Ce sa faci in Florenta, orasul romantic al Italiei

Florence is that city full of romance and beauty, which impressed us and welcomed us with good energy and a warm, relaxed and at the same time full of life atmosphere.

Home to impressive buildings and remarkable art collections, Florence is considered by many to be the most beautiful city in Italy. It is the ideal place for a city break or a short weekend getaway, perfect for couples who want to travel together. We also visited Florence during a 3-day city break in Italy, which I invite you to read about here: 3 Days In Italy: Florence, Pisa, Bologna – Itinerary, Places To Visit.

About Florence

Florence (Firenze in Italian) is the capital of the Tuscany region in central Italy, located on the banks of the Arno River. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with over 350,000 inhabitants (1.5 million in the metropolitan area).

Florence is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world, due to its cultural and architectural wealth. The city is known for its history and importance in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, being one of the richest cities of those times. Florence's influence in the field of art is felt to this day, through the numerous collections and museums that enthusiasts can visit and admire here.

Among the important sights of Florence, I list here the well-known Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio Bridge, the Galleria degli Uffizi or the Academy of Art, where the original statue of David, made by Michelangelo, can be found. Besides these places, the old center of Florence is also fascinating. It has a very romantic and relaxed air and it is a real pleasure to walk among the charming and elegant streets of this city.

What to visit in Florence

I will present here the main tourist attractions in Florence, which can be visited in two days of vacation, without taking into account the day trips that can be made from the capital of Tuscany.

Florence has a lot to offer, and if you want to discover all the gems of this city, make sure you set aside several days to visit and explore.

1. The Duomo of Florence

Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence (Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore) is definitely the emblem of Florence. An imposing, superb, remarkable building, it is the second largest church in Italy, after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

The construction of the cathedral began in the 13th century and was completed in 1436, after the construction of Brunnelleschi's dome.

The cathedral has an impressive facade, made of green, white and pink marble, decorated with sculptures and bas-reliefs. The construction of the cathedral dome is famous, being the largest brick dome in the world, with a diameter of 45 meters.

The complex includes two other peculiar buildings: Campanila di Giotto (bell tower) and the Baptistery of St. John the Baptist.

The dome can be visited, but you need to buy your ticket online in advance, because they sell out quickly: https://duomo.firenze.it/en/home. I want to add that by going up in the dome you will have to climb a number of 462 steps, without an elevator, a quite demanding activity from a physical point of view.

An entrance ticket costs 30 euros/adults, 12 euros/children 7-14 years old and free for children under 6 years old. This ticket includes the entrance to the campanile and the baptistery.

Campanile di Giotto

Campanile di Giotto is the bell tower of the Florence cathedral. It is a high building of 84 meters and 414 steps, with the same remarkable architecture as that of the cathedral. It can be visited, and the panorama from the top is superb. You have the opportunity to see the dome of the cathedral closer, which gives you a different perspective on the majesty and grandeur of this building.

The entrance ticket can be purchased here: https://duomo.firenze.it/en/home. You can choose the 30 euro package with entrance to the dome, or the 20 euro/adult package. Both tickets include entrance to the baptistery.

Baptistery of St. John

Baptistery of St. John is located opposite the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and is one of the oldest buildings in the city. It can also be visited, alone or in combination with the other 2 buildings, and you can purchase tickets from the official website: https://duomo.firenze.it/en/home.

2. The Old Center

The old center of Florence is wonderful! It is the part of the city that makes Florence such a special place and so appreciated by tourists. Get lost in the streets of Florence, walk freely and you will be amazed at what you will discover at every step: special squares, architecturally harmonious buildings, remarkable monuments, restaurants, terraces, shops and many other attractive places for tourists.

The center of Florence is pedestrianized, and from the Mercado to the Ponte Vecchio Bridge you will find an amazing, elegant, romantic world, a place where you feel like you have gone back in time, to the old Renaissance period.

3. Piazza della Republica

Piazza della Repubblica is one of the most famous squares in Florence. It is considered the center of the old city from the time of the Romans, being built on the site of an old Roman forum. Today, around the market there are some of the most famous designer shops.

4. Fontana del Porcellino

Fontana del Porcellino is a symbol of Florence, it is a fountain in the shape of a pig, made of bronze, near Piazza della Republica. It has become a tourist attraction mainly due to its legends, it is said that if you touch the pig's nose you will visit Florence again.

5. Piazza della Signoria

Piazza della Signoria is an impressive public square in Florence, a very popular place among tourists and locals. Among the most important attractions in this square are:

Palazzo Vecchio

An impressive medieval palace from the 13th century. The palace was the residence of the Medici family, and then, for centuries, until now, the palace has the role of Florence's town hall. The palace can be visited, and an entrance ticket costs 17.5 euros.

Fontana di Nettuno

The fountain that represents the statue of Neptune, the god of the Sea

The statue of David

Replica of the famous statue made by Michelangelo. The original statue can be found in Florence, in the Academia Gallery

Loggia dei Lanzi

It is a building from the 14th century, with wide arches, an outdoor gallery of Renaissance sculptures.

6. Galleria degli Uffizi

Galleria degli Uffizi is a famous art museum in Florence, which houses one of the most important collections, with works by artists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Caravaggio, Rembrandt and others.

Founded in the 16th century by the Medici family, the Galleria degli Uffizi is located in a Renaissance palace, near Piazza della Signoria.

If you want to visit this art gallery, I recommend buying tickets online in advance: https://www.uffizi.it/en/tickets. An entrance ticket costs 25 euros.

7. Ponte Vecchio

Ponte Vecchio is another symbol of Florence, being considered the oldest stone bridge in Europe, from the 14th century. It is a medieval bridge, covered with arches, that crosses the Arno river. In the 16th century, the Duchess of Medici built a secret passage above the bridge, called the Vasari Corridor, which connects the Palazzo Vecchio with the Pitti Palace, in order to be able to walk safely from one side of the river to the other. This passage will soon be made available to tourists.

Today the bridge is one of the main attractions of Florence, being always occupied by tourists. It is known that this is the place where you can find many jewelry, leather or antique boutiques.

You can have a beautiful view of the Old Bridge by crossing Ponte alle Grazie or Ponte Santa Trinita, the neighboring bridges.

8. Piazzale Michelangelo

Piazzale Michelangelo is located on a hill, on the southern side of the Arno river, from where you can see the magnificent panorama of Florence. The Duomo of Florence, stands out in the foreground, which can be admired here in all its splendor.

In this square there is also a replica of the statue of David, made by Michelangelo.

Giardino delle Rose

Near Piazzale Michelangelo is Giardino delle Rose, a beautiful garden with flowers, an oasis of peace in the center of the city. The garden is open every day, and the entrance is free.

9. Giardino di Boboli & Palazzo Pitti

Giardino di Boboli (Boboli Gardens) is a beautiful garden in Florence, located behind the Pitti Palace, the main residence of the Medici family, built in the 16th century. The Boboli Gardens cover an area of 45 hectares, where you can admire a lot of sculptures, fountains, waterfalls, lakes or different species of trees and rare plants.

Palazzo Pitti was built in the 15th century by the Pitti family, a rich family from Florence. The Medici family bought this palace in the 16th century and turned it into their main residence.

An entrance ticket to Giardino di Boboli costs 10 euros, or 22 euros for the combined ticket with Palazzo Pitti. Tickets can be bought online here: https://www.uffizi.it/en/tickets.

10. Academia Gallery

The Academy Gallery is an important cultural attraction in Florence. It is the museum that houses Michelangelo's famous work, The statue of David, which makes this gallery one of the most visited sights in Florence.

If you want to visit the Academia Gallery, I recommend that you buy your ticket online in advance, because they sell out quite quickly: https://www.galleriaaccademiafirenze.it/en/tickets/ . A ticket costs 12 euros for adults, 2 euros for young people between 18-25 years old and is free for children.

11. Mercato Centrale

Located in the center of Florence, near the Santa Maria Novella main station, Mercato Centrale is a place very frequented by both locals and tourists. In addition to the stalls selling local products, such as meat, vegetables or fruit, in the Mercato Centrale you will also find a modern dining area on the second floor, with restaurants offering various cuisines.

Near the Mercato there is also an open-air market, where traders mainly sell leather products (bags and other accessories).

12. Day trips

Florence can be a perfect starting point to organize different day trips, such as a day in Pisa, a day in Bologna or to Cinque Terre.

Where to eat in Florence

Italian cuisine is one of the most appreciated cuisines in the world, and Florence also rises to high standards. You can't come to Italy and not try at least once pasta, pizza or gelato!

In Florence you can find a multitude of places where you can have a meal, and some recommendations are:

All’Antico Vinaio

One of the most famous places to eat in Florence is All’Antico Vinaio, a famous bakery known for its delicious sandwiches. All'Antico Vinaio has gained an impressive reputation in the gastronomic world over the years, being a place visited by many celebrities and highly viralized on social media channels.

We also felt this fame when we arrived here and saw dozens of people waiting in line to buy a sandwich from All'Antico Vinaio. The sandwiches are very tasty, and the price is affordable: a large sandwich starts from 7 euros.

How do you get to Florence?

By train to Florence

Italy has a very well developed rail transport system. With frequent and high-speed trains, it is very convenient and fast to reach Florence from any point in continental Italy.

For high-speed trains, I recommend that you buy tickets online in advance, to benefit from lower prices and to be sure that not all tickets are sold out. Otherwise, you can buy tickets directly from the vending machines in the train station.

Here you can find the timetable of all trains and the possibility to buy tickets online: https://www.trenitalia.com/.

How do you get around in Florence?

Florence is not a large city, and the old center can be easily visited on foot.

On the other hand, in Florence you can also find a number of means of public transport, through which you can move outside the center, such as trams or buses. A ticket costs 1.5 euros, or you can buy a ticket for 10 trips, worth 14 euros, which can be used by several people. These tickets can be bought from jukeboxes or kiosks near the stations.

Where to stay in Florence

Florence is not a cheap destination when it comes to accommodation, for a country like Italy, where the costs are not among the highest in Europe. Prices start from 100 euros/night, for accommodation with decent conditions (score 8+ on Booking) and positioned in a good location.

If you plan to make several trips around Florence by train, I recommend that you look for accommodation near Santa Maria Novella central station. We had this accommodation: Relais Tiffany.