Florence: Sights, Eats, and City Guide
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. I only recommend activities I have personally been on and enjoyed or that friends/family have been on and enjoyed.
Where To Stay:
Florence is very walkable (as in you can walk end to end in about 30 mins), so there aren’t really any inconvenient areas. Some good neighborhood options:
-Duomo: The area southeast of the Duomo is where I stayed. Even just a couple blocks away from the main touristy area you can get to quiet(er) streets that still have all the conveniences of the central area but without the high prices and better food (imo).
-Oltrarno: This is the neighborhood across the river from the main central area. There are parts that are still touristy but here you can find truly residential-feel places to stay in quiet streets. Also great shopping and food on this side (my fav gelato was over here), but still only a 15min walk to the main sights.
Activities for Easy Planning:
Advanced planning is required in Italy to make sure you can do everything you want on your trip. Galleries, cathedrals, and other must-see places often sell out of tickets weeks, if not months, in advance. Making advance reservations is a must or you'll end up waiting in line for hours to maybe see what you came to see. It's definitely do-able, but you'll want to book out your trip at least a month in advance.
If you prefer easy planning or are only in Florence for a short time, there are a countless number of tour providers who can help you maximize your time in Florence. These tours can help you manage all the advance planning and timing without having to do all the hard work yourself. Plus, you'll learn a lot more from a live tour guide vs. going solo.
*Please note I only recommend tours I have personally taken and enjoyed or that friends/family have taken and enjoyed.
What To See:
If you have more time and/or like planning in advance, below are my top sightseeing recommendations. If you're planning it on your own, I'd highly recommend looking into the Brunelleschi Pass and other advance ticket options on their direct websites.
-Churches, Art Galleries, and more churches and art galleries:
If you somehow make it through your top sites and find yourself with some time to spare, there are no shortages of art galleries/museums and churches to explore. Basilica di San Lorenzo, La SS Annuziata di Firenze, Basilica di Santa Croce di Firenze to name a few churches.
*Tip: Religious places will require you to cover your shoulders and knees, so plan ahead to have a scare or something with you on days you are planning on visiting.
Eat & Drink
As recommended to me by locals!
Most places won’t have online reservations so you have to call. Pretty much everyone speaks a bit of English though, so when they answer you can just say “Bongiorno! Parla Inglese?” and they’ll usually switch over to English for you to make the reservation.
Notes on food in Florence:
-Try the local cuisine! Of course you can get all the stereotypical Italian meals but as the locals will tell you, they aren’t know for all of them and best to enjoy what they do best and try the other dishes while in those regions. Some of the Florence classics include:
Lampredotto (streetfood sandwich that I won’t tell you what its made of, you just have to try it. You’ll pass by plenty of vendors; the one in Pizza dei Cimatori thats a classic)
Ribollita (another classic streetfood)
Peposo
Florentine Steak
Fiorentina
Pici (pasta style)
-Gelato: The best gelato is not going to be the very bright and colorful mounds of gelato you’re used to seeing. I’m not saying that stuff is bad, but the truly heavenly stuff can be found in a round metal vat with a lid on it or in smaller tubs with more natural colors. The colors may not be as bright and pretty, but you won’t care after a taste.
- At a lot of restaurants they will give you the check and you have to get up and pay at a cash register when you’re ready(with the exception of some fancy places).
-Tipping is not expected but you can go up to 10% if you had great service.
-The house wine is generally really good here, obviously because their wine standards are higher. So don’t hesitate to order some; you’re not getting Barefoot I promise.
Shopping:
Get your wallets ready! Florence has great shopping options and is known in particular for its leather and gold products. Buyer beware, thought, there are a lot of sub-par vendors in Florence.
Florence is touristy, so there are going to be a million places selling subpar quality products. If you’re really looking to invest in something in these categories, make sure you ask someone you trust where you should be shopping. Or at least ask multiple different locals (that aren't vendors) before deciding so you can choose a place that overlaps with multiple lists.
You can find some quality things at San Lorenzo market but you really have to work for it (ie dig through all the fake stuff). Honestly this place gave me a headache and I didn’t stay long, but a friend told me one easy tell is whether a vendor approaches you. Higher quality vendors won’t try to get you to come over. They’ll be helpful once you are looking at their products, but if you feel someone is getting pushy, be critical.
Perfume:
Leather & Gold:
Explore Tuscany Region:
There is so much to see nearby and Florence is a great base for it all! Chianti Region (wine), Cinque Terre, Pisa, Lucca, and Sienna are all great options. For more details, check out my Tuscany Without a Car guide. Even if you have a car, the guide still goes into detail of some of the best stops!
Florence: Sights, Eats, and City Guide
*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. I only recommend activities I have personally been on and enjoyed or that friends/family have been on and enjoyed.
Where To Stay:
Florence is very walkable (as in you can walk end to end in about 30 mins), so there aren’t really any inconvenient areas. Some good neighborhood options:
-Duomo: The area southeast of the Duomo is where I stayed. Even just a couple blocks away from the main touristy area you can get to quiet(er) streets that still have all the conveniences of the central area but without the high prices and better food (imo).
-Oltrarno: This is the neighborhood across the river from the main central area. There are parts that are still touristy but here you can find truly residential-feel places to stay in quiet streets. Also great shopping and food on this side (my fav gelato was over here), but still only a 15min walk to the main sights.
Activities for Easy Planning:
Advanced planning is required in Italy to make sure you can do everything you want on your trip. Galleries, cathedrals, and other must-see places often sell out of tickets weeks, if not months, in advance. Making advance reservations is a must or you'll end up waiting in line for hours to maybe see what you came to see. It's definitely do-able, but you'll want to book out your trip at least a month in advance.
If you prefer easy planning or are only in Florence for a short time, there are a countless number of tour providers who can help you maximize your time in Florence. These tours can help you manage all the advance planning and timing without having to do all the hard work yourself. Plus, you'll learn a lot more from a live tour guide vs. going solo.
*Please note I only recommend tours I have personally taken and enjoyed or that friends/family have taken and enjoyed.
What To See:
If you have more time and/or like planning in advance, below are my top sightseeing recommendations. If you're planning it on your own, I'd highly recommend looking into the Brunelleschi Pass and other advance ticket options on their direct websites.
-Churches, Art Galleries, and more churches and art galleries:
If you somehow make it through your top sites and find yourself with some time to spare, there are no shortages of art galleries/museums and churches to explore. Basilica di San Lorenzo, La SS Annuziata di Firenze, Basilica di Santa Croce di Firenze to name a few churches.
*Tip: Religious places will require you to cover your shoulders and knees, so plan ahead to have a scare or something with you on days you are planning on visiting.
Eat & Drink
As recommended to me by locals!
Most places won’t have online reservations so you have to call. Pretty much everyone speaks a bit of English though, so when they answer you can just say “Bongiorno! Parla Inglese?” and they’ll usually switch over to English for you to make the reservation.
Notes on food in Florence:
-Try the local cuisine! Of course you can get all the stereotypical Italian meals but as the locals will tell you, they aren’t know for all of them and best to enjoy what they do best and try the other dishes while in those regions. Some of the Florence classics include:
Lampredotto (streetfood sandwich that I won’t tell you what its made of, you just have to try it. You’ll pass by plenty of vendors; the one in Pizza dei Cimatori thats a classic)
Ribollita (another classic streetfood)
Peposo
Florentine Steak
Fiorentina
Pici (pasta style)
-Gelato: The best gelato is not going to be the very bright and colorful mounds of gelato you’re used to seeing. I’m not saying that stuff is bad, but the truly heavenly stuff can be found in a round metal vat with a lid on it or in smaller tubs with more natural colors. The colors may not be as bright and pretty, but you won’t care after a taste.
- At a lot of restaurants they will give you the check and you have to get up and pay at a cash register when you’re ready(with the exception of some fancy places).
-Tipping is not expected but you can go up to 10% if you had great service.
-The house wine is generally really good here, obviously because their wine standards are higher. So don’t hesitate to order some; you’re not getting Barefoot I promise.
Shopping:
Get your wallets ready! Florence has great shopping options and is known in particular for its leather and gold products. Buyer beware, thought, there are a lot of sub-par vendors in Florence.
Florence is touristy, so there are going to be a million places selling subpar quality products. If you’re really looking to invest in something in these categories, make sure you ask someone you trust where you should be shopping. Or at least ask multiple different locals (that aren't vendors) before deciding so you can choose a place that overlaps with multiple lists.
You can find some quality things at San Lorenzo market but you really have to work for it (ie dig through all the fake stuff). Honestly this place gave me a headache and I didn’t stay long, but a friend told me one easy tell is whether a vendor approaches you. Higher quality vendors won’t try to get you to come over. They’ll be helpful once you are looking at their products, but if you feel someone is getting pushy, be critical.
Perfume:
Leather & Gold:
Explore Tuscany Region:
There is so much to see nearby and Florence is a great base for it all! Chianti Region (wine), Cinque Terre, Pisa, Lucca, and Sienna are all great options. For more details, check out my Tuscany Without a Car guide. Even if you have a car, the guide still goes into detail of some of the best stops!