Florence, the capital of the Tuscany region, is a relatively small city with stunning architecture and delicious food culture. It is one of those cities, like Venice or Rome, that has to be on your Italy Travel Route. Stroll the city’s ancient, charming streets on foot in one or two days as all major things to do in Florence are around its UNESCO historical center.
Best Things to do in Florence
Florence is an ideal short city trip inside Europe. As the city is popular, it is recommended to buy tickets weeks in advance.
1. Palazzo Vecchio
Start your day early to avoid the large tour group crowds. Palazzo Vecchio is the current town hall of Florence. The medieval-looking Palazzo and the Piazza Della Signoria square in front are the historic center of the city, a place for people to gather. On the inside, the hall and rooms are beautifully decorated and open to visitors. It is open daily from 9 AM to 7 PM.
2. Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore
We have honestly never seen a cathedral as beautifully decorated as the Duomo of Florence! This architectural masterpiece took over 140 years to complete, with a stunning exterior that is colored in white, pink, and green marble. During the day, it seemed to us that the colors would change depending on the sun’s position.
Inside, we walked around for about 30 minutes just admiring the walls, and we still seemed to find more details. Sometimes, after traveling to many places in Europe, we often think, “Oh, it’s just another cathedral,” but this one hits different.
The cathedral is free to visit, and although it might look busy, the inside offers plenty of space, so the line is short.
Tip: The cathedral itself is free to visit! However, if you want to climb to the top of the dome, you’ll have to pay. The views look incredible, but it’s 460+ steps to the top. Tickets to climb the Duomo sell out weeks in advance, so if you want to do it, definitely book your tickets online ahead of time.
3. All’Antico Vinaio – Must do in Florence!
There’s a lot of hype around the famous sandwich shop, All’Antico Vinaio, and it often has queues down the entire street! If you eat meat, these sandwich options look really tasty and are well worth a stop for.
Personally, for us as vegetarians, we were a little disappointed with the toppings, especially given the price. For veggies, these alternative sandwich spots are delicious:
4. Ponte Vecchio
Ponte Vecchio is one of the iconic things to do in Florence, a historic bridge arched across the Arno River. While pretty to look at, we did expect a little more from this spot; there are many jewelry shops across the bridge, but they weren’t that impressive, and it was packed with people. We prefer the shops in . ;)
Tip: The bridge is always accessible, so if you want to avoid crowds, visit it in the morning to watch the sunrise. After, you can walk 10 minutes to this little bakery, S.forno, which was excellent.
Also make a day trip to San Marino in Italy, the fifth-smallest country in the world!
5. Shopping in Florence
We realised that Florence actually has some incredible shopping spots, if you know where to look. We did our best to find some, and here are our favorites so far:
- Sbigoli Terrecotte: Gorgeous ceramics
- Kosmima: Amazing jewellery
- Monica Miato: The cutest handmade makeup bags
- Il Papiro: Crafts store full of stationery and more
- Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy: Charming fragrance shop
- Odeon Cinema and Bookstore (go see it for yourself😍)
6. Get the City’s Best Gelato
Cross the Ponte Vecchio, turn right, and wander through the beautiful streets on the other side of the river. This part is less visited and a nice getaway from the busy streets. Make your way to Ponte Alla Carraia, but before you cross the bridge, get a delicious Gelato at Gelateria La Carraia.
Tip: If you take your gelato in a cone, ask them to leave the plastic spoon out. You don’t need a spoon if you can lick your ice cream, and you’re helping the environment. Read more tips on how to reduce plastic while traveling.
7. Santa Croce
Piazza Santa Croce and the Santa Croce Basilica are a little more between the locals. Cafes and street performers are making the square an excellent place to sit down, relax, and absorb the charming Florence vibe for a bit.
8. Piazza del Duomo at Sunset
Around sunset, make sure to be back at the Duomo of Florence and experience the sunset on the lively square Piazza del Duomo, in the dome on top, or at one of the rooftop bars like La Terrazza or Robiglio. However, the absolute best spot is the rooftop of B&B La Terrazza Sul Duomo, where you need to stay here to get to the roof. It is one of the things you must do in Italy.
9. Italian Dinner
A common misconception is that Florence is as expensive as Venice. Let’s prove them wrong. Have a delicious Italian dinner at Trattoria San Pierino or Ristorante Brandolino, where you have two freshly prepared portions of pasta and drinks for 20 EUR – 30 EUR.
How to Get to Florence
Florence has an international airport with flights arriving from major cities throughout Europe.
You can get a tram that takes you from the airport to the city center for 1.50 EUR (1.50 USD).
By Car
Florence is accessible by car and not as hard to navigate compared to busier cities like Rome.
We recommend to rent a car in Italy through Sunny Cars with free cancellation and insurance included. Book your rental car here.
By Train
Florence is easy to reach by train as the city is well-connected to all major stations in Italy; for example, Rome is only 80 minutes away on the high-speed railway.
We arrived by train from Venice, and it was super straightforward! We then just walked 15 minutes from the station into the city.
Where to Stay in Florence
Florence has plenty of great accommodation options, from cute guesthouses and budget-friendly hostels (search for your hostel here) to luxury hotels.
Santa Croce is the best area to stay with loads of small bars and walking distance from all the things to do in Florence. We stayed on the riverside, away from the busy streets at Palazzo Del Moro Firenze.
How Much Does Florence Cost?
Florence is one of the most popular cities to visit in Italy and the capital of the Tuscany region. As such, prices do reflect this, with accommodation and transport costs peaking in the summer months. Book your trip in advance, however, and you can find some great deals.
Best Time to Visit Florence
Florence is a great destination to visit all year round, particularly in the shoulder seasons of spring and fall when the days are sunny, but the temperatures are perfect for sightseeing.
Summer is the busiest time to visit Florence, but the best time if you want to use the city as a jumping-off point to other destinations in Tuscany.
By purchasing through our links, you support us at no additional cost.
Thank you for your support. ♥️
- Find Hotels via Booking.com
- Find a Rental Car via Sunny Cars
- Find Flights to Florence via Skyscanner
- Get a Travel Insurance via Heymondo
- Book Tours & Attractions via GetYourGuide
- Book a Bus/Train/Transfer via 12Go
Looking for more travel information? Plan a chat with us for personalised travel advice or get an answer from the Salt in our Hair Travel Community on Facebook.