Beautiful Renaissance architecture, the smell of fresh leather in the streets, homemade pasta galore…and yes gelato! Florence is the heart and capital of the Tuscany region, known for its outstanding cuisine, incredible shopping, art and of course pure city charm! Florence was my first European vacation five years ago, so perhaps I’m biased but it remains my favorite European city today as I truly love how walkable, quaint and charming it is!
I’ll start this post with my top three things to do in Florence.
Visit Piazzale Michelangelo should not be missed! This is my all-time favorite city skyline view! Located south of the historical center, across the Arno River, Piazzale Michelangelo can be reached by foot or by taxi…the walk does endure a steep uphill climb. I personally enjoy the walk from the historical center, along the picturesque river. There are different points to stop along the way and catch your breath and take in the sights. When you reach the top be prepared for breathtaking views! With the gardens to your left, the Arno River below and historical Florence to your right, it’s spectacular! If your trip allows for it, I’d recommend visiting once during the day and again at sunset/night.
Take a guided walking tour of the city! It may be overwhelming to pick the right company for a walking tour, but it is definitely worth it to learn the wonderful history of this beautiful city. There are free walking tours, small group tours, and private tours…something to fit all traveler’s needs. However, it is worth noting free tours do not require a license to be a tour guide (meaning they did not go to school or test on the information) while most tours that require booking have licensed guides. We booked a private 3-hour walking tour through TripAdvisor with Irina in Florence who was wonderful!
Climb the Brunelleschi Dome! While entering Santa Maria del Fiore or the “Duomo” is free and merely requires you to wait in line…the Dome climb requires tickets with a scheduled time slot. If you’re visiting in the summer and trying to avoid some of the midday heat…I’d recommend booking a time in the morning or at sunset. We climbed the 463 steps at 9am (no elevator in case that wasn’t obvious). Along the climb you will reach the base of the cupola which puts you inside Santa Maria del Fiore along a walkway to admire the painted ceiling. After this short break, it’s up to the top to take in those impressive city views!
Climb the Giotto Bell Tower. The bell tower is located next to the Duomo and is another great option for city views. This also requires a ticket for entrance but no time reservation…merely first come first serve. While both climbs provide city views, the bell tower climb is unique as you get to look directly at the dome from a different viewpoint. This climb is slightly less with only 398 steps and allows for more places to stop, rest and take in the sights.
Visit the Baptistery located across from the Duomo is an octagonal building known for being a minor basilica. This is one of the oldest buildings in Florence and is still active today for baptisms. Most known for the three sets of bronze doors created by three different famous artists …you can always find crowds admiring.
Visit the Crypt of Santa Reparata located beneath Santa Maria Fiore or “the Duomo.” Entry is located inside the Duomo and tickets are needed for entry. The crypt is an archeological dig representing the church that existed before Santa Maria Fiore where part of the old structure remains as well as artifacts and tombs.
*The Brunelleschi Pass can be purchased ahead of time on the official Opera Di Santa Maria Del Fiore website which is a ticket that includes access to the Dome climb, the Giotto’s bell tower, the Baptistery, Santa Reparata, and the Opera del Duomo Museum.
Visit The Uffizi Gallery which is the most prominent art gallery located in the historical center of Florence and one of the largest and most visited galleries in Italy. Popular exhibits and works of art belong to famous artists including Botticelli, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Popular options for visiting the Uffizi include guided tours (via a third-party tour agency), renting audio guides once entering the Uffizi, merely walking through on your own, or as we did…using the Rick Steve’s audio guide on our phone. This is a great option for those not looking to spend a ton of time (60-minute guide on the most popular pieces). However, if you’re an art buff you can spend up to half a day here exploring!
Visit The Accademia Gallery which is an art museum most famous for…you guessed it, that chiseled man, the Statue of David! Carved from a single piece of marble, seeing the State of David up close was breathtaking. Make sure to reserve your tickets ahead of time as they do sell out or book a guided tour for entrance.
Visit one of the many historical churches. These include Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella, Santa Maria Fiore, San Lorenzo di Firenze and Santo Spirito. Access to enter each church can be purchased with a ticket upon entering (except Santa Maria Fiore which is free). However, if visiting churches isn’t your thing…a view from the outside is just as wonderful. My personal favorite church to visit is Santa Croce.
Visit the Farmacia Santa Maria Novella the oldest Farmacia in the world. Now you may be asking why do I need to visit a Farmacia while in Florence? One of the most fascinating things I learned on my guided walking tour of the city was how the Farmacia played a major role in the history of Florence. The Farmacia is more than just a perfume shop, selling additional items such as lotions, scrubs and soaps. The story behind the shop and the perfumes dates back to Catherine Medici who was from Florence but set to marry a King in France. Catherine wanted a smell to remind of Florence to take with her on her voyage to France and commissioned the first modern perfume to be invented. In addition, rose scented water was also created to clean oneself and both original recipes can be purchased here today.
Giardino delle Rose “Rose Gardens” were a great surprise during our May trip (perfect time for blooming). We were heading to Piazzale Michelangelo when we saw we could reach there via the Rose Gardens. Whether on your way up or your way down, this is a small rose garden that’s peaceful, has tables and benches for relaxing, and a food and drink stand for a little break. It’s just one of the many beautiful gardens located in Florence that gives you a break from the hustle and bustle of the city. Plus, it’s free!
Boboli gardens are located behind the Pitti Palace and are the biggest gardens/park in Florence. Once home to the Medici family, this park now serves as the largest green in Florence, home to fountains, statues, caves and trellis walkways. If you have plenty of time you can always bring a picnic lunch to enjoy!
Giardino Bardini is located across from Ponte alle Grazie and is a smaller, less busy garden option. Very steep in terrain from the top to the bottom with beautifully manicured greens and a terrace at the top to enjoy a beverage. With plenty of time in Florence, I found this to be another great “quiet” option away from the city.
Visit the Ponte Vecchio or “the old bridge” found on the Arno River. This bridge stands out from the others for it’s beautiful exterior colors, the jewelry shops and being a pedestrian bridge. Of course, you should spend time walking over the Ponte Vecchio, but make sure to visit one of the neighboring bridges. The views of the Ponte Vecchio are lovely during the day and at night once it’s lit up!
Shop, shop and shop some more! Florence is known for leather goods. Leather goods can be found in boutique storefronts or in various “leather markets” which are outdoor stands. My personal favorites are Misuri located in the Santa Croce square for purses and wallets, Madova and Martelli for leather gloves located on either side of the Ponte Vecchio, Davide Cerasi Leather Boutique for leather jackets along the Arno near the Ponte Vecchio and Rive Gauche Shoes for handmade leather shoes across the Ponte Vecchio.
Grab a bite to eat…after all you are in Italy and the food is unbeatable. I learned that Italians eat at least one of the 3 “P’s” every day… pizza, pasta and panini. I’ll have a separate blog post breaking down my favorite restaurants, drinks and gelato.
Grab a drink! Yes, I know where your mind went…straight to the wine! But Italy is known for it’s fabulous morning cappuccino, afternoon Aperol Spritz and yes, of course wine! We would just wander the streets until we stumbled upon a place we wanted to grab a drink.
Absolutely eat Gelato EVERYDAY! I was in Italy for 10 days and didn’t miss a day without gelato! The great thing about Italy is there is basically a gelato shop every other block, so you’ll never be short of options.