DanckTravel

Beautiful buildings line the cobblestone streets in Florence, as the aromas from surrounding restaurants fill the air. The cathedral, with its decorative facade, towers in the main square as pedestrians walk by. Florence is a truly magical city, featuring a mix of artwork, history, and intrigue.

I was lucky enough to take an art course here for two weeks, which really allowed me to almost feel like a local. I would walk to class every day on across the bridge with Michelangelo’s statue and eat gelato on my way home. After class and on the weekends, my partner and I would explore the museums, sites, and art galleries. Florence may be on the small side for such an impactful city, but that was a real part of its charm. Everything truly is walkable or accessible via bicycle. The food is amazing and we loved staying here.

Below are our recommendations for what to do and see in Florence. 

Attractions & Things to Do in Florence in Florence, Italy

1. Go on a Walking Tour

Before doing anything else, we recommend booking a walking tour through the city.

Florence is loaded with history from Michelangelo to the famous Medici family. This family is responsible for most of the art you will see in Florence. They began as a rich banking family, which would later become nobleman due to their power and wealth.

By beginning with this tour, we were able to appreciate the rest of the city and its significance in the Renaissance.

2. Visit the Uffizi Gallery

The museums in Florence host some of the most famous artworks in the world. The Florentine Medici family funded a lot of the artwork, making Florence at the center of this artistic movement. The Uffizi Gallery was their private collection.

What to See Here:

Works by Sandro Botticelli

The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli is perhaps the most famous piece owned by the Uffizi. It’s often depicted in pop culture and is a truly exquisite piece of artwork.

Botticelli is known for his early works that depict myths and many art historians will consider these his better works. However, he would eventually destroy any of these he still owned, instead focused his later works on Biblical works. Both phases of his career are contained in this museum. 

Fun fact: Botticelli always painted the same woman in these paintings. If you look closely, you can see her face as Venus and as Mary.

Michaelangelo’s Only Panel Painting

The only panel painting credited to Michaelangelo is the “Holy Family”, which hangs in the Uffizi Gallery. While well-known for the Sistine Chapel, Michaelangelo considered himself a sculptor, not a painter.

Fun Fact: Michaelangelo was so miserable about the Sistine Chapel commission, he wrote a poem about it.

3. See David by Michelangelo

David, is one of the most famous statues from the Renaissance era. Michelangelo was a master of perspective and purposefully crafted this piece to not be directly proportional to the human body. Instead, he made specific choices such as giving David larger hands to make the statue seem more imposing from below.

Today, David sits in the Galleria dell’Accademia to protect him from erosion. A replica stands in Pizza della Signoria (which is where he was formerly placed).

4. Visit a Wine Window

During the plague, wine windows were installed to mitigate contact and reduce the spread. For years, these windows left their mark on the sides of homes and businesses, but were no longer in use.

During the pandemic (2020), they opened a few of these wine windows back up and  it’s really fun. You ring the bell and can order a drink from the menu, while drinking wine outside.

KDanck visiting a wine window

5. Climb the Giotto Tower

Giotto is perhaps credited with beginning the Renaissance and is well known for his frescoes. While this tower is known as the Giotto Tower, only part of it was constructed by the famous artist.

The Tower stretches high above the other surrounding buildings, giving a great view of the city below. The walk above includes about 4-5 series of staircases with breaks in-between for views.

6. Visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

When this cathedral was first constructed, the dome was an engineering marvel. Although a dome had been planned since its inception, they weren’t sure how to logistically construct it, until the architect Filippo Brunelleschi finally completed in 1436 .

Today, you can visit the church and climb up to the dome. Once at the top, you can get a view of the beautiful paintings that line the top of the church before going outside to soak in some fantastic views of the city.

Our recommendation: We recommend climbing to both the top of the Cathedral of Stanta Maria and the Giotto tower. However, if you are short on time, the views are fairly similiar. Which should you pick?

• Go to the cathedral to see the paintings: What the cathedral includes however, that the tower does not are the views of the paintings at the top of the church. Plus you get cool views of the church below.
• Go to the tower if you hate tight spaces: This is true of a lot of old churches in Europe, but the path to the get to the top is fairly tight. Giotto Tower also has some tight spaces, but this is feels more offset by the big platforms in between flights of stairs.

7. See the Baptistry Doors

The Bapitstry Doors were an iconic art piece of the Renaissance. Constructed in gold, most of the panels depict the life of John the Baptist.

Today, the real doors are housed in the nearby museum (so get your tickets!)

8. Check out the Leather Goods

Florence is well known for its leather goods, and you can get high-quality materials here (even custom jackets and bags). The price tag can be expensive, but if you are in the market for something that will last, Florence is world-renowned for these.

9. Drink Wine along the Arno

Tuscany is well known for its wine, and Florence is no exception. There are plenty of bars and restaurants where you can grab a glass, and we recommend prioritizing one along the Arno to soak in the views.

10. Cross the Famous Ponte Vecchio

The Ponte Vecchio is one of most famous sites in Florence and is now home to famous jewelers. Even if it’s not on your itenerary to buy a really famous watch or ring, it’s still really fun to enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city or to window shop.

Pro Tip: As you cross the Ponte Vecchio, you’ll notice a passageway. This was constructed by the Medici family to connect Palazzo Vecchio to the Boboli Gardens.

12. Visit the Other Bridges

While the Ponte Vecchio is the most famous bridge in Florence, it is not the only one. Many of the bridges have interesting histories and are also beautiful.

For example, In 1252, the Bridge of Santa Trinita was constructed. Over the years it was remodeled due to the flooding from the Arno, eventually being adorned with four statues to represent the seasons. 

During the Second World War, the bridge was destroyed, leading to restoration efforts in the 1950s. While most of the parts had been recovered, the head of spring was missing upon the bridge’s reopening. 

In 1961, the head was found again by Timoteo Lucaroni from Piacenza and reattached. Today, you can still see a slight line from this.

13. Eat Gelato

You can’t go all the way to Italy without trying their famous gelato. Luckily for you, there are plenty of ice cream stores across the city. 

Our favorites? Gelateria delle Passera and Rivo Reno. 

If you go to Rivo Rena, get the hazelnut swirl! I had that almost every day I was in Italy.

14. Soak in the Views from Piazzale Michelangelo

Piazzale Michaelangelo was created in 1869 by architect Giuseppe Poggi, Here you can grab the most stunning views of the city, including the cathedral and Giotto tower.

Pro Tip: We highly recommend bringing a picnic and watching the sunset from here.

The climb up to the top

The views

15. Explore Parco delle Cascine 

The Parco della Cascine stretches along the Arno River and is a perfect place to bike or run in Florence. It’s a pedestrian-only zone and sometimes even has local markets to buy fresh produce. At the end of the path is a small coffee shop with treats and drinks, where you can rest and enjoy a nice day.

If you are interested in a longer bike ride or run, you can also continue along the path, which continues to go along the Arno. 

The park

The route beyond the park

16. Sample Chocolate at Nino

I love chocolate, so Nino was a great find for my partner and me on our first day in Florence. Over the two week period we were here, I stopped by this store at least 3 or 4 times,

Nino is a shop located in Florence that has so many fun samples to try. While chocolate encompasses most of the store, they also have limoncello, truffles, and pesto. 

We recommend walking through the store and checking out some of the local flavors. You will likely end up leaving with a bag (or many bags) of goodies, too!

17. Check out the Boboli Gardens

The Boboli Gardens originally belonged to the Medici family and were later donated to the city of Florence. It’s a great place to relax and is huge (about 111 acres).

Pro Tip: If you are living in Florence (for example: study abroad), you should be able to visit these gardens for free.

16. Visit Other Towns in Tuscany

Florence is an amazing city, but there are other great places to visit in Tuscany if you have the time! We recommend the following:

• Siena
• Voltera
• San Gimignano 

Where to Stay in Florence

In terms of where to stay in Florence, we recommend investigating two distinct parts of the city, which are included below.

Historic Center (East Bank of the Arno River)

This is the middle of the action, with almost all the main sites being within walking distance.  If you are here for a short amount of time, this area is probably best, since it allows you to easily see the sites.

Oltarno (West Bank of the Arno River)

This part of town will feature more locals and generally the best restaurants. If you are looking to travel more cheaply throughout Europe, this side will also be less expensive. If you are staying in Florence for an extended period or prefer the peace and quiet, we recommend this area.

Final Thoughts

If you are planning an international trip, but are unsure of where to go, we highlight recommend Florence. This is one of our favorite European cities and is well worth a visit.  

Any places we missed? Leave them in the comments below!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Florence Best Known For? 

Florence is best known for its connection to the Renaissance and the Medici family. It also hosts numerous famous art pieces, such as David and The Birth of Venus.

Is Florence Worth Visiting?

Florence is absolutely worth visiting. From its rich history and beautiful art, it is a great city to explore.

What food is Florence most famous for?

Florence is well known for its truffles, and we recommend trying some truffle pasta while here.

How many days is enough in Florence?

Florence is a relatively small city, and most of the major sites can be seen in 2-3 days. However, you can spend a week or more in the Tuscany area.

When is the best time to visit Florence?

We recommend visiting Florence in the shoulder season (September + October, and April + May). Florence is still warm, but has fewer tourists.

Is Florence walkable?

Florence is a small city and extremely walkable. If you are looking to travel further distances, you could also consider renting a bike. 

Which is better: Rome or Florence?

Hopefully, you don’t need to choose between Rome and Florence. Both cities are amazing and have something distinct to offer. Rome has Vatican City, sites from ancient Rome, and is overall a much larger city than Florence. On the other hand, Florence is more walkable and is deeply tied to the Renaissance.