Florence was the first Italian city I ever visited and it definitely won my heart. I had been dreaming about this city for a few years and I was glad to find out it did not disappoint. Its streets filled with art, fashion, amazing food and lovely people really made me regret I was not staying any longer. There are so many things to do in Florence that it’s hard to say good-bye. I tried to extend my stay, but I had a trip to Slovenia already booked, so I had to leave. However, even with limited time, I think I managed to cover a lot of ground.

I put together a list with my favourite attractions in Florence, which are perfect for first-timers. I cover some of the world-known musts, but I also added some of my not-so-touristy favourites. If you have been to Florence before and think I missed something, make sure to mention it on the comments!

1.Il Duomo

I had to start with Il Duomo because this Florence attraction practically welcomes you to the city. Its official name is The Cathedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore, but not many people call it that way. Il Duomo is basically the main church in Florence and it’s not hard to see why, since it’s in the very heart of the city. The architecture of the building pretty much sets the style of the rest of Florence. You can find the same green and red marble patterns in many other constructions around the centre and I promise you’ll never get tired of them.

It is free to get inside Il Duomo, at least to the main room. I dare saying the inside is not as fascinating as the outside, but the actual dome is beautiful. If you want to go to the bell tower, you do have to pay. There’s an OPA ticket that allows you to access the upper levels of the cathedral as well as a museum and a baptistery. However, my wallet though €18 were better spent on food, so I skipped the tour and I do not regret it.

I’d say Il Duomo is the best starting point for your Florence itinerary. Besides, it is right in the middle of Piazza Duomo, which is a very popular square. Many of the best things to do in Florence are around here: restaurants, coffee shops, shops… Just, get a first impression of the city around this area and then move on to the next attraction.

2. Free walking tour

I always recommend first-times to do a free walking tour. These are available in a lot of European cities and you just need to tip at the end of the tour whatever you consider appropriate (usually around €5 euro). I did a Harry Potter themed one in Edinburgh and feel in love with their dynamic. This walking tour departs from Santa Maria Novella church and shows you the main attractions in Florence.

It is a great way to familiarize yourself with the city and bookmark the places you would like to visit later. Also, they give you great historical facts about the area and the country and the guides can also provide personalised tips if you ask them. There are tours available in English and Spanish, but the schedules change with the season, so make sure to check their website before showing up.

3. Try a gelato at Gelateria Cavini

Among the many things to do in Florence, you can’t really leave the city without a trying a gelato at least once.

There is a big debate regarding where is the best Gelato in Florence. There are many opinions out there and Yelp and TripAdvisor have enough options to give anyone a diabetic comma. However, I was lucky enough to rent an Airbnb with a lovely Italian host and he was more than happy to introduce me to what he called the best Gelato, not only in Florence, but in Italy.

Gelateria Cavini is a gelato shop with more than 90 years in the market. They produce their own cones (although that true gelato shouldn’t be served in a cone according to my host) and they also sell coffee and desserts. It is in the far end of Florence, which was a sort of quality stamp for me, since it was away from most of the tourist traps and was full of locals.

The ice cream was like nothing I had tried before. It was so soft and creamy at the same time without a greasy, artificial feeling. I went there more times that I’d like to admit, but I still fit in my jeans. Boo-yah!

4. Catch some street art

It’s been a few years since Clet Abraham shared his art with Florentines. However, you shouldn’t miss the chance to catch a glimpse of his work while you are in the area, since it’s one of the absolute must things to do in Florence.

Abraham intervenes street signs with removable vinyl stickers. He and his friends go out a night and place them around the city. The adhesives vary; they can go from innocent, fun themes, to political and religious decals. Also, there’s not a fixed pattern, and that’s the cool part, since you can just walk around Florence and randomly discover some of his work. It’s possible that you won’t find the same sticker twice and that’s what makes it so amazing.

5. Eat at Mercato Centrale

I’m always up for Italian food and there’s no better place to try some local delicacies than Mercato Centrale. This market is basically any foodie’s paradise so it was obviously among my top things to do in Florence.

The negative side of Mercato Centrale is that there are so many choices that it’s hard to decide! The ground floor sells mainly fruits, veggies and other delicious local produce. You can also find some food stalls and pasta shops. I got there a supreme capresse salad with real mozzarella and I’m still considering moving to Italy just based on that meal.

However, if you are looking for a more culinary experience, you should really go to the top floor, where you can find the main food court. You name it: bruschetta, ravioli, prosciutto, seafood… The options are endless! Prices are not so bad either, small meals start as low as €5 euro, so you can really cater to your budget. I went there twice because I didn’t want to miss the goods!

6. Go shopping! (or window shopping if you are poor like me)

Florence is full of both, street markets and high-fashion shops. I used to love just walking around its streets and drool at the Ferragamo and Versace shops. Sometimes I was just too intimidated to go in, but the windows are an attraction by themselves. However, if you are looking for a more low-key, affordable place, there’s always San Lorenzo Outdoor Market. Leather products are a specialty in Florence. Vendors will try to call your attention and bargain and you can find stuff in a wide range of prices. I got my dad a belt and some shoes in a small shop around the market. As a tip, always ask if they have display models on sale. The ones I bought were the last ones in stock and I got a really good price for them. I’m sure there are many things to do in Florence, but I can never leave a city without some healthy dose of shopping!

7. Eat some Italian delicacies at Antica Panineria SMN

I found this place by chance while I was wandering around the city. It looked so cute and chilled that I couldn’t help to approach and check the menu. I started talking to the owner and he told me I couldn’t leave Florence without trying the famous Prosciutto and melon. I usually don’t like eating red meat, but he insisted it was worth the try and he was absolutely right! He set a comfy table for me in the outside of the restaurant and I enjoyed people watching and updating my Instagram while I sampled this delicacy. I really recommend this place because it was local, low-key and the service was incredible!

8. Enjoy Italian coffee

You can do this practically anywhere! But I liked La Artigianale above all. I found this cute little coffee shop on my way back from the library and I fell in love. It felt very Italian because it wasn’t on the overly touristy side of the city. The place was small, but cosy and the coffee was simply delightful. Extra tip, if you want to treat yourself, order an affogato, which is a gift from Italian gods to the world and consists of hot espresso and the gelato of your choice. I prefer being happy than thin, ok?

9. Visit Galeria Uffizi and Accademia Gallery

When it comes to museums, Florence really raises the bar. Florence was the birthplace of Renaissance, so it’s not surprise to find out that its art collection is amazing. Galeria Uffizi displays the work of artists like Botticelli, Micheangelo, Rafael and Leonardo Da Vinci. Basically the crème de la crème. The Accademia Gallery has many renowned artists as well, but people mostly visit it to see Michelangelo’s David. These two museums are definitely the top things to do in Florence and it shows. The amount of people who visit them is overwhelming, so you should really book in advance. I cannot stress this enough. I did not book beforehand and the queue was so ridiculously long and my time so limited that I didn’t make it inside and I’m still crushed. Online booking has an extra free, but considering the crowds, it’s worth it. Neither of them is cheap, I warn you, but I’m absolutely certain that they’re worth it.

However, if you couldn’t make it on time either, or it’s a bit outside your budget, Galeria Uffizi occasionally has some movie screenings during the summer. The setting is beautiful and although the films are mostly in Italian, I found them really enjoyable.

10. Palazzo Medici Riccardi

You can’t really go to Florence without visiting a place related to the Medici, the most important family in Florence’s history. This palace is the first Renaissance building in the city, but not only the architecture is beautiful. The Palazzo also hosts temporary exhibitions for visitors and has a chapel, which is one of its main attractions. The entrance costs around €7 euro, however the courtyard and the gardens are open to the public for free from Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 6.30pm.

11. Palazzo Vecchio

Palazzo Vecchio might be one of the most impressive buildings in Florence. This is basically the place where the civil power resided back in the day and was also inhabited by the Medici. The palace has several rooms, chapels and courtyards with incredible displays of art and luxury. The entrance fee is between €10 and €14 euro, depending if you want to visit just the museum or the museum and the tower. However, if it’s a bit dear for you, the ground floor is open to the public and has some really nice samples of architecture. Additioanlly, the Palazzo is in Piazza Signoria, which is one of the main squares in Florence and has an exact copy of Michelangelo’s David and other famous statues, all of them for free!

12. Ponte Vecchio

I left this at the end because it seemed one of the most popular things to do in Florence when I was doing research, but when I was there I didn’t find it that interesting. Sure it’s a bridge full of mini house-like constructions and it looks very cool, but once there, you find a bunch of shops and stores a bit on the overpriced side. I think it’s nice to snap some shots and cross the bridge, but I wouldn’t dedicate a lot of time to it.

13. Fiesole

There are many things to do in Florence, but there are also many things to do outside of Florence! Fiesole is a town in the outskirts of the city. It’s right in the Tuscan hills and has the most gorgeous views. My host’s son lived there and he was nice enough to take me on a day trip. He showed me some incredible viewpoints and then we shared home-made pizza and ravioli while singing Mexican songs. Yeah, it was that unexpected. I leave you the song I recorded here, which is in Spanish, but it really marked my trip there:

*Ok, it’s not perfect, since we were improvising and sort of drunk. I am the singer. The guitar was by a guy named Marco (I’m afraid I didn’t catch a last name) and the background singer was Diego, again, no last name, but they were very talented guys!

Other considerations of things to do in Florence

Where to stay?

Hostels were reasonable, but I decided to stay in an Airbnb in the far end for the city, it was a 20 minute walk to get to the centre, but the place was so lovely that I really enjoyed it. If it’s your first time in Airbnb you can use my promo code and get a discount during your first stay!

Language

Luckily, Florence is a very cosmopolitan city; therefore you can find English speakers in almost any big attraction. However, if you stay out of the touristy places and wander on the outskirts of the city, English starts to be scarce. Luckily, I’m a native Spanish speaker, so I did manage to understand most of what people told me, since both languages are somewhat similar. At the end of my stay I could order food and drinks from restaurants and I even maintained a conversation with an Italian guy (he spoke in Italian, I replied in Spanish. It worked, for some reason).

However, if you don’t speak a Romance language, I’d really suggest learning a few Italian phrases. I got some troubles at the train station and communication was hard. The clerk was under the impression that my ticket was fake (go figure) and they had to call a supervisor. Surprisingly, neither of them spoke English and I was so nervous that we ended up communicating with hand gestures.

Transportation

I would say walking is the best way to move around the city, most of the things to do in Florence that I mentioned can be covered by foot. If you want to travel longer distances, buses are also a good, affordable choice. You can pay directly to the bus driver or get your tickets in advance at convenience stores for a slightly lower price.

City Tax

Because of the amount of tourists flooding the streets, Florence and other Italian cities have what is called a city tax. This means that every time you stay at a hotel or hostel (even Airbnb) you’ll get charge an extra amount of money. It can go from €2 euro up to €5, depending of the accommodation. Also, there’s the Coperto, which is a sort of cover fee restaurants charge just to use their premises. The more touristy the area, the higher the Coperto will be. Weird, I know, but what can we do? I did not know ANYTHING about either of these and it took me as a big surprise, so keep this in mind while planning your budget.

So, there you go: my favourite things to do in Florence. I hope you liked them and that you share with me your favourite in the comments.

I guess I’ll see you on the road.

Love,

 

 

 

 

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