Florence, Italy: travel guide
The cradle of the Renaissance, Florence dazzles with Uffizi masterpieces, Brunelleschi's iconic dome, cobblestone piazzas, and Chianti-drenched Tuscan cuisine. Every palazzo hides a fresco, every piazza a Michelangelo.
- Country
- Italy
- Currency
- EUR
- Time zone
- Europe/Rome
- Nearest airport
- FLR
Top places to visit in Florence
Basilica di San Miniato al Monte
Church · 4.8 rating · about 1 h
Florence's most beautiful Romanesque church, perched on a hilltop above Piazzale Michelangelo with a glittering gold mosaic façade and sweeping views of the city.
Chiesa di Ognissanti
Church · 4.8 rating · about 0.8 h
A Baroque church on Borgo Ognissanti where Botticelli is buried, housing Ghirlandaio's Last Supper and a fresco cycle with portraits of the Vespucci family — including the navigator Amerigo.
Parco delle Cascine
Nature · 4.3 rating · about 1.5 h
Florence's largest urban park, a 3.5 km ribbon along the Arno, with cycle paths, fountains, a concert field and a popular Tuesday morning flea market.
Ponte Vecchio
Heritage · 4.6 rating · about 0.5 h
Florence's oldest bridge (rebuilt 1345), the only one spared by retreating Germans in 1944. Lined with goldsmiths since 1593, with the Vasari Corridor running secretly above.
Florence Cathedral & Brunelleschi Dome
Church · 4.8 rating · about 2 h · entry EUR 30
Brunelleschi's 1436 masonry dome — the largest ever built — crowns Santa Maria del Fiore. Climbing 463 steps rewards with a 360° panorama of Florence and the entire Arno valley.
Piazzale Michelangelo
Viewpoint · 4.8 rating · about 1 h
The definitive panoramic viewpoint over Florence — the Duomo, Palazzo Vecchio, and Santa Croce all visible from the hilltop terrace above the Arno. A bronze replica of David presides over the square.
Uffizi Gallery
Museum · 4.7 rating · about 3 h · entry EUR 20
The greatest collection of Italian Renaissance painting: Botticelli's Birth of Venus, Michelangelo's Holy Family, Leonardo's Annunciation, Raphael, Caravaggio — all housed in Vasari's 1565 Uffizi palace.
Galleria Accademia & Michelangelo David
Museum · 4.7 rating · about 1.5 h · entry EUR 16
Michelangelo's David (1504) — 5.17 metres of perfect white Carrara marble — stands at the end of the tribune designed by Emilio De Fabris. Also houses four of Michelangelo's unfinished Prisoners.
Baptistery of San Giovanni
Heritage · 4.7 rating · about 0.8 h
Romanesque octagonal baptistery (11th–13th c.) facing the Duomo, famed for Ghiberti's gilded bronze Gates of Paradise — Michelangelo's superlative.
Basilica di Santa Maria Novella
Church · 4.7 rating · about 1.3 h · entry EUR 7
Florence's first great Gothic church, with a Botticelli, Masaccio's Trinity, Filippo Strozzi frescoes by Filippino Lippi, and a green-and-white marble façade designed by Alberti.
Piazza della Signoria
Cultural · 4.6 rating · about 0.5 h
The civic heart of Florence, an open-air sculpture gallery with copies of Michelangelo's David, Perseus by Cellini, and Neptune's Fountain, all free to view.
Basilica di Santa Croce
Church · 4.7 rating · about 1.3 h · entry EUR 15
Gothic basilica (1294) and the final resting place of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli and Ghiberti; its chapels hold Giotto frescoes and a Brunelleschi Pazzi Chapel.
Things to do
- Uffizi Gallery Tour Museum · 3 h · from EUR 47 per person
- Accademia & David Tour Museum · 1.5 h · from EUR 35 per person
- Piazzale Michelangelo Sunset Scenic · 1.5 h · from EUR 16 per person
- Duomo Climb & Brunelleschi's Dome Sightseeing · 2 h · from EUR 32 per person
- Piazzale Michelangelo Sunset Viewpoint · 1.5 h
- Brunelleschi Dome Climb & Cathedral Tour Adventure · 2 h · from EUR 25 per person
- Siena & San Gimignano Day Trip Day Trip · 11 h · from EUR 100 per person
- Uffizi Gallery Skip the Line Museum · 3 h · from EUR 49 per person
Day trips and tours
- Uffizi Gallery Skip-the-Line Guided Tour 3 h · from EUR 30
- Accademia Gallery & David Skip-the-Line Tour 2 h · from EUR 25
- Tuscany Wine & Chianti Day Tour from Florence 9 h · from EUR 74
Where to stay in Florence
- Duomo / Centro about EUR 220 per night
Absolutely central; walk everywhere; ideal for short stays though busiest and loudest area
- Oltrarno about EUR 160 per night
Authentic Florentine neighbourhood south of the Arno; artisan workshops, quieter crowds, great restaurants
Hotels
- Hotel Lungarno 5-star · INR 18,000 to INR 45,000 per night
- Four Seasons Hotel Firenze 5-star · INR 45,000 to INR 180,000 per night
- Portrait Firenze 5-star · INR 22,000 to INR 55,000 per night
- Hotel Brunelleschi Florence 5-star · INR 12,000 to INR 30,000 per night
- Hotel Regency Florence 5-star · INR 11,000 to INR 25,000 per night
- Hotel Savoy Rocco Forte 5-star · INR 40,000 to INR 150,000 per night
Where to eat
- Gusta Pizza italian, pizza, neapolitan · about EUR 15 per person
- Mercato Centrale italian, tuscan, international · about EUR 25 per person
- Café Gilli italian, tuscan, brasserie · about EUR 35 per person
- Acqua al 2 italian, tuscan, modern · about EUR 55 per person
- All'Antico Vinaio italian, tuscan, traditional · about EUR 12 per person
- Vivoli italian, tuscan, dessert · about EUR 7 per person
- Café Rivoire italian, tuscan, brasserie · about EUR 25 per person
- Trattoria ZàZà italian, tuscan, traditional · about EUR 45 per person
Getting around
- Transit Pass main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
Safety and scams to avoid
Fake Tour Guides
Near Uffizi and Accademia queues
Unofficial guides approach tourists in queue offering to "get you in faster" for cash
How to avoid it: Only use guides pre-booked through official websites or licensed operators
Bracelet Scam
Ponte Vecchio and Piazza del Duomo
Men weave a friendship bracelet onto your wrist claiming it is free, then demand payment
How to avoid it: Keep both hands in pockets; walk away if approached