Venice and Milan were lovely, but for me, visiting Florence was the main purpose of our entire Italy trip. For some backstory, I minored in Italian while studying Journalism at Penn State. As part of a 400-level Italian course, I had to give a presentation on Italian architecture as my final project. For 20+ minutes I had to speak entirely in Italian – I was terrified! During my presentation research I fell in love with the Ponte Vecchio, and so Florence became my dream vacation destination. After 10 years of multiple cross country moves, getting married, and rescheduled trips, it finally became a reality.
We spent 5 wonderful nights in Florence (including a half day excursion to Pisa). If you enjoy having a day or two of down time to explore, then 5 nights is perfect. But realistically I think you could see all the big name sites in just 3 or 4 days.
Interested in how we spent the rest of our trip? Check out my Italy Travel Guide here!
Useful Apps
To make your trip to Florence, Italy a little bit easier, I’d recommend downloading some of these apps before you go!
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Directions: I’ve used Google Maps without a problem, but CityMapper is an alternative.
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Translation: Again I used Google Translate, because I like the option to take photos of menus. But I’ve also heard good things about DeepL.
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Find Water Fountains: Acea Waidy WOW
Attractions
The Ponte Vecchio, or Old Bridge, is best known for being the only bridge in Florence to survive World War II, as well as for the shops built along its sides. Originally the shops housed tanners, fishmongers, and butchers. But in an effort to clean up the bridge, these stores were banned in favor of jewelry, art, and souvenirs.
My one regret was not buying one of the beautiful jewelry pieces we saw while window shopping.
The Uffizi Gallery is an art museum by the Piazza della Signoria. The most famous painting you can see here is the Birth of Venus. Since we were in the city for five days, we purchased the PassePartout 5 Days ticket, which also includes admission to the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens. With this ticket, you choose which day and time you visit the Uffizi (it has to be first) and then you can visit the other sites any time within the 5 days.
The Accademia Gallery has many beautiful paintings, sculptures and musical instruments, but the main draw was Michelangelo’s Statue of David. The museum knows it too, because they have him situated in the very last room before you exit.
I highly recommend purchasing tickets for any sites you want to see in advance, as they get pretty busy. We bought ours online before leaving home. There is also plenty to see just walking around the city, including the Palazzo Vecchio, Basilica of Santa Croce and Cathedral of Santa Maria. Wandering around aimlessly is honestly one of my favorite things to do!
Looking for more to do in Florence, Italy?
Check out these exciting options:
Food and Drinks
Florentine cuisine tends to feature seasonal Tuscan ingredients and on most menus you’ll find a variety of hearty, rustic dishes. Some popular foods to try during your trip to Florence include:
- Bistecca alla Fiorentina aka Florentine Steak (large t-bone steak typically served rare or medium rare and shared by 2+ people)
- Lampredotto (beef tripe)
- Crostini Neri (appetizer of toasted bread topped with a chicken liver paté)
- Pappa al Pomodoro (tuscan tomato soup made with stale bread)
- Pappardelle al Cinghiale (pappardelle pasta in a red sauce with wild boar)
Restaurants & Cafes
Osteria dell’Enoteca – Via Romana, 70/r, 50125 Firenze.
Tucked away in a more residential area, this modern Tuscan spot is perfect for wine lovers as they have a massive cellar and a sommelier to make recommendations based on your meal/preferences.
Nugolo – Via della Mattonaia, 27 R, 50121 Firenze.
Cozy contemporary Tuscan restaurant with an open kitchen, recommended by the Michelin Guide and featured on Stanley Tucci’s show Searching for Italy.
Melaleuca bakery + bistrot – Lungarno delle Grazie, 18, 50122 Firenze.
This cafe and bakery is run by an Australian/American duo and is known for it’s brunch. They get pretty busy, especially on weekends!
Konnubio – Via dei Conti, 8r, 50123 Firenze.
A modern Mediterranean restaurant offering both an a la carte menu and a 5 or 6 course tasting menu.
Drinks
Chiosco Degli Sportivi – Via degli Anselmi, 50123 Firenze.
A little outdoor bar hidden away just outside the Piazza della Repubblica, great for casual small bites and Aperol spritzes.
Antica Bottega Wine Tasting – Via Santa Margherita, 13R, 50122 Firenze.
Wine tasting and a history lesson, perfect for people who don’t have time for a proper winery tour in the Tuscan countryside.
Manifattura – Piazza di S. Pancrazio, 1, 50123 Firenze.
This cocktail bar serves drinks using only Italian spirits, each one dedicated to a famous Italian person.
Lunch & Snacks
I Fratellini – Via dei Cimatori, 38/r, 50122 Firenze.
This hole-in-the-wall looking sandwich shop is perfect for people who don’t want to wait in the crazy lines at All’Antico Vinaio!
Vineria del Re – Piazza della Repubblica, 15/r, 50123 Firenze.
While a little touristy (and pricey), it’s a great spot for people watching in the Piazza della Repubblica with snacks and a glass or two of wine.
Cucciolo Bar Pasticceria – Via del Corso 25 R, 50122, Firenze.
A small bar and pastry shop that also offers cooking classes! I tried my first caffè shakerato here: an iced espresso drink that is popular in Italy during the summer months.
La Sorbettiera – Piazza Torquato Tasso, 11r, 50124 Firenze.
Probably my favorite gelato spot we tried during our time in Italy! They have 4 locations in Florence.
Vivoli – Via Isola delle Stinche, 7r, 50122 Firenze.
The oldest gelateria in Florence (dating back to 1929), widely known for their affogato.
Looking for a more in-depth overview of each spot? Check out Where to Eat & Drink in Florence!
Hotels
Since we were spending two weeks in Italy, we didn’t really want to spend a ton of money on our accommodations. This meant we mostly went with guest houses or bed and breakfasts instead of hotels. We’ve since realized we definitely prefer hotels and would rather try to save money elsewhere!
Where We Stayed
B&B Dante Alighieri
Piazza della Repubblica, 3, 50123 Firenze
If you want to stay somewhere centrally located and don’t mind hearing everything (and I mean everything) the people in the rooms next to you do/say, this may be the place for you. Otherwise, I’d probably recommend finding somewhere else. Additionally it was a bit difficult to get someone to let us in on the first day for check in.
Other Nearby Options
When I’m researching where to stay for our trips, I always use Booking.com and/or Expedia. Sometimes they have cheaper rates than the hotel websites themselves (and sometimes they don’t), so always be sure to check! Now I will note that we haven’t personally stayed in any of these hotels yet. But they’re ones we’ve considered and will likely use for our next trip to Florence. They’re all centrally located and highly rated!
Hotel Por Santa Maria
Via Calimaruzza 3, Uffizi, 50123 Firenze
FH55 Hotel Calzaiuoli
Via Calzaiuoli 6, Uffizi, 50123 Firenze
Residenza Giotto
Via Roma 6, Duomo, 50123 Firenze
What should I do on my next trip to Florence? Let me know in the comments!
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