you can book as late as 24 hours in advance.

Museum of Fashion and Costume Arrow

The setting for the Museum of Costume and Moda is the perfect example of Florentine elegance: 14 beautifully decorated rooms (damask-paneled walls, frescoed ceilings) in the Meridiana wing of the gorgeous 15th-century Pitti Palace complex. The Pitti Palace is unmistakable—everyone knows it—but for some reason this museum still feels like a secret known only to fashion insiders. The  focus of the collection is Italian, so expect to learn all about Baroque formal wear while catching up on 1980s Armani and Versace, and contemporary Valentino.You can easily cruise through the 14 rooms and get a lot of out the museum in an hour. 

Medici Chapels Arrow

The Medici Chapels are two beautiful buildings in the historic Basilica of San Lorenzo , which set the stage for the Renaissance. They're a great stop if you're short on time, a Michelangelo buff, or want to feel like a Medici prince or princess—even for an hour. The site is truly mind-blowing. They'll make you want to delve even further into the history of the Medici family and Michelangelo. Tickets, which cost €9 (about $10) and can be booked online or in person, are required.

Museo Galileo Arrow

Context Travel's private Galileo and Science tours are great for anyone interested in learning about the science of the Renaissance, and it's especially great for families with kids . Martino, the guide, is a complete professional, an introspective academic, a Dante scholar, and a philosophy PhD who clearly loves Galileo—and his enthusiasm is infectious. The Renaissance is his playground, and he comes prepared, never dumbing down nor condescendingly responding to any questions. He is also passionate, professional, thoughtful, and witty.

Museo di San Marco Arrow

Museo di San Marco is set in a beautiful convent designed in the 15th century by architect Michelozzo, a favorite of Cosimo de' Medici. Located in the Oltrarno neighborhood, it feels like it's a secret though it's always been beloved for its standout frescoes. This experience is full-immersion Renaissance: You're stepping into a time capsule. There's no curation, no seasonal exhibits, no pacing—nothing. It's a beautifully preserved convent-cum-museum.

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17 Best Things to Do in Florence, Italy

The most popular attractions of Florence, Italy, center around the famous architecture and artwork found in the city – from the works hung in the Uffizi and the Galleria dell'Accademia  to the incredible construction and design of the Duomo and

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Piazza della Signoria Piazza della Signoria free

Loggia dei Lanzi, in the Piazza della Signoria, is an open-air (and free) museum that was designed in the 14th century by Orcagna, an influential architect and artist. Below the building's curved arches are dozens of sculptures (notable ones include Giambologna's Rape of the Sabines and a statue of Perseo holding Medusa's head, by Benvenuto Cellini), which draw crowds of tourists and locals alike. Behind it sits the  Galleria degli Uffizi , which is one of the city's most famous art museums. The Piazza della Signoria is also filled with its (more than) fair share of sculptures, including a towering replica of Michaelangelo's David.

Take your time wandering around, and if you get tired, grab a seat along the Loggia dei Lanzi, or make your way to a cafe near the Fountain of Neptune. Recent visitors said this is a must-see spot and a great area to people-watch, view magnificent sculptures and rest travel-weary feet (though past travelers recommended avoiding the restaurants in this area, calling them "outrageously overpriced"). To avoid the height of the crowds, visit in the early morning or the evening. Access to the area is free 24/7.

Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore) Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore) free

The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (known simply as the Duomo) is not only Florence's religious center, but it's also the city's most recognizable attraction. Occupying the Piazza del Duomo in the heart of the city, this massive Gothic cathedral was erected during the 14th century on the former site of the Roman church, Santa Reparata. You'll know you're in the right place when you find yourself straining your neck to see the church's massive, iconic dome and the intricate marble statues on its facade staring down at you. The red-tiled cupola was designed by Brunelleschi and is described as a must-see by experts and travelers alike.

Visitors like to joke that the cathedral was designed inside-out: its exterior boasts intricate designs and breathtaking features while the interior is surprisingly plain. For many, the main reason to visit is to climb the 463 stairs to the top of the dome (the cupola) where you'll find spectacular views of the city. (Be aware that there is no elevator and some of the narrow walkways require you to stand to the side while people pass in the opposite direction. Some visitors report this is not for the claustrophobic.) However, if you are interested in looking around inside, guided tours are available.

Ponte Vecchio Ponte Vecchio free

Much like  London 's Tower Bridge, the Ponte Vecchio was built to replace an earlier bridge. Once dominated by butchers, fishmongers and bakers, the original bridge was washed away during a flood in the early 14th century. When the new Ponte Vecchio was completed, it too was home to local food stores until Grand Duke Ferdinand I of the Medici family decided to designate this unadorned bridge the epicenter of the city's gold and jewel trade. It has maintained this purpose ever since.

Recent visitors said it is especially beautiful at sunset. If you don't want to overpay for souvenirs, heed the advice of past travelers and avoid shopping along the bridge. You can also book a gondola tour of the Arno River to experience sailing beneath the bridge, though prices can be high (typically starting at 65 euros, or around $71, per person).

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Piazzale Michelangelo Piazzale Michelangelo free

U.S. News Insider Tip: If you're eager to get your steps in, climb up another 1,500 feet to the doors of the Abbey of San Miniato al Monte, one of the oldest churches in Florence. Admission is free and the views even higher up are worth the climb. – Holly D. Johnson

Overlooking the city from its perch in the Oltrarno district, the Piazzale Michelangelo is one of the most popular viewpoints in the city, and it's definitely worthwhile if you're a first-time visitor. This ornate square is known for its spectacular views and its towering replica of Michelangelo's David. Getting to the piazza can be quite the trek on foot, yet a meandering path in front of and below the piazza makes it within reach if you're reasonably fit.

Museo dell'Opera del Duomo Museo dell'Opera del Duomo

Spanning 28 rooms and three floors, the massive Museo dell'Opera del Duomo houses more than 750 works of art covering nearly 720 years of history. In short, it serves to preserve the artistic masterpieces that were once on display in the Duomo . Highlights from the collection include Ghiberti's original Gates of Paradise from the Baptistery (the Baptistery is currently adorned with replicas of the original gates) and Michelangelo's Pietà, which many believe he created to adorn his tomb.

Many past travelers suggested stopping at the museum prior to visiting the Duomo to better understand the historical context of the cathedral and surrounding monuments. Plus, entrance to the museum is covered by the combo ticket you're required to buy if you want to climb the steps of the Duomo or enter any of the other sites within the square. Other visitors advised setting aside plenty of time to admire all of the works housed here. What's more, many others mentioned that this museum is not as crowded as the Uffizi .

Galleria dell'Accademia Galleria dell'Accademia

If you only have a limited amount of time for art museums while you're here, devote some of it to the Galleria dell'Accademia for one simple reason: the David. This is your chance to see one of Michelangelo's most famous works in all his authentic glory and recent visitors say it doesn't disappoint. However, you aren't alone on your mission: The gallery can get flooded with other tourists also eager to see the famous piece, which is why some recent reviewers suggest booking a reservation ahead. While you're waiting for the crowds to clear so you can get your photo of David, take the time to see some of the artist's lesser-known works, including the unfinished Slaves or Prisoners.

While the David is undoubtedly the star here, the museum houses a variety of other works and artifacts, including works by the greatest Florentine painters from the 13th to early 15th centuries, such as Giotto and Bernardo Daddi. What’s more, it displays approximately 50 musical instruments from the private collections of the grand dukes of Tuscany, Medici and Lorraine.

Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi) Uffizi Gallery (Galleria degli Uffizi)

Occupying the first and second floors of the U-shaped Palazzo degli Uffizi along the banks of the Arno River, the Uffizi Gallery was created by the Medici family at the end of the 16th century. Today, the museum is any art lover's dream: it still displays the family's prominent art collection, which includes such masterpieces as Botticelli's "Birth of Venus," Raphael's "Madonna of the Goldfinch" and Titian's "Venus of Urbino." What’s more, it’s housed in a building designed by Giorgio Vasari that dates back to 1560.

Because of the many works of art housed here, you're going to need to take your time. One of the best ways to see the highlights and learn about the lesser-known pieces is to take a guided tour from a third-party operator, which many recent visitors highly recommend. Some tour operators also offer "skip-the-line" tours, which reviewers also spoke highly of. If you’re not up for a guided tour, you can also rent an audio guide from the museum for an additional 6 euros (about $6.50).

Mercato Centrale Firenze Mercato Centrale Firenze free

Located in an iron-and-glass building designed by architect Giuseppe Mengoni in 1874, the Mercato Centrale Firenze is a great place to browse and stock up on tasty Italian foods. The ground floor of the market features vendors selling fresh produce, meats, cheeses, fish, olive oil, vinegars, truffle products and other local goods. Upstairs from the vendors, you'll find a modern food hall with shops selling everything from pizza and gelato to Tuscan specialties, such as lampredotto, porchetta and trippa. Here, you can sit down to a meal or pick up items for a picnic. Surrounding the building, dozens of vendors also sell artwork, pottery, jewelry, leather, clothing, souvenirs and anything else you can think of. 

Recent visitors called the market fun and lively to visit, with lots of tempting things to eat and buy. Some recommended stopping in a few times over the course of your Florence visit, although recent visitors have said food you can purchase to eat on-site has become rather expensive. If you want a local to show you around, consider signing up for one of the best tours in Florence , many of which stop at the market.

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Baptistry (Battistero) Baptistry (Battistero)

The Battistero is the oldest religious monument in all of Florence, and although the current façade dates from the 11th century, historians have dated the Baptistery back to the fifth century. It hasn't been proven, but many say that this octagonal building was once a temple dedicated to Mars, the Roman god of war.

Today, this ancient building is a must-see for any art lover. Wake up early to beat the crowds, who flock to the Battistero in search of the Gates of Paradise. Designer Lorenzo Ghiberti's delicate depictions of Christ and other religious symbols on these massive doors inspired awe in even the most renowned artists, including Michelangelo, whose praise of the doors reportedly earned them their name. Note: The doors at the Baptistery are replicas of the originals. If you would like to see the originals, you'll have to pay a visit to the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo , which can be found just a short walk behind the Baptistery.

Giotto's Bell Tower (Campanile di Giotto) Giotto's Bell Tower (Campanile di Giotto)

Designed by Giotto in the early 14th century, this ornate 277-foot high bell tower is part of the renowned  Duomo  in central Florence's Piazza del Duomo. Although it is known as Giotto's Bell Tower, it actually required three architects to finish. The changes in style and design are apparent. Today, you can marvel at the tower's external design from the square below – make sure to spend plenty of time admiring the statues and reliefs by such famed artists as Donatello and Andrea Pisano. Or you can climb the more than 400 steps to the top for spectacular views of central Florence, a hike that recent visitors said leads to a better panorama than you get at the top of the Duomo because you get to view the Duomo from this vantage point.

However, the climb can be a real workout, so make sure to pace yourself. Travelers appreciated that there were several places where they could stop to catch their breath and admire the views on the way up to the top, which they said were well worth the steep climb. However, if you're visiting during the summer months, reviewers say you'll want to time your visit for the morning (or right before closing), as the climb only gets hotter as the day progresses.

Boboli Gardens (Giardino di Boboli) Boboli Gardens (Giardino di Boboli)

U.S. News Insider Tip: After perusing the gardens, treat yourself to a glass of wine at Enoteca Pitti Gola e Cantina, a popular wine bar that sits opposite Palazzo Pitti. – Ann Henson, Assistant Managing Editor

Originally, these beautiful gardens belonged to the Medici family; it wasn't until the late 18th century that the gates opened to the public. Today, Boboli Gardens (located in the Oltrarno behind Pitti Palace ) offers sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the tourist-trodden city center. While you stroll through this extensive green, keep your eyes peeled for the numerous sculptures and grottos strategically placed along the paths, like Giambologna's Bathing Venus. Also swing by the Isolotto, a large fountain located at the southwestern end of the park.

Basilica di Santa Croce Basilica di Santa Croce

Santa Croce is similar to the  Duomo  in style (both churches represent dominant Gothic traits), and the exterior is stunning, despite not being as elaborate as the Florence Duomo. Visitors come here to pay respects to such notable Italians as artist Michelangelo, scientist Galileo Galilei and political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli, whose tombs and memorials are housed here. Santa Croce is also home to what some say is the most important art collection of any church in Italy, the most notable works being spectacular frescoes done by Giotto.

Recent visitors raved about the architecture of the church and suggested giving yourself plenty of time to explore. Others appreciated that it was removed from the main tourist areas and less busy than other Florence attractions.

Palazzo Pitti Palazzo Pitti

U.S. News Insider Tip: If you're visiting the Pitti Palace because of an interest in Medici history, consider booking a private entry into the Vasari Corridor – a hidden passageway Medici members once used to cross the Arno River from the Uffizi Gallery all the way to Pitti Palace. – Holly D. Johnson

If you're headed to Oltrarno for a stroll through the  Bóboli Gardens , it's worth it to take some time to tour the  Palazzo Pitti  (Pitti Palace) as well. This former Renaissance residence is now home to Florence's most extensive grouping of museums. The most notable of the Pitti's galleries is the Galleria Palatina, which – with its impressive collection of works by Raphael, Titian and Rubens – is second in prestige only to the  Uffizi Gallery . Other museums within the palace spotlight everything from historical fashion to household treasures once belonging to the Medici family.

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Palazzo Vecchio Palazzo Vecchio free

Palazzo Vecchio is a central Florence landmark with a long and storied history that dates back to 1299. The ruins of an ancient theater of the Roman colony of Florentia can be seen below from the first floor of this iconic building, and visitors can admire a range of artworks and medieval architecture here.

The Salone dei Cinquecento (Hall of the Five Hundred) is the most visited and impressive hall in the building due to its massive size, large wall frescoes and various sculptures throughout. There are also many secret routes through the palace, which you can explore with one of many available group tours of Palazzo Vecchio.

Basilica di San Lorenzo Basilica di San Lorenzo

U.S. News Insider Tip : The Church of San Lorenzo is where the famous Medici Chapel is located. You can book a tour to see these elaborate tombs, including the "Chapel of the Princes," through various tour companies. – Holly D. Johnson

The Basilica di San Lorenzo is the oldest Florentine cathedral, thus its external architecture is not as ornate and embellished as others built throughout Florence in later centuries. The church is said to have been consecrated in the presence of Saint Ambrose in 393 and also dedicated to the martyr Lorenzo. That said, the basilica was reconstructed in 1418 by Medici family founder Giovanni di Bicci.

Piazza Santo Spirito Piazza Santo Spirito free

U.S. News Insider Tip: Pick up a delicious pizza or two from Gustapizza on nearby Via Maggio and enjoy it on the steps that surround the square. – Ann Henson, Assistant Managing Editor

Located in the Oltrarno, the neighborhood on the other side of the Arno River (opposite the Duomo ), this square is a lively hub of activity, especially at night when its many cafes and restaurants draw locals out to relax on terraces and patios for a meal or a drink. A main feature of the square is Filippo Brunelleschi's last church, the Basilica di Santo Spirito, which he designed in 1444, but was unable to finish before his death. Antonio Manetti, Giovanni da Gaiole and Salvi d'Andrea finished the church by the end of the 1400s.

Santa Maria Novella Santa Maria Novella

While Santa Maria Novella is not nearly as grand as the world-famous Duomo , it is still one of the most important Gothic churches in Tuscany. Located just 750 feet from Firenze Santa Maria Novella (the city's train station), this cathedral is also easy to find or run into by surprise.

The impressive exterior was designed by artists Fra Jacopo Talenti and Leon Battista Alberti, and the interior features a range of master works, such as Masaccio's Holy Trinity fresco, Ghirlandaio's fresco cycle in the Tornabuoni Chapel and Giotto's crucifix. The Nativity by Botticelli and the Pulpit by Buggiano are also located within the church and worth a look. Recent travelers note that the church museum is also worth exploring, and that even roaming the grounds of Santa Maria Novella can be worth the time and effort due to the natural beauty found on the property.

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27 Florence Tips: DON’T Make These Mistakes When Visiting Florence, Italy

From when to visit, and how to avoid crowds, to the one thing you must do when eating out, don't miss these essential florence tips.

So, you’ve decided it’s time to turn that Florence travel fantasy into an actual adventure. Feeling a bit lost with all the planning? Worry not! These Florence tips will help you experience the best this beautiful Italian city has to offer.

Florence is undoubtedly one of Italy’s most iconic cities, a treasure trove of artistic masterpieces, stunning architecture and rich history. But with so much to see and do, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, particularly if you’re a first-time visitor. When is the best time to visit Florence? How many days do you need to explore? And what about free things to do in Florence? These are all legitimate questions when embarking on a new adventure, we’ve all been there!

So, here are some practical Florence travel tips that will help you simplify the planning process and ensure you get the most out of your trip. They cover all the essentials and some things you may not have considered but need to know.

When is the best time to visit Florence?

For more, check out my guide to the best time to visit Italy throughout the year.

How many days should you stay in Florence?

If you only have one day in Florence, be sure to plan your itinerary, book tickets for the main attractions in advance, and arrive well-energized. Also, keep in mind that Sundays and Mondays may not be the best days to sightsee, as many places may be closed including the all-important Duomo.

Where to stay in Florence

Terrazza sul Duomo B&B – Terrace

If you’re only in town for a quick tour, it’s best to stick to central accommodations to minimize your commute time. The historical center is a no-brainer if you’re looking to cram in all the museums and monuments the city has to offer. And bonus – it’s super close to the train station. But if you’re planning a longer stay in Florence and want to immerse yourself in the local culture, consider the charming Oltrarno neighborhood south of the river, brimming with quaint artisan shops. Alternatively, sacrifice some convenience for romance and opt for a room with a view in the districts of San Niccolò or San Miniato al Monte. No matter which neighbourhood, choosing where to stay in Florence is actually fairly easy since the city offers plenty of beautiful B&Bs and boutique hotels tucked away in historic buildings as well as lovely rental apartments. Just make sure to book early, especially if you’re visiting during peak season – you don’t want to miss out on the best deals.

Terrazza sul Duomo B&B – Bedroom

How to get to Florence

Santa Maria Novella Train Station

Now that you know when to go and where to stay , let’s take a look at how to get to Florence.

First off, traveling by train is a breeze with high-speed options that connect Florence to popular tourist destinations like Rome, Milan, and Venice. Plus, the Santa Maria Novella train station is within walking distance of the historical center.

You can also fly directly into Florence Airport, where trams and shuttle buses conveniently connect the airport to the Santa Maria Novella station. And if you’re flying into Pisa Airport, you’re only an hour away from Florence by bus.

Finally, although driving might seem like a tempting option, navigating the city’s restricted traffic areas can be rather challenging. The historical center is closely monitored by a network of video cameras, and parking can be a hassle. So it might be best to leave the driving to the locals and opt for other modes of transportation – your stress levels will thank you.

Impress the locals with some basic Italian

Communicating with locals in their native language can make all the difference between a standard trip and an authentic cultural experience. While Florentines are well-versed in welcoming visitors from all corners of the globe and are proficient in English to some extent, taking the time to learn some words and key phrases will undoubtedly enhance your trip. After all, the beauty of languages is that they allow us to connect with others on a deeper level, so by speaking even a few words of Italian, you’ll demonstrate your genuine appreciation for the local community and its people, and that, in turn, will lead to a more positive and welcoming response. So, make sure to pack a few essential Italian phrases in your Florence travel toolkit. Download my free guide to basic Italian phrases here .

Read a bit about the city’s history before your trip

Cosimo I de’ Medici (Bargello Museum)

Similarly, knowing a little about the history of Florence and its grand characters will help you contextualize your experience, especially if you are not planning on joining a guided tour. Most of the art you’ll see during your trips was commissioned by the Medici family, but did you know that they weren’t actually born into nobility and still managed to become one of the most influential dynasties of all time? Or that Florence was the capital of Italy before Rome took the crown in 1871? Armed with a little bit of background knowledge, you will gain a deeper appreciation for Florence’s unique character and its people, which will make your visit all the more memorable. Alternatively, join this amazing Florence walking.

Palazzo Medici Riccardi

Exploring Florence on foot is the way to go

Book a table for dinner

Get up early to avoid the crowds

There’s no magic formula to avoid large crowds and tour groups in Florence. It’s really just a matter of getting up early and beating them on timing. So, set your alarm early, grab a cup of coffee, and hit the streets before the city fully awakens. Sunrise hours provide the perfect opportunity to appreciate its famous sights, like the iconic Ponte Vecchio bridge, in all their glory without elbowing your way through the crowds. You’ll be amazed at the charming details and hidden gems you’ll discover when you have the city all to yourself. Plus, don’t forget your camera – sunrise provides the perfect lighting for capturing beautiful, crowd-free photos.

Pre-book tickets to major museums

Florence is home to some of the most visited museums in the world, and simply turning up without prior arrangements can easily result in spending several hours standing in line. Not to mention that these museums often have limited capacity, and once they reach their daily limit, no more visitors are allowed in. But there’s a solution: book your museum tickets in advance! Not only will this guarantee your entry, but you’ll also be able to choose the perfect time for your visit without any delays. Sure, it may cost a little extra, but just picture yourself with your skip-the-line ticket to the Uffizi or this Accademia Gallery ticket in hand, confidently strolling past the crowds and entering in a matter of minutes – priceless! Just remember that when booking advance tickets online, you must go to the ticket desk to collect the actual tickets before accessing the museum.

Consider buying a museum pass

Great Hall of the Five Hundred (Palazzo Vecchio)

Planning to explore a lot of attractions during your stay in Florence? Be prepared for the final bill to add up quickly. However, there’s a clever money-saving solution: the Florence Museum Pass . This handy card provides access to some 58 sites across the city, including renowned landmarks like the Uffizi, Pitti Palace, and the museum of Palazzo Vecchio. The pass costs €85 for 72 hours and offers free entry for children under 18 who are part of the cardholder’s immediate family. Before making your purchase, take the time to calculate the combined cost of all the attractions you hope to visit. Depending on your itinerary, it may be more cost-effective to opt for the pass rather than pay for individual tickets.

Palazzo Vecchio courtyard

Take a walking tour

Understanding how to visit Florence’s Duomo complex

• The Ghiberti Pass includes access to the Baptistery, the Opera del Duomo Museum, and Santa Reparata. It is the perfect choice for those who want to soak up the rich history and culture of the complex without having to climb to the top of the dome or the bell tower.
• The Giotto Pass gives access to all of the attractions included in the Ghiberti Pass, plus the chance to climb Giotto’s Bell Tower, perfect for those seeking some stunning panoramic views.
• The Brunelleschi Pass is for those who want to explore all the sites, including the climb to the top of Brunelleschi’s dome.

Bonus tip: What most people don’t know is that you can also visit the private terraces of the Duomo rooftop (before heading to the top of the dome), but only by joining a private skywalk guided tour here.

Embrace the unavoidable truth: you won’t see everything at the Uffizi

Don’t forget that museums are free on the first Sunday of every month

Giardino di Boboli (Palazzo Pitti)

Galleria dell’Accademia – Michelangelo’s David

Like in any other Italian city, Florence’s state-run museums and cultural sites offer free admission on the first Sunday of each month. This fantastic initiative, known as Domenica al Museo (Sunday at the museum), was launched by the Italian government in 2014 to encourage the public to immerse themselves in art and culture. And who doesn’t love saving a few bucks while doing so? On this day, you can explore top attractions like the Uffizi, Accademia Gallery, Pitti Palace, and Medici Chapels, among others (the complete list of participating locations can be found on the government website ). Just be aware that lines can get quite long, so plan to arrive early to make the most of your day.

Cappelle Medicee

New Sacristy (Cappelle Medicee)

Don’t be afraid to venture off the beaten path

English Cemetery

While Florence is one of the most touristed cities in the world, it’s also packed with secret spots and hidden treasures just waiting to be discovered. So, after you’ve checked all of the major attractions off your bucket list, make sure to set aside some time to explore Florence off the beaten path. You could visit the studio of a local street artist or go to the Galileo Museum, where the scientist’s relics are displayed like those of a saint. You could also see the first Last Supper painted by a woman at the Santa Maria Novella complex, or pay your respects at Shakespeare’s last descendants’ graves in the English Cemetery. As you can see, whether you’re an art enthusiast, a passionate photographer, or a history buff, there’s no shortage of unique things to do in Florence !

Galileo Museum

Embrace the city’s wine culture

Make time for watching the sunset 

Venture to the other side of the river

Palazzo Pitti

While many tend to stick around the northern side of the Arno, where most of the best things to do in Florence are located, there’s a whole part of Florence to discover on the other side of the river. So, cross the iconic Ponte Vecchio bridge and venture through the Oltrarno, as the southern side of the river is called. There, you’ll find three neighborhoods – Santo Spirito, San Frediano, and San Niccolò – each with its own unique character and distinctive local feel. You’ll find an abundance of cute cafés, delicious restaurants, and pretty churches worth exploring, as well as the famous Pitti Palace with its beautiful Bobbli Gardens. And if you’re planning to bring home some authentic Italian souvenirs, you’re in luck – the Oltrarno is home to countless artisans who have made this area their creative hub.

Take your sips to new heights

Skip Piazzale Michelangelo and head to San Miniato al Monte instead

View from San Miniato al Monte

Overlooking the city from up the hill in the Oltrarno district, Piazzale Michelangelo is undoubtedly one of Florence’s go-to spots for panoramic views. But with its postcard-perfect views and a towering replica of Michelangelo’s David, this iconic square can get really crowded. However, if you venture slightly further up, a little gem awaits. The church of San Miniato al Monte, is one of the finest Romanesque churches in the region. Less crowded but no less spectacular, this viewing spot offers beautiful views over the city. And if you plan to visit around 6 pm, you’ll be treated to the beautiful Gregorian chants performed by the resident monks, making your experience all the more fascinating.

Indulge in some shopping, but know where to go

Scuola del Cuoio (Leather School)

As you plan your trip to Florence, it’s likely you’re eagerly anticipating the beautiful sights, the delicious food, and, naturally, some essential shopping. But if you’re going to shop in Florence, you’ll want to do it right to avoid wasting money on overpriced tourist traps. One of the city’s most beloved shopping experiences is the hunt for the perfect leather product.

Florence is renowned for its high-quality leather goods, and for a good reason. To ensure you’re getting the real deal, head straight to one of the city’s top spots, Scuola del Cuoio , where they also organize courses and workshops to create your very own one-of-a-kind piece.

Acqua della Regina

If you’re looking for something truly unique, head to the Oltrarno district, a treasure trove of independent boutiques and workshops, each offering pieces that have a story to tell. And for the ultimate souvenir, make your way to Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella and buy a bottle of Acqua della Regina (Queen’s Water) , a fragrance specially designed for Caterina de’ Medici in the 16th century.

Go out in the evening!

Florentine steak

You might think that with so many stunning sights to see during the day, there are not many things to do in Florence at night. But nighttime brings a unique charm that’s worth exploring. You can treat yourself to a special night of food and entertainment at Teatro del Sale or take a tour of Tuscan cuisine that includes wine tasting and Fiorentina steak , two of the region’s signature specialties. This time of the day is also perfect for strolling through the historic city center with a delicious gelato and taking in the details you may have missed during the hustle and bustle of the day.

There’s no denying that seeing the city’s landmarks under the moonlight adds a new dimension to their beauty. Plus, for a splurge, a night photo tour of Florence with a local photographer promises stunning shots to bring home. Finally, if you need an excuse to get someone to hold your hand, consider joining this top-rated Mysteries and Legends tour of Florence and embark on an adventure into the city’s mysteries!

Taking a cooking class is the perfect activity for a rainy day

While the city’s renowned museums provide a cozy shelter from bad weather, nothing beats the joy of cooking to lift your spirits. You can immerse yourself in Tuscan cuisine by spending quality time with a local chef, who can not only teach you the art of Italian cooking but also share some insider tips on the best restaurants in town. There are some great cooking classes in Florence to choose from, ranging from pasta-making workshops with dinner and wine-tasting to pizza and gelato-making lessons . Not only will you return home with newfound culinary skills, but you’ll also be able to host fantastic Italy-inspired parties. Without a doubt, one of the best things to do in Florence when it rains.

Keep an eye out for the secret urban art

Discover Tuscany beyond Florence

San Gimignano

One of the top travel tips for Florence is to venture beyond the city limits at least once, provided you have enough time and budget for it. From quaint villages to fabulous wineries and UNESCO treasures, there’s a whole load of Tuscany to explore within a short distance from the city. The region’s excellent road and train network makes day trips from Florence easy.

If you’re not feeling up to planning, there are some great guided tours available. While many choose Pisa and Lucca  for a side trip from Florence, there are plenty of other options to consider, such as the famous vineyards of Chianti , the beautiful Siena and San Gimignano , the Val d’Orcia (where those stunning views you’ve seen in pictures come to life), and the Cinque Terre (Liguria’s iconic pastel-colored villages) or this tour of both the Cinque Terre and Portovenere .

You can also opt for a day trip from Florence that covers different locations, like this excellent Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa and winery lunch tour.

Don’t miss my guide to the BEST things to do in San Gimignano

Piazza dei Miracoli, Pisa

Leaning Power of Pisa

It doesn’t have to be expensive

Loggia dei Lanzi

Florence is often seen as a high-end destination, but honestly, the idea that you have to shell out big bucks to enjoy all that the city has to offer is a myth. Sure, accommodation prices might not be the lowest and the museums can be a bit pricey. Still, for budget-conscious travelers there’s a surprising number of free things to do in Florence . Take, for instance, Loggia dei Lazi, the breathtaking sculpture gallery in Piazza della Signoria. This cultural gem won’t cost you a cent. Plus, there are numerous beautiful churches that welcome visitors free of charge. And let’s not forget about the stunning gardens that dot the city. You can easily while away an afternoon taking in the sights and smells of these natural wonders without spending a single euro. So go ahead and book your trip, knowing there are also plenty of opportunities to relax and soak up the charm of Florence without breaking the bank.

Let go of FOMO

Don’t miss my guide to the TOP Things to do in Florence

Don’t be treated like a tourist. Learn Italian with my 80/20 method

Travelling to Italy? Don’t be treated like a tourist! Live your best travel experiences and learn Italian for less than the cost of eating at a tourist trap restaurant or a taxi driver who has “taken you for a ride”. I’ve made it easy for you to master the Italian language so you can create lifelong memories as you mingle with locals , get local tips , avoid tourist traps , and make new friends . Who knows, you might even be invited over for afternoon tea by a lovely Sicilian family like I was! Read all about how speaking Italian changed my life  and check out my online Italian video course here.

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Don’t miss these guides to Florence and Tuscany

• 20+ Fabulous Free Things to do in Florence
• 21 Unique Things to Do in Florence: Hidden Gems, Unusual Attractions & Quirky Tours
• 33 BEST Things to do in Florence: Top Museums, Experiences & Eateries
• Where to Stay in Florence: Best Areas, Hotels, and Apartments
• Where to Find the Best Gelato in Florence: 16 Top Gelaterie (Map Included)
• Where to Have the Best Aperitivo in Florence
• 9 Beautiful Wine Windows in Florence and Where to Find Them (Map Included)
• 19 BEST Things to do in Pisa, Italy (Includes Map and 1-DAY Itinerary)
• 13 BEST Things to do in San Gimignano, Italy // The Manhattan of the 14th-Century

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20+ Fabulous Free Things to do in Florence (Cool Markets, Top Museums, & Walking Tours)

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Florence Has World-class Museums, Incredible Nightlife, and Beautiful Hotels — How to Plan a Trip

Visit Florence for an unforgettable adventure. Discover the best hotels, restaurants, and things to do with this highly curated Florence travel guide.

Best Time to Go

Things to know, how to get around, best hotels, best restaurants, things to do, best shopping, neighborhoods to know, apps to download.

Michelangelo here, Donatello there. As the cradle of the Renaissance, Florence was the city that brought you all those household names – and they're all still here. The famed Uffizi Galleries and the Accademia are just the start – this is a city stuffed to the gills with museums, galleries, and masterpieces aplenty. Churches are full of frescoed chapels and heavily pigmented crucifixes. Houses are hulking palaces, built with hand-hewn, human-sized stones. Even the stores come with ancient beams and painted ceilings. Sometimes, the beauty is overwhelming.

That's where the other Florence comes in. This is a city surrounded by nature like no other. Cross the Ponte Vecchio and the river Arno is the Oltrarno district, home to cobblestone piazzas, laidback cafes, and artisans plying centuries-old trades. You can stroll along the riverside, explore exquisite gardens laid out in the Renaissance, or wind around cypress-studded hills. At every turn, you'll get killer views of the city and its gargantuan terracotta dome, standing out against the mountains in the distance. In Florence, even the landscape is art.

Central European Standard Time

Summers are hot, sticky, and super busy, but other than that, any time is good to visit Florence — not least because you'll spend most of your time indoors in the museums. Florence's Easter celebration of the Scoppio del Carro, in which a team of cream-colored oxen tow a wagon into the Piazza del Duomo and then set off the fireworks inside it, is a huge event. In late June, Piazza Santa Croce is closed off to make the pitch for a game of Calcio Storico — or "historic football," a mix of soccer, rugby and wrestling in 16th-century dress. Festa di San Lorenzo takes place each August, where there are celebrations including free lasagne in Piazza San Lorenzo, in honor of former ruler Lorenzo de' Medici, the man who kicked off the Renaissance.

Currency : Euro (Check the current exchange rate)

Language :Italian

I don't speak Italian : Non parlo italiano I'm lost : Mi sono perso/a I would like… : Vorrei… How much is…? : Quanto costa…? How do I get to…? : Per andare a…? I don't understand : Non capisco

Learn more Italian phrases

Calling Code :+39 Capital City : Rome

Trains : High-speed trains stop at Florence Santa Maria Novella station.

Buses : The city center is largely pedestrianized, though there are trams from the train station that wrap around the center. Coaches arrive near Santa Maria Novella, too.

Taxis : There are taxi stands at main sites including the train station, Piazza del Duomo and Piazza San Marco. Or call +39 4242 or +39 4390.

Car service : Most hotels can arrange private transfers.

The Place Firenze

Address: P.za di Santa Maria Novella, 7, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 264 5181 Book Now

With its rooftop terrace pointing plum at the Duomo, JK Place was long a lux pied-a-terre for those in the know. In 2021, after a light renovation, it became The Place Firenze – still offering a plush townhouse feel, but with a renewed focus on throwing visitors into Florentine life, hooking them up with the best artisans, artists and creatives in the city. Everything from breakfast to the minibar is included.

Velona's Jungle

Address: Via Montebello, 86, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 274 1536 Book Now

Veronica Grechi is the consummate host at this upscale B&B in her grandparents' former home. The theme – all lush leaves and wild beasts – is taken from the 1930s, and the place combines period antiques collected by her nonno , an antiques dealer, with loud Christian Lacroix wallpaper and the odd flash of animal print. Just four rooms on the main floor gives a home-from-home feel; in 2021, they added six rooms themed around wildlife on the floor below.

Address: Via Baccio Bandinelli, 98, 50142 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 713 0272 Book Now

What do you get when one of Florence's top architects converts a former factory into his atelier and hotel? This urban retreat, where staircases seem to float midair, soothing creams pair with mid-century furniture, and antique travel trunks have been turned into wardrobes. The intimate garden and pool are a haven from the city, though note it's a 30-minute walk to the center, or easy five-minute tram to Santa Maria Novella.

Palazzo di Camugliano

Address: Via del Moro, 15, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 265 4578 Book Now

Think this looks like an aristocrat's lair? You'd be right – the 16th-century palace belongs to the Marchese di Camugliano, who generously shares its grand coffered ceilings, elaborate stuccoes and multiple frescoes with guests. Four-poster beds, fireplaces, and heavy drapes amp up the luxury in the 11 rooms – one junior suite even has stucco putti beckoning you into the bathroom – but it's more elegant than over-the-top. There's a lovely, leafy roof garden, too.

Four Seasons Florence

Address: Borgo Pinti, 99, 50121 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 26 261 Book Now

Step into this living museum and you'll be met by 15th-century frescoes and bas reliefs in the courtyard of what was once a summer villa owned by the Medici family. It's made for good weather, with a sprawling 11-acre garden filled with art and shade-giving trees, plus an outdoor pool. Choose from rooms in the main building or La Villa, on the far side of the garden – the best bet for families.

Address: Piazza del Duomo, 1/7, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 267 0004 Book Now

You'll have unparalleled views of the Duomo from this 18th-century palazzo standing right opposite it. It's divided into six elegant, contemporary serviced apartments, each with jaw-dropping views – one even has Giotto's Bell Tower peeking over the part-glass roof.

Grand Amore Hotel & Spa

Address: Via dei Servi, 38/A, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 035 1500 Book Now

This is Italian opulence at its best: bold, colorful rooms (think purple, black, or scarlet-themed) with sexy black and white photos behind the velvet-headboarded beds. Some rooms nab great views of the Duomo, peeking out at the end of the street, but the real reason to come here is for the "comfort crew," who customize your stay with everything from your favorite flowers to drinks, and note your in-stay preferences to provide a truly unique experience.

Boutique Hotel in Piazza della Signoria

Address: Via dei Magazzini, 2, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 239 9546 Book Now

Locations don't get much more exciting than this, a 14th-century palazzo in Piazza della Signoria itself. The traditionally styled rooms have touches including 18th-century frescoes or beams, and, for groups, there are three apartments. It's a B&B, and breakfast is served at the communal table.

Continentale

Address: Vicolo dell'Oro, 6r, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 27 262 Book Now

Part of the Ferragamo family's Lungarno Collection, the Continentale whisks you back to the 1950s with its low-slung chairs, monochrome portraits, and travel trunks as furniture, cocooned by white-on-white palettes, and gauzy drapes round the beds. Riverside rooms feel cantilevered over the Arno, while even city-view ones have glimpses of the Duomo. Spy on the Ponte Vecchio from the rooftop terrace, or have a treatment in the basement spa.

Il Tornabuoni

Address: Via de' Tornabuoni, 3, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 212 645 Book Now

The latest five-star hotel in the city takes over a 12th-century palazzo, fitting it with 62 boldly colored rooms – think flaming reds, deep indigos, and blazing mustards – plus a rooftop terrace. Traveling with family? This is the one for you – most rooms have two double beds, with modern brass four-posters.

Portrait Firenze

Address: Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli, 4, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 2726 8000 Book Now

Overlooking the Arno in the shadow of the Ponte Vecchio, and owned by the Ferragamo family, this top-notch hotel combines location with style. The look is understated retro – all shades of grey paired with brass, mid-century furniture – while the ultra-bespoke service means arriving to see your favorite pillow or photo by the bed. Front-facing rooms have knockout views of the Ponte Vecchio and the cypress-spiked hills behind town.

Address: Via del Campuccio, 53, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 075 0602 Book Now

Backed up against Europe's largest privately owned city garden with a yawning wraparound terrace, this bucolic retreat is only a 15-minute walk from the fray. Outside the modern rooms, it feels every bit a stately home – in fact, the Marchese Torrigiani, whose villa this is, has a family pad elsewhere in the building.

La Leggenda dei Frati

Address: Costa S. Giorgio, 6/a, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 068 0545 Website

In the 17th-century Villa Bardini overlooking the city center, this Michelin-starred restaurant takes Tuscan cooking to new heights, with cinta senese pork and macaroni found in its up-to-nine-course tasting menus. Its Coach Kitchen workshops share the secrets. Reservations recommended.

La Carbonata del Porrati

Address: Borgo Pinti, 95R, 50121 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 234 3370 Website

You might come here for the chichi pizza, made with top-end ingredients from the adjoining grocery store. You might come for the melt-in-the-mouth bistecca alla fiorentina, Florence's signature steak, its local Mugello meat grilled to utter perfection. Or you might come for the service – you won't find a friendlier family in Florence.

Trattoria Zà Zà

Address: Piazza del Mercato Centrale, 26r, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 234 2836 Website

It's at the busy San Lorenzo market but Trattoria Zà Zà isn't here for the tourists. This Florentine classic has been going strong since 1977 and showcases owner Stefano Bondi's mother's recipes, from Tuscan steak tartares to the dozens of pasta dishes and smorgasboard of meaty mains.

Trattoria Sabatino

Address: Via Pisana, 2/R, 50143 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 225 955 Website

You want: classic Italian nonna cooking. You need: to while away a couple of hours at this superb, casual trattoria, serving Tuscan classics from the retro-typed daily menu. The choice is limited but you can't go wrong, with normally two types of pasta, several meats, plus cheese and alcohol-stewed fruit for desserts.

Burro e Acciughe

Address: Via dell'Orto, 35/R, 50124 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 045 7286 Website

When all that hearty Tuscan cooking gets too much, you need this taste of the seaside in San Frediano. The chichi seafood, from grilled shellfish to fusilloni pasta with octopus ragu, is the perfect palate-cleanser.

Osteria Mescita San Niccolò

Address: Via di S. Niccolò, 60 r, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 234 2836 Website

Excellent traditional trattoria and wine shop, with well priced Tuscan classics such as pappa al pomodoro, chickpea soup and rabbit with beans and potato. Choose from the old-style tiled dining room or the ancient church crypt, uncovered after the 1966 floods.

Ristorante Accademia

Address: Piazza San Marco, 7r, 50121 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 214 412 Website

It's steps from the Accademia but this is no tourist trap – it's a classic Florentine restaurant, serving fantastic, hearty Tuscan food, as well as dishes from Southern Italy's Abruzzo. All the pasta is made inhouse. Reservations recommended.

Mercato Centrale

Address: Piazza del Mercato Centrale, Via dell'Ariento, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 239 9798 Website

Try the best Tuscan (and beyond) street food on the mezzanine floor of the city's San Lorenzo food market. Stalls include Roman trapizzino (filled pizza pockets), Tuscan-Chinese dumplings, and homegrown lampredotto – essentially tripe sandwiches.

Trattoria 4 Leoni

Address: Via dei Vellutini, 1r, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 218 562 Website

A laid back but top notch trattoria amid the artisans of Oltrarno. Sit outside in the square and feast on Tuscan specialities – the veggie dishes are superb, from pumpkin flans to artichokes smothered in lardo (a super-fatty salume) and pecorino.

Address: Via della Spada, 62/R, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 218 757 Website

You'll need to sleep off the carbs after a meal at this excellent restaurant which specialises in roasted and grilled meats from their rosticceria . Try anything from pork to rabbit on a spit, or go all out with a steak. Don't miss the grilled sausages or the juicy roast potatoes.

Berberè San Frediano

Address: Piazza dei Nerli, 1, 50124 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 238 2946 Website

Hands down the best pizza in Florence is from this cult little Italian chain. Eat with the locals in the Borgo San Frediano location – you'll find all kinds of dough, and imaginative toppings, including spicy Calabrian 'nduja with salami.

Address: Borgo Pinti, 99, 50121 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 262 6450 Website

Summer's the time to visit this Michelin-starred restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel – it's when tables are laid outside in the garden. Book a romantic dinner in a nook overlooking the grounds or under the 'weeping' beech.

Uffizi Cafeteria

Address: Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 294 883 Website

While away a day in the Uffizi Galleries, breaking in the café for lunch. It's a cut above museum restaurants, with one of the best views in the city from its panoramic terrace pointed straight at the Duomo.

Piazza della Signoria

Christopher Larson/Travel + Leisure

Address: P.za della Signoria, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy

Kick back at one of the ringside restaurants (we like Rivoire) to take in the scene at Florence's main square. The seat of power, with the Palazzo Vecchio and Uffizi at its heart, it's a cobbled, open-air gallery of grand statues, a gushing fountain, and locals cycling through.

Address: Piazza del Duomo, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 230 2885 Website

Florence's brick-domed cathedral, known simply as the Duomo ("the dome" – still the largest masonry cupola on the planet) is the city's icon. Climb the 463, narrow-threaded steps (not for the faint-hearted or claustrophobic) to the top for unparalleled views of the city, plus close-ups of Vasari's famous murals inside the dome. Wander the square but don't miss the sister museum, the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, home to Michelangelo's Pietà and beautifully modernized in 2015.

Museo di San Marco

Address: Piazza San Marco, 3, 50121 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 088 2000 Website

You'll get a taste of Renaissance Florence at this still-functioning monastery. The 15th-century painter Fra Angelico lived here – you'll find his meditative frescoes in the monks' cells, as well as a newly renovated room displaying some of his best work on the ground floor.

Uffizi Galleries

It's one of the world's most famous museums for good reason: there are over 3,000 works of art on display here, including iconic paintings like Botticelli's Birth of Venus and Michelangelo's Doni Tondo. The second floor, containing 16th-century paintings, was refurbished for 2021.

Palazzo Vecchio

Address: P.za della Signoria, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 276 8325

The castle-like building dominating Piazza della Signoria (and the one which took center stage in "Hannibal") is this, the seat of power of the Florentine republic. It's studded with works by the likes of Donatello, Michelangelo, and Bronzino, but it's the ruling Medici family's private rooms, frescoed by Giorgio Vasari, that really spin back the centuries.

Ponte Vecchio and River Walk

Address: Ponte Vecchio, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy

Cross the Ponte Vecchio – that famous covered bridge with houses dangling off the side – for great views of the River Arno from the open-arched middle. Then cross back to the Uffizi side for a riverside walk west – in 10 minutes, and crossing the river once more, you'll be in Piazza Santo Spirito, or continue up to Borgo San Frediano and the old city walls.

Piazza Santo Spirito

Address: 50125 Florence, Metropolitan City of Florence, Italy

The city center can get uncomfortably busy but this square typifies the laidback Oltrarno ("across the Arno river") district. Go on the second Sunday of the month for its famous antiques market, or pick a trendy bar and drink in the scene.

Cappella Brancacci

Address: Piazza del Carmine, 14, 50124 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 238 2195 Website

Up a little from Piazza Santo Spirito, this unassuming little chapel in the Santa Maria del Carmine church is where the Renaissance is said to have begun. It's frescoed wall-to-wall by Masolino and Masaccio, the pupil who would come to outshine him, with later additions by Filippino Lippi. Masaccio's startlingly modern Adam and Eve being expelled from Eden changed the course of art history.

Piazzale Michelangelo

Address: Piazzale Michelangelo, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy

You'll get the best views of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo, halfway up the hill on the other side of the Arno, with a panoramic terrace pointing straight at the Duomo. If you've got the stamina, carry on up to San Miniato al Monte, the marble-clad, Romanesque church which overlooks the city.

Santa Croce

Address: Piazza di Santa Croce, 16, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 246 6105 Website

Another monastery stuffed to the gills with great art and great Italians. Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Galileo are amongst the people buried here, while there are works by Cimabue, Canova, and the della Robbia brothers, as well as frescoes by Giotto.

Boboli and Bardini Gardens

Address: Costa S. Giorgio, 2, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 294 883, +39 055 2006 6233. Website | Website

One ticket gets you into both Florence's superstar gardens. Behind Palazzo Pitti, the Giardini di Boboli are an Instagram heaven, their grottos and fountains planned by the Medici, but the garden at Villa Bardini has the best views of the city, plus wisteria-wreathed pergolas and a seemingly never-ending staircase cleaving through the hill.

Accademia Gallery

Address: Via Ricasoli, 58/60, 50129 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 098 7100 Website

Come for the "David" – Michelangelo's colossal icon, carved from a single slab of marble – but stay for his unfinished male nudes ("The Prisoners") and Giambologna's mesmerizing "Rape of the Sabine Women".

Cappelle Medicee

Address: Piazza di Madonna degli Aldobrandini, 6, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 064 9430 Website

Michelangelo's most mournful works are these intimate tombs of the Medici family, topped with colossal figures of Night, Day, Dusk and Dawn, with a Madonna and Child between them. They're in the Sagrestia Nuova; on the way, don't miss the high-domed, marble-clad Cappella dei Principi, or Chapel of the Princes – one fancy wedding cake of a building.

Palazzo Strozzi

Address: Piazza degli Strozzi, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 264 5155 Website

When you've had your fill of the Renaissance, amble over to this immense palazzo which hosts some of Europe's best temporary exhibitions, many of them modern. Afterwards, grab coffee in the 'Courtyard of Wonders,' home to rotating contemporary art installations.

Officina Creativa at Il Vecchio Conventino

Address: Via Giano della Bella, 50124 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 570 627 Website

This one-stop shop for Tuscan artisans brings together 25 workshops in an atmospheric former convent-turned cultural center in San Frediano. There's something for everyone here, from ceramics to weaving, and jewelry to shoes.

Simone Taddei

Address: Via Santa Margherita, 11/R, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 239 8960 Website

Simone is an extraordinary artisan, practising a craft that goes back centuries. He creates handmade leather boxes, from tiny cufflink and jewelry holders to the kind of grand creations you'd see in a stately home. The most special souvenir you could take from Florence.

Cecilia Falciai

Address: Via dei Macci, 25/r, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 347 258 0357 Website

Cecilia is a master of mosaics and scagliola – the Florentine technique of inlaid stone that resembles marble. She takes commissions, but pop into her workshop for an array of ready-to-go works, from framed modern pictures of iconic Florence buildings, etched on slate and hand-filled with pigment-rich plaster, to color-popping jewelry.

Manufatto Fiorentino

Address: Via Giano della Bella, 20, 50100 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: NA Website

Florence has been known for its leather workers for centuries, and Barbara Dall'Acqua, an artisan at Il Vecchio Conventino, keeps the tradition going, with handmade bags in contemporary styles (think bold prints and clashing linings), using a mix of Tuscan leather and textiles.

Velona Antichità

Address: Via dei Fossi, 31, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 287 069 Website:N/A

Florence's antique traders are among the best in the world. This family business (relatives of Veronica from Velona's Jungle B&B) has everything you might want, from 18th-century furniture to paintings, lamps, and coffee pots.

Giulio Giannini

Address: Piazza de' Pitti, 37R, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 212 621 Website

Maria Giannini is the sixth generation of her family to make marbled paper, hand-bound leather notebooks, and signet rings. But she's modernized the business, too, offering marbled water bottles, cellphone cases, and face masks.

M'adame

Address: Via Ser Lapo Mazzei, 16, 50126 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 342 377 9676 Website

Sofia Ricceri's retro handmade hats and hairbands whisk you back to a pre-tourism time when Florence was the epitome of chic. Contact her for a made-to-measure look, or find her pret-a-porter collection amongst other artisans at Florence's Rinascente department store, or at Boutique Nadine.

Boutique Nadine

Address: Lungarno degli Acciaiuoli, 22/red, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: N/A Website

Classic Florence is the muse at this lovely womenswear shop on the banks of the Arno. Vintage silks, cashmere, and lingerie alongside modern designers add a little romantic oomph.

Riccardo Luci

Address: Via del Parione, 35 A/R, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 799 6188 Website

Florentines have been marbling paper for the insides of book covers since the 16th century, and Riccardo has inherited his father's trade. Want to learn? He does paper-marbling workshops. He also makes personalized books, stamped in gold leaf with tools used by no fewer than three generations of his family.

Paolo Penko

Address: Via Ferdinando Zannetti, 14/red, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 205 2577 Website

Paolo is a master goldsmith producing intricate, outré jewels studded with precious stones, and wedding rings inspired by real Renaissance museum pieces. His signature piece? Gold (and bronze and silver florins), gifted on important occasions since the 15th century.

Address: Via Porta Rossa, 42r, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 311 974 Website

Bold prints are on the rails at this cute womenswear shop by local designers. Whether it's a maxidress in a Gucci-esque stamp, a skirt with bright green apples, or tigers prancing all over a shirt, they're full of outré pieces. They discount heavily come sales time.

Brandimarte

Address: Via del Moro, 92r, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 349 422 0269 Website

The Guscelli family have been master silversmiths since 1955. Today, they make everything from wine decanters and tasting glasses to picture frames and even Bluetooth loudspeakers. Plus, of course, classic jewelry – the hammered silver collection is especially striking.

Address: Via Romana 151rosso, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 229 288 Website

Make room in your suitcase for something – even a coathook – from this Oltrarno workshop making lighting and furnishings from bronze and brass. From super chic chandeliers to sleek stools, umbrella stands, and door handles, everything is worked with care by their artisans.

Address: Via de' Guicciardini, 16/R, 50125 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 282 895 Website

Master shoemaker Calogero Mannina opened his workshop near the Ponte Vecchio in 1953. Today, his son Antonio has joined the business, hand-stitching exquisite made-to-measure shoes for men and women.

Address: Via di Santa Lucia, 24R, 50123 Firenze FI, Italy Phone: +39 055 293 291 Website

High-end, hand-made men's shoes from this German cobbler who's refined her art in Florence. Everything's in the detail, here – like the half leather, half suede ankle boots studded with mother of pearl buttons.

Centro Storico/District 1 : Florence's city center, also known as District 1, is remarkably compact. Running roughly from the Ponte Santa Trinità to the Ponte alle Grazie bridges, the area north of the Arno contains most of the tourist sites. There are two focal points: Piazza del Duomo, where the gargantuan cathedral swaggers over the city, and Piazza della Signoria, the political heart of the city, where you'll find museums such as the Uffizi and Palazzo Vecchio gathered around one of Italy's most spectacular squares. The Uffizi ends at the River Arno.

Santo Spirito : Oltrarno — the name means "across the Arno" — covers the city on the other side of the river, but in visitor terms Oltrarno usually refers to the area around Santo Spirito. It's a neighborhood of artisans, small cafes, and grand historic monuments including the Palazzo Pitti and Boboli Gardens.

San Frediano : Part of Oltrarno but slightly further west than Santo Spirito, away from the center, laidback San Frediano includes gems such as the Brancacci Chapel, plus traditional restaurants and trattorie with olive-slicked hills rising at the back.

In a basin surrounded by mountains and hills, Florence is humid. Spring is warm — temperatures are in the mid 50s to 60s, feeling hotter when the sun is out — but summer can be sweltering, with an average temperature of 77°F feeling hotter thanks to the humidity. Fall tends to be sunny, with temperatures averaging low-to-mid 60°F in October. Winters are ostensibly mild, with temperatures in the mid 40s, though the humidity gives them an extra bite.

January : 36°F to 52°F February : 36°F to 55°F March: 41°F to 61°F April: 45°F to 66°F May: 54°F to 75°F June: 59°F to 82°F July: 64°F to 88°F August: 64°F to 90°F September: 57°F to 81°F October: 50°F to 70°F November: 41°F to 59°F December: 37°F to 52°F

+Firenze : Live updates from the city council.

Firenze the Walking City : Best hiking routes around the sites and hills. iPhone only.

itTaxi : Taxi ride-hailing service.

Firenze Card App : maps and opening hours of museums taking part in the tourist card scheme.

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Wonderful Time in Italy We were covered from the moment we landed in Rome. The drivers were great, the connections were flawless, and it was well-planned a...

Since the early nineteenth century Florence has been celebrated as Italy 's most beautiful city. Stendhal staggered around its streets in a perpetual stupor of delight; the Brownings sighed over its charms; and E.M. Forster’s Room with a View portrayed it as the great antidote to the sterility of Anglo-Saxon life. The pinnacle of Brunelleschi’s stupendous cathedral dome dominates the cityscape, and the close-up view is even more breathtaking, with the multicoloured Duomo rising beside the marble-clad Baptistry. Wander from here down towards the River Arno and the attraction still holds: the river is spanned by the mediaeval, shop-lined Ponte Vecchio.

The best travel tips for visiting Florence

Best things to do in florence, a brief history of florence, best areas to stay in florence, best restaurants and bars, how to get around, what is the best time to visit florence, how many days do you need in florence, how to get there, tailor-made travel itineraries for italy, created by local experts.

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From Venice to Florence: A Grand Tour of Northern Italy

From the atmospheric canals of Venice and the picturesque coastline of Cinque Terre, to the trendy designer boutiques of Milan and the Renaissance-infused streets of Florence, Northern Italy has plenty to offer. Experience it all with this comprehensive trip.

For art lovers, Florence has no equal in Europe. The development of the Renaissance can be plotted in the vast picture collection of the Uffizi and in the sculpture of the Bargello and the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo.

Equally revelatory are the fabulously decorated chapels of Santa Croce and Santa Maria Novella, forerunners of such astonishing creations as Masaccio’s superb frescoes in the Cappella Brancacci.

The Renaissance emphasis on harmony and rational design is expressed with unrivalled eloquence in Brunelleschi’s architecture, specifically in the churches of San Lorenzo, Santo Spirito and the Cappella dei Pazzi.

While the full genius of Michelangelo, the dominant creative figure of sixteenth-century Italy, is on display in San Lorenzo’s Biblioteca Laurenziana and the marble statuary of the Cappelle Medicee and the Accademia, every quarter of Florence can boast a church worth an extended call, and the enormous Palazzo Pitti south of the river constitutes a museum district on its own.

If you’re on a whistle-stop tour, note that it’s not possible to simply stroll into the Cappella Brancacci, and that spontaneous visits to the Accademia and Uffizi are often difficult.

Rough Guides tip: Planning a trip to Italy? Perhaps our local experts in Italy can help you!

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and Baptistery of St. John Battistero di San Giovanni, Florence © Shutterstock

From the extraordinary sight of Brunelleschi’s church dome to the mediaeval streets of the City Centre, here are the best things to do in Florence.

#1 Gravitate straight towards Piazza del Duomo

Stepping out for the first time in Florence, it’s almost impossible not to gravitate straight towards the square in the centre, the beating heart of Florence, Piazza del Duomo, beckoned by the iconic form of Brunelleschi’s extraordinary dome, which dominates the cityscape in a way unmatched by any architectural creation in any other Italian city.

Yet even though the magnitude of the Duomo is apparent from a distance, and even though you may have seen it in a thousand photos, the first full sight of the church and adjacent Baptistry still comes as a jolt, the colours of their patterned exteriors making a startling contrast with the dun-coloured buildings around them.

Rough Guides Travel Tip : spending more days around Florence? Check the best day trips from Florence .

#2 Visit The Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore), Italy’s most impressive cathedral

In the seventh century, the seat of the Bishop of Florence was transferred from San Lorenzo to the ancient church that stood on the site of the Duomo. In the thirteenth century, it was decided that a new cathedral was required to better reflect the wealth of the city.

In 1294 Arnolfo di Cambio designed a vast basilica focused on a domed tribune; by 1418 this project was complete except for its crowning feature. The conception was magnificent: the dome was to span a distance of nearly 42m and rise from a base some 54m above the floor of the nave. It was to be the largest dome ever constructed – but nobody had yet worked out how to build it.

The key to the dome’s success was the construction of two shells: a light outer shell, and a thicker inner shell. Its completion was marked by the cathedral's papal consecration in 1436.

#3 Seek out The Campanile, Italy’s most elegant belltower

Alongside Italy’s most impressive cathedral dome is perhaps its most elegant belltower. The Campanile was begun in 1334 by Giotto, who was no engineer: after his death in 1337 Andrea Pisano and Francesco Talenti took over the teetering, half-built edifice, and immediately doubled the thickness of the walls to stop it collapsing. The first storey is studded with two rows of remarkable bas-reliefs: the lower row, The Creation of Man and the Arts and Industries, was carved by Pisano himself, the upper by his pupils. The figures of Prophets and Sibyls in the second-storey niches were created by Donatello and others. (All the sculptures are copies – the originals are in the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo.)

The Campanile by Giotto © Songquan Deng/Shutterstock

#4 Wander around The Baptistry, Florence’s oldest building

Generally thought to date from the sixth or seventh century, the Baptistry is the oldest building in Florence, and no building better illustrates the special relationship between Florence and the Roman world.

Throughout the Middle Ages the Florentines chose to believe that the Baptistry was originally a Roman temple to Mars, a belief bolstered by the interior’s inclusion of Roman granite columns.

The pattern of its marble cladding, applied in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, is clearly classical in inspiration, and the Baptistry’s most famous embellishments – its gilded bronze doors – mark the emergence of a self-conscious interest in the art of the ancient world.

#5 See the show-stopping Museo dell’Opera del Duomo

In 1296, the Opera del Duomo was created to oversee the maintenance of the Duomo. In the early fifteenth century it took occupation of a building at the east end of the cathedral, which now houses the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, a superb museum that reopened in late 2015, after a €50 million rebuild that doubled the exhibition space.

The show-stopper on the ground floor is a huge hall containing a reconstruction of Arnolfo di Cambio’s facade of the Duomo, adorned with many of the sculptures that occupied the facade’s niches before it was dismantled in 1587.

Opposite are Ghiberti’s stupendous “Doors of Paradise '' and the Baptistry’s original North Doors, also created by Ghiberti. At some point these will be joined by the originals of Pisano’s South Doors. Also on the ground floor you’ll find a room devoted to Michelangelo’s late Pietà, which was intended for his own tomb.

Read more: The 7 best museums to visit in Florence

#6 Bask in the sunshine at Piazza della Repubblica

The main route south from Piazza del Duomo is the arrow-straight Via dei Calzaiuoli, a catwalk for the Florentine passeggiata. Halfway down the street is the opening into Piazza della Repubblica.

The square was created in order to give the city a public space befitting the first capital of the newly united kingdom of Italy, but it wasn’t until 1885 that the old market and the disease-ridden tenements of the Jewish ghetto were finally swept away, by which time Florence had been displaced by Rome.

It’s a characterless place, notable solely for its size and upmarket cafés, and the freestanding column is the solitary trace of its history: once surrounded by stalls, it used to be topped by Donatello’s statue of Abundance, and a bell that was rung to signal the start and close of trading.

#7 Gawp at the work inside The Uffizi, the finest picture gallery in Italy

Attracting well over two million visitors a year, the Galleria degli Uffizi is the finest picture gallery in Italy, housed in what was once government offices (uffizi) built by Vasari for Cosimo I in 1560. After Vasari’s death, work on the building was continued by Buontalenti, who was asked by Francesco I to glaze the upper storey so that it could house his art collection.

Each of the succeeding Medici added to the family’s trove of art treasures, which was preserved for public inspection by the last member of the family, Anna Maria Lodovica, whose will specified that it should be left to the people of Florence and never be allowed to leave the city.

In the nineteenth century a large proportion of the statuary was transferred to the Bargello, while most of the antiquities went to the Museo Archeologico, leaving a gallery of paintings supplemented with some classical sculptures.

Uffizi art gallery in Florence, Tuscany, Italy © Shutterstock

#8 Check out the impressive sculptures of Orsanmichele

Towards the southern end of Via dei Calzaiuoli rises the block-like church of Orsanmichele. From the ninth century, the church of San Michele ad Hortum (“at the garden”) stood here, which was replaced in 1240 by a grain market and after a fire in 1304 by a merchants’ loggia.

In 1380 the loggia was walled in and dedicated exclusively to religious functions, while two upper storeys were added for use as emergency grain stores. Its exterior has some impressive sculpture, including St Matthew, St Stephen and John the Baptist by Ghiberti (the Baptist was the first life-size bronze statue of the Renaissance), and Donatello’s St George.

All these statues are replicas – nearly all of the originals are on display in the museum entered via the footbridge from the Palazzo dell’Arte della Lana, opposite the church entrance.

#9 See Hercules and Cacus at Piazza della Signoria, a partner piece to David

Whereas the Piazza del Duomo provides the focus for the city’s religious life, the Piazza della Signoria – site of the mighty Palazzo Vecchio and forecourt to the Uffizi – has always been the centre of its secular existence.

The most lavishly decorated rooms of the Palazzo Vecchio are now a museum, but the rest of the building is still the HQ of the city’s councillors and bureaucrats, and the piazza in front of it provides the stage for major civic events and political rallies.

The piazza’s array of statuary starts with Giambologna’s equestrian statue of Cosimo I and continues with Ammanati’s fatuous Neptune Fountain and copies of Donatello’s Marzocco (the city’s heraldic lion), his Judith and Holofernes and of Michelangelo’s David.

Conceived as a partner piece to David, Bandinelli’s lumpen Hercules and Cacus was designed as a personal emblem of Cosimo I and a symbol of Florentine fortitude.

Michelangelo's David and Bartolommeo Bandinelli's Hercules and Cacus by Palazzo Vecchio on Square Piazza della Signoria in Florence, Italy © Shutterstock

#10 Seek out Florence’s fortress-like town hall, Palazzo Vecchio

Probably designed by Arnolfo di Cambio, Florence’s fortress-like town hall, the Palazzo Vecchio, was begun as the Palazzo dei Priori in the last year of the thirteenth century, to provide premises for the highest tier of the city’s republican government.

Changes in the Florentine constitution over the years entailed alterations to the layout of the palace, the most radical coming in 1540, when Cosimo I moved his retinue here from the Palazzo Medici and grafted a huge extension onto the rear.

The Medici remained in residence for only nine years before moving to the Palazzo Pitti; the old (vecchio) palace – which they left to their son, Francesco – then acquired its present name.

#11 See some outstanding sculptures at the Museo Nazionale del Bargello

The Museo Nazionale del Bargello, which is both an outstanding museum of sculpture and a huge applied art collection, is installed in the daunting Palazzo del Bargello on Via del Proconsolo, halfway between the Duomo and the Palazzo Vecchio.

The palazzo was built in 1255, and soon became the seat of the Podestà, the chief magistrate. Numerous malefactors were tried, sentenced and executed here; the building acquired its present name in the sixteenth century, after the resident bargello, or police chief.

Florence - Bargello palace (medieval jail and police station) © Route66/Shutterstock

#12 See Florence’s scientific side at Museo Galileo

Long after Florence had declined from its artistic apogee, the intellectual reputation of the city was maintained by its scientists. Grand Duke Ferdinando II and his brother Leopoldo, both of whom studied with Galileo, founded the Accademia del Cimento (Academy of Experiment) in 1657, and the instruments made and acquired by this academy form the core of the excellent Museo Galileo.

The first floor features timepieces and measuring instruments (such as beautiful Arab astrolabes), as well as a massive armillary sphere made for Ferdinando I to demonstrate the veracity of the Ptolemaic model of the universe. Some of Galileo’s original instruments are on show here, including the lens with which he discovered the four moons of Jupiter.

On the floor above there are all kinds of exquisitely manufactured scientific and mechanical equipment, several of which were built to demonstrate the fundamental laws of physics.

#13 Wander the mediaeval streets of the western city centre

Several streets in central Florence retain their mediaeval character, especially in the district immediately to the west of Piazza della Signoria. At the edge of this quarter stands the Mercato Nuovo, whose souvenir stalls are the busiest in the city.

Usually a small group is gathered round the bronze boar known as Il Porcellino, trying to gain some good luck by getting a coin to fall from the animal’s mouth through the grill below his head.

#14 Catch a glimpse of mediaeval life at Palazzo Davanzati

For an immersion in the world of mediaeval Florence you should visit the fourteenth century Palazzo Davanzati, nowadays maintained as the Museo Davanzati.

This huge house is decorated in predominantly mediaeval style, using furniture from the fourteenth to the nineteenth centuries gathered from various Florentine museums, most notably the Bargello.

The coat of arms of the wealthy Davanzati family, who occupied the house from 1578 until 1838, is still visible on the facade, and you can admire their impressive family tree in the entrance hall.

Upstairs are several frescoed rooms – the Sala dei Pappagalli (Parrot Room) and the Camera dei Pavoni (Peacock Bedroom) are particularly splendid – as well as some interesting reconstructions of day-to-day life in the house, with chests full of linen in the bedrooms and household utensils, tools, looms and spinning wheels in the third-floor kitchen.

#15 Head to Santa Trìnita to see Ghirlandaio’s great frescoes

Via Porta Rossa culminates at Piazza Santa Trìnita, close to the city’s most stylish bridge, the Ponte Santa Trìnita, which was rebuilt stone by stone after the retreating Nazis had blown up the original in 1944.

Santa Trìnita church was founded in 1092 by a Florentine nobleman called Giovanni Gualberto (scenes from whose life are illustrated in the frescoes in the alcove at the top of the left aisle), but piecemeal additions have lent it a pleasantly hybrid air.

The interior is notable above all for Ghirlandaio’s frescoes of scenes from the life of St Francis in the Cappella Sassetti, which were commissioned by Francesco Sassetti, general manager of the Medici bank.

On the steps below them are the humanist Poliziano and three of his pupils, Lorenzo’s sons; the blond boy, at the back of the line, is Giovanni, the future Pope Leo X.

The Roman colony of Florentia was established in 59 BC and expansion was rapid, based on trade along the Arno. In the sixth century AD the city fell to the barbarian hordes of Totila, then the Lombards and then Charlemagne’s Franks.

In 1078 Countess Mathilda of Tuscia supervised the construction of new fortifications, and in the year of her death – 1115 – granted Florence the status of an independent city. Around 1200, the first Arti (Guilds) were formed to promote the interests of traders and bankers in the face of conflict between the pro-imperial Ghibelline faction and the pro-papal Guelphs.

The exclusion of the nobility from government in 1293 was the most dramatic measure in a programme of political reform that invested power in the Signoria, a council drawn from the major guilds.

The mighty Palazzo della Signoria – now the Palazzo Vecchio – was raised as a visible demonstration of authority over a huge city: at this time, Florence had a population around 100,000, a thriving mercantile sector and a highly developed banking system (the florin was common currency across Europe).

Strife within the Guelph camp marked the start of the fourteenth century, and then in the 1340s the two largest banks collapsed and the Black Death struck, destroying up to half the city’s population.

Read more: Why Florence was the birthplace of the Renaissance

Armillary Sphere in Galileo Museum of Florence © Shutterstock

Florence has many hotels but demand is almost limitless, which means that prices are high and the tourist inundation has few slack spots.

Low season is defined by most hotels as meaning mid-July to the end of Aug (the weeks during which nearly all Italians head for the beaches or the mountains), and from mid-Nov to mid-March, except for the Christmas and New Year period; between March and Oct, booking ahead is in effect obligatory.

Boutique hotels and B&Bs have sprung up all over the city, operating under several different labels: places calling themselves a relais or a residenza d’epoca are generally smart B&Bs, often located in historic palazzi.

Centro Storico

The historic centre stands as the heart of Florence and is a popular place to stay among visitors. This area is home to medival-buildings-turned-hotels, beautiful residenze and higher-end B&Bs.

Located on the opposite side of the Arno River, Oltrarno offers a more relaxed and authentic Florentine experience. This bohemian neighbourhood is renowned for its artisan workshops and a slower pace of life and is filled with huge hotels overlooking the piazza, some with fantastic frescoed ceilings, and a clutch of decent, cheap hostels too.

Santa Croce

To the east of the historic centre, Santa Croce boasts the magnificent Basilica di Santa Croce, which houses the tombs of notable figures such as Michelangelo and Galileo. The hotels here are pricey but excellent, swaying from boutique stays to sublime slices of hitsory.

Santa Maria Novella

Adjacent to the train station, Santa Maria Novella provides a convenient area to stay , particularly for those arriving by train. It has some stunning luxury properties on the river, several upscale hotels, and eighteenth-century townhouses that have been redesigned in super-cool retro-modernist ways.

Browse the best hotels in Florence.

Piazza della Repubblica in Florence © Shutterstock

As you’d expect in a major tourist city, Florence has plenty of restaurants, but – unsurprisingly – a large number of them are aimed squarely at outsiders, so standards are often patchy.

But the situation is nowhere near as bad as some would have it – in fact it’s been improving in recent years, with the appearance of several stylish and good-value restaurants.

Bear in mind also that simple meals are served in many Florentine bars and cafés, so if you fancy a quick bite to eat rather than a full-blown restaurant meal, here’s where to go.

As elsewhere in Italy, the distinction between Florentine bars and cafés can be tricky to the point of impossibility, as almost every café serves alcohol and almost every bar serves coffee.

That said, there are some cafés in which the emphasis is on coffee, cakes and ice cream – these are the places listed below, along with places that are devoted exclusively to ice cream.

Around Piazza Santa Croce in the historic centre, you'll find a wide array of restaurants offering traditional Italian dishes, including mouthwatering Florentine steaks and regional delicacies. The area also boasts several bars and clubs

Oltrarno is home to numerous trattorias, osterias, and wine bars where you can savour authentic local specialties.

San Lorenzo

The Mercato Centrale is a must-visit destination, housing an array of food stalls and eateries offering fresh ingredients and delectable street food. The surrounding streets are lined with inviting trattorias and pizzerias.

Piazza della Signoria

This bustling hub has everything from casual pizzerias to upscale restaurants that require advance booking.

Via de' Tornabuoni

If you're in search of a more sophisticated and elegant dining setting, Via de' Tornabuoni is the place to be. Known as the high-end shopping street, it is also home to upscale restaurants and chic bars.

Church of San Michele in Orto in Florence, Italy © Shutterstock

In Florence, most of the major sights are within a few minutes’ walk of the Duomo, and the increasing pedestrianisation of the historic core makes walking a pleasure.

Most of the major sights are within a few minutes’ walk of the Duomo, and the increasing pedestrianisation of the historic core makes walking a pleasure. You can get right across the city centre from Santa Maria Novella to Santa Croce in about 30 min, without rushing.

The frequent Autolinee Toscane buses are the best option for crossing town in a hurry or visiting the peripheral sights. Most routes that are useful to tourists stop by the train station.

The best time to visit Florence is spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) due to the pleasant weather and reduced tourist numbers

Spring usually has temperate weather, ranging from 15°C to 25°C (59°F to 77°F), and fewer crowds. Autumn is much the same but with beautiful autumn foliage.

Summer (June to August) brings hot and humid weather, with temperatures reaching 30°C to 35°C (86°F to 95°F), and thousands of tourists as events and museums get packed out.

Winter (December to February) has mild temperatures around 10°C (50°F), fewer crowds, and discounted prices, though some attractions may have limited hours.

Find out more about the best time to visit Italy.

Piazza di Mercato Nuovo in Florence © Shutterstock

To fully immerse yourself in the rich history, art, and culture of Florence, you will need three to four days to explore the city. This is long enough to visit the Duomo, the impressive Uffizi Gallery, the Accademia Gallery (housing Michelangelo's David), and the picturesque Ponte Vecchio.

It’ll also give you time to take leisurely walks through the streets of the historic centre and explore the charming neighbourhood of Oltrarno, including the grand Pitti Palace and the enchanting Boboli Gardens.

If you have a week, consider a day trip to nearby destinations such as Pisa , Siena , or the scenic Tuscan countryside.

Unless you’re driving into the city, your point of arrival will be Santa Maria Novella station, just a few minutes’ walk from the heart of the historic centre: rail and bus connections from the three airports that serve the city all terminate at the station, as do international trains and buses from all over Tuscany and Umbria .

The most popular airport for Florence is Pisa’s Galileo Galilei (Wpisa-airport.com), 95 km west of Florence. A small number of international air services use Perètola (or Amerigo Vespucci) airport 5 km northwest of the city centre.

The Volainbus shuttle to central Florence departs from immediately outside the arrivals area, but it’s quicker to use the T2 tram line, which runs to Piazza dell’Unità, very near Santa Maria Novella station.

Bologna’s Marconi Airport)– about the same distance from Florence as Pisa – is an alternative gateway. Aerobus shuttles depart from outside Terminal A to Bologna’s main train station, from where regular trains (journey time 1hr) run to Florence.

Florence is the hub of the Tuscan rail system, and nearly all trains arrive at the main Santa Maria Novella station (“Firenze SMN” on timetables), a few blocks west of the Duomo. A few trains use Stazione Campo di Marte, over in the east of the city, from where there are regular trains and buses into the centre.

The main operator is Busitalia, which has a terminal on the west side of the train station at Via Santa Caterina da Siena. Various other companies also use this terminal, but CAP buses use the adjoining Via Fiume. For any town that has a direct train service to Florence, there’s no discernible advantage to taking a bus.

Only residents and authorised drivers are allowed to park in central Florence. There’s a small amount of metered parking space at Piazzale Michelangelo, which is not a long walk from the centre.

Otherwise, unless you’re staying at a hotel with reserved spaces, you’ll have to use one of the city’s fee-charging car parks. North of the Arno, the car parks near the centre are underneath the train station.

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Best Pie Shop

The community of Lecompton offers a top spot for sweet tooths in the form of Aunt Netters Cafe. Cream pies span from key lime to peanut butter chocolate, while the restaurant's Dutch pies come loaded with a healthy serving of pralines to sweeten the deal.

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Leaderboard

• 1. Stockholm Pie and General Store - Stockholm, Wisconsin
• 2. Aunt Netters Cafe - Lecompton, Kansas
• 3. Pie Junkie - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• 4. My Sugar Pie - Zionsville, Indiana
• 5. The Village Buttery - Ruidoso, New Mexico
• 6. JudyPie - Grapevine, Texas
• 7. Bingham's Restaurant - Kingsley, Pennsylvania
• 8. Hoosier Mama Pie Company - Chicago, Illinois
• 9. The Apple Pan - Los Angeles, California
• 10. Pie Lady Cafe - Moorestown, New Jersey
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